Learn about the evolution of reading glasses. To learn about affordable contact lenses, reading glasses, sunglasses and more go to http://www.eyeglasses99.com/.

Reading Glasses and More Explained

The first record of a device to aid the sight was discovered in the form of an Egyptian hieroglyph dating back to the 5th century BC. In the 1200 AD, the Italians invented reading glasses that could be worn. They were prohibitively expensive. Therefore, only nobles and clergymen could afford them. Over the last 800 years, glasses have evolved and adapted to fit the masses. The majority of Americans today wear glasses. This increase in use could be explained by changes in the diet, genetics and the fact that optical care reaches many more people than it once did.

The original glasses were created to treat farsightedness or hyperopia and presbyopia, which is the hardening of the lenses of the eyes cause by aging. With the creation of the first concave lenses, reading glasses were born. It is unknown whether or not the creator of the original reading glasses knew how to create specific strengths of lenses to treat different severities of hyperopia.

A relatively short time after these wearable glasses were invented to treat hyperopia, concave lenses were invented to treat myopia, or nearsightedness. With this invention, the world of optic care exploded with activity. It became clear to glasses producers that there was a massive market for corrective lenses. It also came to light that myopia was much more common than hyperopia.

Doctors soon discovered that in patients with myopia a complex problem developed around the ages of 30 to 40 years old. The lenses of the eyes hardened and created a need for glasses that were for both near and far sightedness. The brilliant scientist and inventor Benjamin Franklin created the bifocal lenses in 1784 and by doing so, treated his own vision problems. Less than a century later the English astronomer George Airy invented lenses to treat astigmatism, which is a sharper curvature to the eye than average. Astigmatism can make it difficult for sufferers to know whether or not objects are level, among other symptoms.

Frames have evolved since the year 1200AD from gold to every metal and plastic imaginable. Original glasses had no side arms to speak of: only pincers held them on, or they were held in place with the hands. Times have certainly changed, and we welcome that change with open arms. Today, glasses are functional as well as fashionable. Wearers can afford themselves a collegiate look by merely donning a pair of thick, black framed glasses: effectively increasing their perceptive IQ by a dozen or so points. Glasses, sunglasses and colored contact lenses are worn now with no prescription for fashion reasons.

What were once only affordable to the very wealthy are now affordable to nearly every budget. To learn about great prices on today's most fashion forward spectacles, go to http://www.eyeglasses99.com/.