1. Contact lenses were first conceptualized in the early 1500s but were not successfully fitted until 1887 when Dr. Fick created a contact lens made of brown glass.
2. Early contact lenses were crude and caused corneal abrasions due to a lack of understanding of corneal physiology. This led to the development of scleral lenses in the late 1800s.
3. In the mid-1900s, soft contact lenses made of plastics like hydroxyethyl methacrylate were introduced, improving comfort and oxygen permeability compared to hard lenses. Proper oxygen transmission through lenses is important for corneal health.