When were glasses actually developed?

Although many accounts claim that the invention of glasses occurred in 1317, the concept behind glasses may have originated as early as 1000 B.C. Benjamin Franklin is sometimes credited with designing spectacles, however while he did develop bifocals, he cannot be held responsible for the invention of glasses as a whole.

It's difficult to imagine a time before eyeglasses were commonplace in a world where 60% of people require some type of corrective lenses to see effectively.

Who made glasses?

While archaeologists have discovered records of "optical-themed works" from as far back as 1000 B.C., there isn't any evidence of spectacles in art or other historical texts until the 13th century in northern Italy. 

The production of glasses has taken a long time.was credited to Salvino D’Armate because his epitaph, in the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Florence, referred to him as the “inventor of spectacles.” The 1317-dated epitaph has since been proven fraudulent — the term “inventor” wasn’t used in the 1300s. 


What substances were glasses originally made of?

Even the initial versions of eyeglasses varied from culture to culture, and the conceptual models appear a little different from the prescription glasses we see today.

The use of particular materials to enhance vision was a concept that various innovators had. For instance, the Romans, who were adept at making glass, employed the material to produce their own style of eyewear.

Italian inventors quickly discovered that rock crystal could be shaped to be convex or concave to offer various visual benefits to people with various visual impairments.

Nowadays, eyeglass lenses are frequently made of plastic or glass, while frames might be made of metal, plastic, wood, or even coffee grounds (Starbucks isn't selling glasses, at least not yet). AWAY WITH THE HISTORY, PUT ON THEG LASSES: Shop for eyeglasses at an optical store near you or an online eyewear retailer. 

Evolution of eyewear

The early eyeglasses were more of a one-size-fits-all solution, but not any longer. 

Different eyeglass lenses now address these refractive problems since people have various forms of visual impairments, including myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism, amblyopia (lazy eye), and more.

The following are some ways that glasses have changed and advanced over time:

Convex lenses aid people with myopia, and concave lenses correct hyperopia and presbyopia, but until 1784 there was no singular remedy to help people who had both kinds of vision abnormalities. Thank you, Benjamin Franklin!


Trifocals: A half-century after bifocals were created, trifocals were developed. John Isaac Hawkins created glasses in 1827 to help people with severe presbyopia, a visual disorder that often affects people after the age of 40. One's ability to read close-up text, menus, and recipe cards is impacted by presbyopia.

Polarized lenses were developed in 1936 by Edwin H. Land. He made his sunglasses with a Polaroid filter. Polarization gives enhanced viewing comfort and anti-glare qualities. By improving visibility, polarized glasses give nature lovers a means to more fully enjoy outdoor pastimes like fishing and water sports.

Progressive lenses feature numerous lens powers for persons who struggle to see clearly at various distances, similar to bifocals and trifocals. Progressives, however, offer a better, more, seamless look by gradually progressing in power across each lens — goodbye, lines!

During World War II, plastic frames, particularly those in the aviator style, initially gained popularity for sunglasses. Plastic overtook metal as the most preferred substance for eyeglass frame construction in the 1950s, around the same time as progressive lenses were developed.

Photochromic lenses: Also known as transitions lenses, photochromic lenses darken in sunshine and remain clear indoors. Although photochromic lenses were created in the 1960s, it wasn't until the early 2000s that they gained widespread acceptance.

Blue light-blocking eyewear: Digital screen engagement has increased since the 1980s, when computers first became common household items (as well as TVs before that and smartphones subsequently). Blue light glasses might lessen digital eye strain by shielding your eyes from the damaging blue light that displays emit blue light glasses can help prevent digital eye strain and disruptions in your sleep cycle.


WHICH EYEGLASSES ARE BEST FOR YOU? 

Find an eye doctor near you and book an eye exam to learn your vision correction needs or to get a new prescription.