History of the Contact Lens

The notion of the contact lens has been around for centuries. In fact, the original idea of the contact lens is associated with Leonardo de Vinci. Though the history of the contact lens starts with de Vinci, it would be some time before lenses as we know them were developed. The first actual contact lens, in fact, was a sclera lens that was made of glass and covered the entire eye. However, in the 1940s a contact lens was developed that simply covered the cornea making insertion and removal significantly easier. By the 1950s soft lenses made their way onto the marketplace and the history of the contact lens began to change at a rapid pace. In the next thirty years, soft lenses would catch on with the American population and rigid gas permeable lenses would be introduced.

All of a sudden the contact lens industry began to explode and by the 19080s and 1990s the world was ready for whatever the contact lens companies could manufacture and develop. The introduction of extended wear lenses made up for a large percentage of new contact lens wearers during the 1980s. then, in the 1990s disposables were introduced and wearing contact lenses got a lot easier and a lot cheaper. Include the development of colored contact lenses as well as lenses for astigmatism, bifocals, toric, and the like and you have the amazing history of the contact lens. However, it is not over yet because new technology and new inventions are being introduced regularly.

	Save $10 off your $100 purchase today at 1800CONTACTS.com - Use Code Save353. We deliver. You save.

Related Articles

• 1887 invention of contact lens - The invention of the contact lens goes back to the times of Leonardo da Vinci. Share and Enjoy:
• How are Contact Lenses Made? - There seems to be a new type of contact lens created every year. But how are contact lenses made is a mystery to most people. First were the hard lenses made of polymer plastic in the 1960s, followed by soft lenses which were composed of 40-60 % water and far more comfortable. Finally RPG
• Soft Contact Lenses - Since its’ introduction in the USA in 1971, soft contact lenses have become the most prescribed medical devices for people with eye problems. Today soft contact lenses are commonly prescribed for such problems as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Soft contact lenses are also the preferred material for bifocals, toric, multifocals and for cosmetic
• Allergic Reactions to Contact Lens Solutions? - I have been having some major problems with allergic reactions to contact lens solutions. I never had a problem with this before so I thought it was unusual since I’ve been wearing contact lenses for several years. After a discussion with the nurse at my doctor’s office, I’ve found out that it’s not unusual
• Affects on Wearing Contact Lenses - Millions of people wear contact lenses every single day, but if you are new to them you might be wondering what affects on wearing contact lenses you might expect. Technically, contact lenses are a medical device, but they are so commonplace most people do not think of them that way. In fact, people tend