We perceive 90% of the surrounding information with our eyes. Even in ancient Rome, scientists and thinkers came to the conclusion that a blind person is practically helpless and useless. When were glasses for vision correction invented? There is no unequivocal opinion on this subject, but there are a lot of premises and evidence that can tell a lot about the history of this device.
History of the creation of points
Archaeologists managed to find sunglasses in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun , and the emperor Nero suffered from exposure to sunlight and used an emerald previously inserted into the frame. And now this invention is used by a third of the entire population on the planet.
During archaeological excavations, a rather large number of lenses were discovered in Greece, Egypt, Italy and Mesopotamia (the findings date from an approximate date - 2500 years BC). And on the ruins of the Knossos Palace on the island of Crete (Greece), a small lens made of rock crystal dating back to 1600 BC was found. The oldest lenses found in Sargon date back to the 5th – 4th centuries BC
However, these and many other findings do not give any reason to believe that the lenses at that time were used as an optical instrument. Even the found works on optics do not contain information that the lenses were used to eliminate visual defects.
Invention of glasses
The question remains the same - when were glasses for vision correction invented? The first optical glasses, which have some common features with modern ones, appeared in Italy around the 13th century. By the way, Italian glass-blowing, grinding and polishing masters were considered the best in the world. What is the well-deserved reputation of Venetian glass worth ?!
For a long time, glassblowers in Italy worked with brittle material and probably knew the properties and distinctive features of glass, including optical. But the idea itself of combining two lenses with a frame directly belongs to Salvino Armati, originally from Florence. It was he who began to purposefully produce glasses for vision correction, which, in turn, were originally intended for people suffering from hyperopia.
Who owns the idea of creating glasses?
This is only approximate information about when glasses for vision correction were invented. As it has already become clear, there is no definite answer, but many researchers are inclined to believe that the date of the invention falls on the XIII century.
But another, quite logical, question arises: who invented glasses for correcting vision? The idea of framing two lenses belongs to Salvino Armati, but one cannot fail to note the work of a professor at Oxford University, who put a lot of effort into studying the refraction of images in lenses. And again, the XIII century - Roger Bacon worked in the years 1214-1292.
The activity of the Italian artisan Alexander Del Spin deserves special attention. In the 13th century, he began to manufacture lenses for vision correction and sell them to the people of Pisa and the surrounding regions. But the XVI century was not the best time for optical products - a ban on glasses was introduced, since many simply did not understand the principle of their work and could not evaluate their properties.
When and how did the first points appear?
By whom, how and when were glasses for vision correction invented? With this issue, everything has become much clearer. It remains only to delve into the history of the creation of this accessory indispensable for many people. If the first glasses first appeared in the XIII century, scattering lenses saw the light only in the XVI century - this fact led to the fact that glasses for people suffering from myopia appeared so late.
Nevertheless, this is a significant breakthrough in the field of corrective optics. Agree, this invention was much better than crystals or pieces of glass, with which people in ancient times fought with visual defects. A little over 700 years have passed, but the glasses have not lost their relevance. Along with innovations such as laser correction or contact lenses, the manufacture of glasses is still popular.
Interesting and entertaining facts about glasses
Looking at the history of the invention, figuring out the question of when the glasses were invented and who owns this idea, you can follow the evolution of this indispensable accessory. So, for example, in the 13th century these were just lenses, fixed with an ordinary frame in the most uncomplicated way. The 14th century is the time of a monocle, which was a lens fixed to the length of an elegant handle or chain. Over time, glasses for glasses, lenses and frames became more and more perfect. So, soon the light saw the lornets and pince-nez, which even became a kind of symbol of a particular era.
It is worth noting that glasses and other optical devices were improved not only from the technical side - the design of the product, as well as its quality and material, underwent changes. It is not surprising that pretty soon the glasses could tell about the status of the owner and his belonging to a particular genus. For example, Spanish grandees put on glasses with very large lenses on their nose, which emphasized their belonging to high-ranking officials.
Eyewear correction glasses
Glasses on a long bow - a relative innovation, which was replaced by spring glasses, which are very conveniently mounted on the nose. Masters and experts in their field did not pass over the beautiful half of humanity - a special device was invented for the ladies, which made it easy to attach glasses to the hat. It is worth noting that this innovation was widespread in the XV – XVIII centuries, and not only among ladies: high-ranking officials did not consider it necessary to take off their hats, therefore this device was also relevant for them.
Of course, glasses were not available to everyone - this is due to the high cost of their manufacture. In order to get a truly clean and transparent glass, it took a lot of money, so only rich people could afford them.
And again about the date the points arose
When glasses for vision correction were invented - it is clear. But what about the sunglasses? When did this invention first appear before the general public?
Oddly enough, the manufacture of glasses to protect the eyes from direct sunlight belongs to the Eskimos. Although, if you look, there is nothing strange about this at all. On a polar day, the sun shines very brightly, and if you add to this a blinding white whiteness of endless expanses of snow and the ability of snow to reflect the sun's rays, it turns out that the inhabitants of the Far North needed this invention an order of magnitude higher than that of the natives of other regions. The first sunglasses were bone plates with several slots, which allowed to reduce exposure to sunlight.
Useful properties of glasses
Everyone knows that the eyes are an indispensable organ that allows you to receive a huge amount of information from the outside world. That is why their health should be given utmost attention and regularly examined by a qualified specialist.
In no case do you need to engage in an independent selection of glasses for correcting vision. For these purposes, there are ophthalmologists. It is necessary to try to protect your eyes from intense activity, constantly do warm-ups and give them some time to relax.
What else can I add? Modern technologies offer unique methods of vision correction - this is laser correction and contact lenses. However, it is the glasses that do not have such close contact with the eye, which means that they are not so dangerous and traumatic. Moreover, glasses in the modern world are a spectacular accessory that can radically change the appearance.