A History of Corrective Lenses
3 min read
There are some innovations in our contemporary lifestyles that have become so commonplace that we can’t imagine life without them: electricity and plumbing, of course, and a few more everyday implements. What would you do without, say, your glasses/contacts/laser eye surgery?
If you use glasses or contacts, they’re probably the first things you reach for in the morning. You need them to read, drive, and sometimes just to make out the faces of your peers. But a long, long time ago – before electricity and industrialization and even before widespread indoor plumbing – you could get by for almost your entire life without having 20/20 vision. People tended to stay mostly in their own villages, with people and streets and stores they knew well, and many occupations didn’t require super-sharp peepers. But even though corrective lenses weren’t being used widely just yet, our ancestors did their fair share of experimentation and innovation long before old Ben Franklin came along.
4 BC: Roman philosophers Seneca the Younger and Pliny the Elder actually wrote “magnifying glasses” and “burning glasses.” Long before we started writing history books in tiny, eye-straining type, someone had discovered that a convex glass – a piece of glass thicker in the middle than on its circumference – magnified the appearance of flat objects (like written letters and small organisms) when placed over them. Someone also discovered that a convex lens would focus the sun’s rays and cause it to burn a hole in cloth or paper (our bet is on a perpetually curious kid).
13th century AD: European inventors come upon the Latin translation of Muslim scientist and mathematician Alhazen’s writings on the convex lens. Previously neglected, research on convex and corrective lenses gains increasingly more traction throughout Europe.
1286: According to a sermon given by Dominican friar Giordano da Pisa in 1306, this is the year that eyeglasses were invented in Europe. (Some bespectacled critics think the first spectacles more likely appeared in India.) Less than 20 years later, the city of Venice had introduced guild regulations regarding the sale of eyeglasses.
1500s – 1800s – In this (admittedly significant) time period, people begin to see eyeglasses as both accessory and necessity. In the meantime, silver and gold are gaining popularity among the middle class. Formerly only sold at hardware stores, glasses can increasingly be found jewelry stores.
1825: Recognized astronomer Sir George Biddell Airy designs the first lenses that effectively correct astigmatism.
Early 1900s: Due to rationing and shortages during WWI, the U.S. stops importing glasses from Europe. Local companies Bausch & Lomb (modern-day Ray-Ban) and American Optical rise to the occasion and become the most prominent manufacturers in the nation.
1919: Sam Foster founds the Foster Grant company. In 1929, they sell the first pair of Foster Grant’s sunglasses at Woolworth’s on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Almost immediately afterwards, sunglasses start to become popular across the country.
1940: After a few decades of experimentation with acrylic and plastic lenses, manufacturers made a breakthrough with Columbia Resin #39 (CR-39). This innovation was incredibly influential in how we make glasses today.
1959: Drawing on centuries of speculation about how to create an internal corrective lens, Czech chemists Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lim develop the first hydrogel (soft) contact lenses. The FDA approves their design in 1971, and the following decades introduce increasingly effective and comfortable silicone hydrogel lenses.
1989 – Prominent American ophthalmologist and retinal surgeon Gholam A. Peyman, MD is granted the first patent for LASIK – a surgical procedure designed to correct people’s vision without the use of corrective lenses. Dr. Peyman continued to tweak his procedure to make it safer and more effective for a wide range of patients.
Very good blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring
writers? I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid
option? There are so many options out there that I’m totally overwhelmed ..
Any tips? Thanks a lot!
Do you’ve a favorite summer time exercise you’d like to counsel
for Siouxland residents and visitors? We welcome
all of the visitors to our lovely city and parish!
Think you may have the tastiest BBQ? Register within the novice BBQ competitors!
We have a packed schedule from dawn to dusk guaranteeing everybody may have a superb time.
Well, simply the planning by the wedding service that tells
you what time sunrise is, and where to meet the Minister on the Beach!
Since Jane centered all of the conversation on Steve he’s blissful to
satisfy along with her, after all she could have some options for Steve’s challenges.
Have a fantastic Sunday, and thanks for stopping by.
JavaScript wan in sweeping recognition due to net site developers
who insisted upon the browser independence which JavaScript labored.
This old school festival is guaranteed to have enjoyable for the whole household.
Brown was 14 when he inherited the Poplarville farm that Sponenberg visited in 2005.
The farm had been in Brown’s family since 1881 and the
livestock there, even longer. https://visitdesototexas.com/
With havin so much content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright
violation? My site has a lot of unique content I’ve either written myself
or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping
it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any techniques to help reduce content from
being ripped off? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
My brother suggested I might like this web site.
He was totally right. This put up truly made my day.
You can not consider just how a lot time I had spent for this information! Thank you!
Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful post. Thank you
for supplying this information.
Awsome article and straight to the point. I am not sure if this is in fact the
best place to ask but do you guys have any thoughts on where to employ some professional writers?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Thanks , I’ve recently been searching for info approximately this subject for a while and yours is the
best I have came upon till now. But, what in regards to the
bottom line? Are you positive about the source?
I feel this is among the most vital info for me.
And i am glad reading your article. But should statement on some normal things, The web
site taste is great, the articles is actually nice
: D. Just right activity, cheers
This design is spectacular! You most certainly know how to keep a reader entertained.
Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog
(well, almost…HaHa!) Excellent job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.
Too cool!
That is a good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere.
Simple but very accurate information… Appreciate your sharing this one.
A must read article!
I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this website.
I really hope to check out the same high-grade content from you later on as well.
In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my
own, personal site now 😉
Hi there everyone, it’s my first pay a quick visit at this website, and paragraph is really fruitful in support of
me, keep up posting such posts.
First off I would like to say superb blog! I had a quick question that I’d
like to ask if you don’t mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your head before
writing. I’ve had trouble clearing my mind in getting my ideas out there.
I truly do take pleasure in writing but it just seems
like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any ideas or hints?
Cheers!
Fantastic items from you, man. I have consider your stuff prior to
and you are simply too excellent. I really like
what you have obtained right here, certainly
like what you are stating and the way in which you say it.
You’re making it enjoyable and you still care for to stay it sensible.
I can not wait to read far more from you. This is actually a great web site.
I think that is one of the most vital information for me.
And i’m happy reading your article. But should commentary on few normal issues, The website taste is perfect, the articles is really excellent :
D. Just right task, cheers
I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning
this website. I really hope to see the same high-grade content by you in the future as well.
In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated
me to get my own, personal website now 😉
Okaysay hi to them and tell them to SUBSCRIBE to my channel
too for more content.
Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the internet the easiest
thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people think
about worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit
the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole
thing without having side effect , people can take
a signal. Will probably be back to get more.
Thanks
Thznks for finally writing about >A History of Corrective Lenses | Hankering for History
<Liked it!
Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every day.
It’s always exciting to read through articles from
other writers and use something from other web sites.