Invention Of The Glass Spectacles

Many thoeries exist regarding the invention of glasses, according to some sources the first wearable pair of eyeglasses were made in the 13th century in Italy. London Glazing tradesmen know all about glass products. A man called Salvino D’Armate more than likely invented eyeglasses in around 1285, though various sources suggest an earlier date. Both he and an Italian monk called Allesandro della Spina (made it public knowledge) shared the innovation and is often thought of as the inventor of eyeglasses. These early eyeglasses had metal or bone frames made of metal with lenses made from quartz as the ”opticians” of that time didn’t have the means of producing flawless lenses in glass. The 14th century, saw Venetian craftsmen making what were called “disks for the eyes”‘. The name lens came from the Italians as they look similar to lentil beans. The first lenses were convex, that bulged out in the centre, and they were used to correct far sighted conditions. By 1451, German Nicholas of Cusa made these eyeglasses to help people who were near-sighted with concave lenses that were thin at the centre and thick at the edges. London Glaziers are glass experts. Early eyeglasses had glass lenses set into heavy wooden frames, lead or even copper. The modern eyeglass frame, that sat over the ears and nose, was pioneered in 1727 by British optician Mr Edward Scarlett. American scientist and famous philosopher Benjamin Franklin was given the credit for the invention of bifocals, dividing his lenses for far and near vision. Sir George Biddle Airy, an English astronomer and mathematician, invented glasses to correct astigmatism in 1827 which were meant to be held by hand. Later glasses were designed to be held in place by ribbon or by exerting pressure on the bridge of the nose, such as with pince-nez.
In 1955 the unbreakable lenses were invented and in 1971 a new lens was developed which mixed the properties of plastic and glass.