Eyeglasses

The Eyeglasses

By CBoothby
  • First visual aid, called a reading stone, was invented
    Jan 1, 1000

    First visual aid, called a reading stone, was invented

    A glass sphere was laid on top of the text to magnify the letters
    (teagleoptometry.com)
  • Jan 1, 1285

    Italian Monks created magnifying lenses for reading

    Between 1285-1289
    Made of convex shaped glass / crystal stone, they were set in bone, metal or leather mountings and balanced on the bridge of one's nose
    (glasseshistory.com)
  • First artistic representation of eyeglasses
    Jan 1, 1352

    First artistic representation of eyeglasses

    Tommaso de Modena’s painting depicts monks reading and writing manuscripts with one monk using a magnifying glass and another with a pair of glasses perched on the nose (glasseshistory.com)
    Image - io9.com/strange-and-wonderful-moments-in-the-history-of-eyeglas-507302709
  • Jan 1, 1550

    16th Century - Concave lenses invented to assist nearsightedness

    http://www.ehow.com/about_4696526_history-of-eyeglasses.html

  • Edward Scarlett developed way to keep glasses from falling off nose

    Edward Scarlett, a London optician, developed rigid side pieces to place over the ears to keep them from falling of the face (ehow.com)
  • Eyeglasses, c. 18th Century

    Eyeglasses, c. 18th Century

    teagleoptometry.com

  • Martin's Margin's created

    Benjamin Martin, a London optician created “Martin’s Margins” as a way to reduce the damage to eyes from excessive light. (antiquespectacles.com)
  • C. 1770 Spectacles with tortoise shell and silver rims

    C. 1770 Spectacles with tortoise shell and silver rims

    (i90.com)

  • Benjamin Franklin developed the bifocal

    http://www.ehow.com/about_4696526_history-of-eyeglasses.html

  • John McAllister, Sr. opens first American optical shop in Philadelphia

    http://www.antiquespectacles.com/history/ages/through_the_ages.htm

  • John Isaac Hawkins developed the trifocals

    http://www.ehow.com/about_4696526_history-of-eyeglasses.html

  • Now believed that approximately 64% of American adults where glasses

    glasseshistory.com