Over 50? Keeping Up With Your Healthcare Needs

Fascinating Facts About The History Of Eyeglasses

8 January 2015

Nellie Ryan

Do you find yourself needing eyeglasses to see? Does wearing eyeglasses make you curious about them? Here are some interesting facts and history of eyeglasses:

Reading stones: The first reading aids were closer in form to the modern magnifying glass than to eyeglasses. Glassblowers would make spherical or semi-spherical glass globes. Called reading stones, these pieces of glass would sometimes be mounted in a metal or other type of frame to make it easier for them to be held.

Invention of eyeglasses: Salvino D'Armate is often considered to be the inventor of wearable eyeglasses, as opposed to reading stones that were carried around. These early glasses were worn to correct hyperopia, also known as farsightedness.

First glasses in art: The first known depiction of reading glasses is from a series of frescoes by artist Tommaso da Modena done in 1352. The Cardinal Hugo of Provence is depicted wearing what many people might consider to be remarkably modern glasses. 

​Cylindrical lens: If you have astigmatism, you've benefited from Sir George Airy's invention of cylindrical lenses for eyeglasses in 1825. Prior to that, patients with astigmatism could often only hope for partial assistance from eyeglasses. 

No more pince-nez: Until the 1600s, eyeglasses had no arms and had to simply rest on the wearer's nose for support. In the 1600s, eyeglass makers started attaching silk ribbons or strings to the eyeglasses. These ribbons or strings were then looped over the wearer's ears for support. It wasn't until 1730 that eyeglasses with rigid arms were invented by Edward Scarlett.

Presidential eyeglasses: Although most American Presidents prefer not to be seen wearing eyeglasses, Theodore Roosevelt wasn't ashamed of his eyeglasses. Being the first President to be photographed wearing eyeglasses may have even helped save his life. An assassination attempt in 1912 was thwarted, in part, because of the steel eyeglass case that he carried in his left breast pocket. A different Presidential first belongs to Lyndon Baines Johnson for becoming the first President to wear contact lenses in 1964.

Sunglasses: Many different types of sunglasses have been worn around the world, since prehistoric times. Some have been nothing more than opaque lenses with slits in them, to allow limited light through, while others were made of precious or semi-precious stones. However, it hasn't been until the 1900s that sunglasses have been worn as a fashion statement. It's also a relatively recent development to have prescription sunglasses, instead of sunglasses that simply block bright light.  (For more information on eyeglasses, go to http://www.spectacleshoppe.biz/)

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