Contemporary Bifocal Reading Glasses

Monday, September 28th, 2009 | local info

The American man of scientific discipline, Ben Franklin, who endured both nearsightedness as well as presbyopia, devised bifocal reading glasses in 1784 to obviate having to frequently switch betwixt 2 pairs of eyeglasses.

The original lenses intended for repairing astigmia were distributed by the British astronomer George Airy in the year 1825.

Along the history of bi-focal reading glasses, the building of pectacle frames also evolved. Early on oculars were contrived 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 the subject’s head, which in turn was held secure by the weight of one’s hat.

Entering modern bifocal history, the contemporary fashion of bifocal spectacles supported by temples passing over the ears, was produced in 1727 by the British lens maker Edward Scarlett. These designs were not at once prosperous, however, and assorted styles with attached handles like “scissors-glasses” and lorgnettes stayed fashionable throughout the eighteenth and into the early nineteenth century.

In the early 20th century, Moritz von Rohr at Zeiss produced the Zeiss Punktal spherical point-focus lens system which dominated the eyeglass lens domain for many years.

Despite the rising fame of contacts and laser restorative eye surgery, spectacles stay rather common, as their technology 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 modern contraptions are also distinctly better capable of resisting the rigors of everyday wear and the periodic accident. Modern frames are also ofttimes made from robust, light-weight materials like titanium alloys which weren’t available in earlier times.

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