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Nov 1, 1000
Reading Stone
In 1000 AD, a erading stone, magnifying glass, was developed. It could be laid against reading material to magnify letter on it. -
Jan 1, 1200
Magnifying Lenses
The first truly functional magnifying lenses were produced in the 1200s. -
Jan 1, 1269
First Spectacles
The first specticles were made between 1268 and 1289. The first spectacles had quartz lenses because optical glass had not yet been developed. -
Jan 1, 1400
Reading Glasses
By the 1400s, lenses were being used to make reading glasses. -
Telescopes
By 1600, high quality lenses were being produced and used to make telescopes. -
First Glasses
In the 1600s, they used to keep glasses on their noses by using silk ribbons tied to rims of glasses and hung ribbons over ears with weights on end to keep them in place. -
Perfected use of rigid sidepieces
In 1730, an optician from London names Edward Scarlett perfected the use of rigid sidepieces that rested atop the ears. -
The Bifocal
In 1780, Benjamen Franklin develped the bifocal. -
Contacts Suggested
Sir John Herschel suggested the idea of contact lenses in 1845. -
Variety of Contact Lenses become available
By the early 40's a variety of contact lenses was available: blown glass, ground glass, molded glass, plastic and glass, and all plastic. All were still comparatively large and could not normally be tolerated for long periods of time. -
LASIK first available
The LASIK technique was first made possible by the Colombia-based Spanish ophthalmologist Jose Barraquer, who, around 1950 in his clinic in Bogotá, Colombia, developed the first microkeratome, and developed the technique used to cut thin flaps in the cornea and alter its shape, in a procedure he called keratomileusis.