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The early glasses and spectacles due to their heavy materials were creating pressure points on the nose and ears, the need of something practical and light was high by the end of the 19th century http://www.edwardhandmedicalheritage.org/history_of_contact_lenses.html http://online.salempress.com.library3.webster.edu/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLI_1397&EZproxyRedirectPatch
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He saw that by putting a mans face in a bowl of water his vision improved and developed a lense with water that can use the fracturing of the light like the bowl did to improve vision. It was disgarded due to its impracticality http://www.edwardhandmedicalheritage.org/history_of_contact_lenses.html
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THe impact of Fick's glasses were immense, by adding minor changes he could treat different types of astigmatisms and abnormalities in patients vision, however these lenses were still uncomfortable and very heavy on the eye since they were made from thin glass http://www.edwardhandmedicalheritage.org/history_of_contact_lenses.html
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Adlof Eugen Fick creates the first usable contact lens using glass, this was possible due to the invention of annestessia. The early contact lenses were made of molded glass and needed to be put in place by doctors http://www.edwardhandmedicalheritage.org/history_of_contact_lenses.html
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Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lim invent a plastic polimer that is half water and can permeate water, tested by putting in his own eye http://www.edwardhandmedicalheritage.org/history_of_contact_lenses.html
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Wichterle's was recruited by the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences when they saw his research http://online.salempress.com.library3.webster.edu/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLI_1397&EZproxyRedirectPatch
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When Wichterle was working on his first patents they were extremly hard to produce and took a lot of time and precession, however there was success in his trials and experimental patents http://online.salempress.com.library3.webster.edu/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLI_1397&EZproxyRedirectPatch
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Due to the slow production and the inability of Wichterle to create a mass production method the Institution cancles all funding to the project. This forces Wichterle to start working on his lenses at home with his wife and with the use of household items. http://online.salempress.com.library3.webster.edu/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLI_1397&EZproxyRedirectPatch
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The vision of the patients did not improve but he noticed they had no problems wearing them. He also started perfecting his produciton process by using a bycicle generator and other homemade materials. Inventors and Inventions
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Wichterle travels to the US to present his patent for full production http://online.salempress.com.library3.webster.edu/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLI_1397&EZproxyRedirectPatch
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The National Patent Development Corporation decideds to licence Wichterle but only when he perfects the process for mass production http://online.salempress.com.library3.webster.edu/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLI_1397&EZproxyRedirectPatch
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http://http://www.edwardhandmedicalheritage.org/history_of_contact_lenses.html' >History of lenses</a>The new lenses Otto Wichterle developed are lighter and can allow oxygen to pass unlike its glass predecessor. The marerial Wichterle and Liz developed is still the primary plastic used due to its inertness when in contact with human tissue and its permeable properties. Today more materials are being researched to improve on the 20th century design however it is being debated that through modern treatments such as lazer surgery glasses and lenses might become absolete.
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Soft contact lenses are introduced in the US market and to the general public for consumption http://online.salempress.com.library3.webster.edu/articleDetails.do?articleName=GLI_1397&EZproxyRedirectPatch
