Ralph Cotran of US Optical discusses the history of eyewear and how glasses and contacts have evolved into what we use today.

1. EYEWEAR
THROUGH
THE AGES
BY RALPH COTRAN

2. Since their invention over
700 years ago, eyeglasses
have greatly impacted the
course of history and
humanity.

3. According to a feature article
in Newsweek Magazine,
reading glasses are
considered one of the most
important inventions of the
past 2,000 years.

4. The first "lenses" were created
between 1000 and 1200 AD and were
simple ground and polished crystals
that crudely magnified whatever
was in front of them.
Emperor Nero was said to
have used an emerald to
help him watch the
gladiator games.

5. The first recorded use of
"eyeglasses" was in the 1400s.
In Italy, craftsmen and monks
wore magnifying lenses that
were set in leather.

6. The invention of the printing
press in 1440 saw more and more
people demanding eyeglasses in
order to be able to read.
It's believed that, during this time, spectacle
peddlers could be seen on most street corners.

7. At one point before the invention
of the earpiece, the most common
style of eyeglasses was the Pince
Nez or "pierced nose" in French.
These glasses had no arms to
place over the ears but rather sat
on the bridge of the nose and
pinched it.
Teddy Roosevelt popularized this
style of glasses in the United States
when they came back into style in
the 1840s.

8. By the 17th
century,
glasses had
reached
Britain. The first official
spectacles makers
opened in 1629.

9. It wasn't until the late 17th/early 18th century that an optician
from London named Edward Scarlett was given credit for
perfecting what was called "temple spectacles" - two arms
extended from each side of the lenses and pressed against the
temple to keep the glasses on the wearer's face.
They were later called "Around The Ear" glasses.

10. Benjamin Franklin is credited as having been the first to
invent bifocals in 1784. These dual-lens glasses allow the
wearer to have clearer vision both near and far away.

11. Sunglasses as fashion accessories took off in the 1930s.
This jump in popularity eventually lead to
the invention of the Polarized lens.

12. In the 1950s, contact lenses became readily
available, though early contact lenses differ
greatly from the lenses we see today.

13. Today we see an increase
in people opting out of
eyewear altogether and
choosing to undergo laser
eye surgery, a
permanent solution where
there used to be only be
temporary fixes.

14. Ralph Cotran is co-owner at US Optical, the
third largest optics firm in America. For more
information on all things optical, visit Ralph's
website or visit him on social media.