Bifocal Sunglasses and Rimless BifocalsDecember 30
The United States gentleman of science, Benjamin Franklin, who endured both myopia as well as presbyopia, devised bifocal reading glasses in 1784 to avoid needing to often switch between 2 frames of eyeglasses.
The 1st lenses intended for rectifying astigmia were distributed by the British stargazer George Airy within 1825.
In the history of glasses, the development of eyeglass frames also evolved. Early on oculars were designed to be either kept in place with your hand or by maintaining force on the nose. Girolamo Savonarola advised that oculars could be held in place with a ribbon placed over a person’s head, which in turn was fastened by the weight of one’s hat.
Entering modern bifocal history, the contemporary fashion of bifocal eyeglasses supported by temples passing over the ears, was produced in 1727 by the British lens maker Edward Scarlett. These designs were not instantly prosperous, however, and various styles with attached handles like “scissors-glasses” and lorgnettes remained fashionable throughout the eighteenth and into the early nineteenth century.
In the early twentieth century, Moritz von Rohr at Zeiss made the Zeiss Punktal spherical point-focus lens system which dominated the eyeglass lens field for many years.
Despite the rising fame of contacts and laser restorative eye surgery, eyeglasses remain quite popular, as their engineering has continued to evolve. For example, it’s currently possible to buy frames constituted of special memory metal alloys that return to their correct configuration after being bent. Other frames have spring-loaded hinges.
Glasses have come a long way, haven’t they? In fact, today you can even buy rimless eyeglasses.
Many of these designs are also distinctly better able to resist the stresses of day-to-day wear and tear as well as the occasional accident. Modern frames are likewise frequently made from robust, light-weight materials like titanium alloys which weren’t available in earlier times.
30 Dec 2010 | 4:28 pm | Uncategorized
