Most people think of contact lenses as a relatively new invention. But the truth is that the beginning of contact lenses history begins in 1508 when Leonardo da Vinci first proposed the concept.
With the creation of the first pair of eye glasses around 1284 and the first microscope in 1590, it isn’t surprising that the concept of lenses worn on the eye to aid vision was thought of so many years ago.
Of course it wasn’t until 1887 that the first one was made from glass. The following year, progress was made and Paris optician Edouard Kalt along with Swiss physician A.E. Fick reported that they had corrected a patient’s poor vision with the use of a glass lens worn on the eye.
It is hard to imagine that those early versions were very comfortable. The dawn of plastic eye lenses in 1936 was a huge break through. The plastic ones were much more comfortable for the wearer because they were smaller and thinner. These hard plastic lenses were perfected as best as possible throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s.
It took over 20 years for the concept of soft lenses to become a reality. In 1971 Bausch & Lomb launched the first commercially available soft lens.
This was a big turning point for people with vision problems. It opened up a whole new world of convenience for thousands of people.
Things progressed as new plastics were developed and the concept of wearing these eye pieces for more than a single day became a reality in 1981.
Disposable lenses hit the market in 1987. These were worn for more than a day before they were tossed out. In 1995 soft lenses that were worn for just one day and then disposed of were introduced.
One of the biggest break-throughs came in 2001when hydrogel lenses were released. These lenses are made to be worn continuously for up to 30 days and nights.
The history of contact lenses is long and filled with many developments and it all started as a glimmer in the eye of Leonardo da Vinci.
For more information and to see the complete history of contact lenses time line go to Contact Lenses History
Elizabeth Herschel and the team at Online Contact Lenses care about your eye care and we strive to provide you with the best lenses for your perfect vision.