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The History of Corrective Lenses for Vision

Learn how to take care of your eyes affordably. When did the first eye glasses came along?

Most historians believe monks in Pisa or Venice, Italy produced the first form of eyeglasses in the late 1200s. These magnifying lenses for reading were set into bone, metal, or leather mountings. They were basically two small magnifying glasses with the handles riveted together forming an inverted "V" shape that could rest on the Bridge of the nose. They were known as spectacles.

Some think it is Friar Alessandro Spina of Pisa, Italy, whom we should thank for the gift of eyeglasses. The earliest lenses were for near-sightedness, usually for reading or working, but later in the 1400s came eyeglasses for far vision. In 1784 the American Benjamin Franklin invented Bifocal lenses. In 1825 the Englishman Sir George Airy designed the first lenses to correct astigmatism. In 1958 Essilor International of France introduces the first progressive multifocal lens, and named it Varilux.

Eye artwork by Ikotashi.

The next advancement in eyecare was the contact lens.

Leonardo da Vinci was the first known to think of developing some kind of contact in around 1508. He wrote down descriptions in notebooks, but that was as far as it went at that time. The early concepts largely floundered until Sir John Herschel developed techniques for grinding and fitting a contact lens to conform to the eye's surface sometime in the 1820's. In 1884 anesthesia was developed which furthered along the development of contacts. Then came some experimental attempts at contacts but they were heavy and could only be warn for short periods of time. The first true contact lense was developed by A. E. Fick in 1888 in Zurich. He made himself some glass contact lenses to correct his own vision and coined the name 'contact lens'. This lens was very uncomfortable. Also because the glass impaired the flow of oxygen to the eye; these early contacts were not particularly good for the long-term health of the eye.

Now a general search began for the perfect material to use for contact lenses for both therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Scientists were asking what material can correct vision and also allow oxygen to get to the eye? Finally in 1938 a breakthrough came when the first all plastic contact lenses were made. This happened in the US when two guys named Obrig and Mullen used a new material, polymethylmethacrylate. Which was vastly superior to glass in weight, safety, workability and comfort. These lenses covered the whole eye.

The modern contact lense was created in 1947 when Kevin Tuohy, an American, created plastic corneal lenses.

This was an advancement from the scleral lens because it only covered the cornea of the eye. His we know as "hard" contact lenses and for the next twenty years were virtually the only type of contact lenses. As you can imagine they were a big hit in Hollywood. The hard contact was non-permeable.

The modern contact lense was created in 1947 when Kevin Tuohy, an American, created plastic corneal lenses.

This was an advancement from the scleral lens because it only covered the cornea of the eye. His we know as "hard" contact lenses and for the next twenty years were virtually the only type of contact lenses. As you can imagine they were a big hit in Hollywood. The hard contact was non-permeable.

The next major improvement came in the 1950s when a Czechoslovakian polymer chemist named Otto Wichterle and his colleague Drahoslav Lima developed a new, transparent hydrogel plastic called hydroxyethylmethacrylate, made up largely of water. This new lens had the unique characteristic of being hard when dry but soft and pliable when wet. This was the first "soft" contact. The biggest limitation of the new "soft" lens was the possible absorption of infectious bacteria. None the less, they were very popular.

Then in 1971 Bausch and Lomb invented of a new manufacturing process called "spin casting". Then competitors started popping up. Now according to the Vision Council of America there were 136 million American adults who wore prescription eyewear in 2000. This is 66% of the total U.S. adult population - 43% of whom are men and 57% are women. Many of these people choose contacts over glasses. This is a vast market!

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The innovations have continued. In 1979 the FDA approved 'gas-permeable hard lenses'. The gas-permeables allowed oxygen to reach the cornea through the lens, while also offering the optical clarity and ease of handling. The first tinted soft lenses arrived in 1980. Extended wear contact lenses came along in 1981 and Bifocals in 1982. The first disposable lense was in 1987. The first disposable tinted soft lenses in 1992. And Daily Disposables first came on the market in 1995. In 2001 the most recent innovation in Contact Lenses was the Extended Wear Soft Lenses that are approved for wearing for a continuous period of thirty days.

World Through the Eyes of a Child





The Next Advance was Laser Eye Surgery

parts of the eyeMany people wanted to reduce their dependency on glasses or contact lenses. So the next progress was LASIK eye surgery.

LASIK is an acronym for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.

Actually, historically a man named Lans, who a Dutch professor of Ophthalmology, laid out the basic principles of radial keratotomy as early as 1898. In Japan, in the 1930's, Sato did some pioneering work with corneal incisions.
Unfortunately, Sato's work resulted in late corneal decompensation for many of his patients.

In the 1970s a Russian named Dr. Fyodorov brought about the practical application of refractive surgery through radial keratotomy. In 1978 Dr. Leo Bores brought the technology back to the United States after visiting Fyodorov in the Soviet Union. LASIK has been performed internationally since 1991.

If you are planning to have laser surgery, check out Ameriplan savings!

Also if you are seeking a business opportunity enroll as an Independent Business Owner. There is a huge market open and waiting for you!

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Ameriplan Testimonials

"I'm a brand new Independent Business Owner since Sunday May 13, 2007 and today I have already saved $138 with my Ameriplan discount at Lenscrafters on my prescription designer sunglasses. Thank you Ameriplan!!! I'm a winner."
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or another testimony

"When we added on the QualSight program, I was already scheduled for surgery but decided to cancel and get it done through our program. QualSight found me a surgeon 20 minutes from home. An amazing doctor. The surgery I received is called PRK the cost would have been $5500. With QualSight I was able to get the PRK surgery at the cost of $2200. A savings of $3300 from the same surgery with the first doctor."

by Kelly F, Phoenixville, PA

My son-in-law was a law enforcement officer and works nights. Wearing glasses was necessary for him, but inconvenient, particularly if it was raining. He researched the Lasik surgery and found he could have the procedure done in both eyes and it would save him over $2200 through our membership. I can honestly say he would never have considered the procedure without the discount benefit. Now his vision is corrected and he no longer needs to wear glasses at all. He is able to weke up every morning and can see clearly now, without having to put on glasses.
by Gloria M. - Springfield, OR

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Save on Transitions® lenses

Transitions® lenses are clear if indoors or at night but automatically adjust their level of tint to changing light conditions outdoors. Similar to sunblock which protects your skin, Transitions lenses help preserve the health and wellness of your eyes by blocking 100% of harmful UV rays, so you can see better tomorrow too. All tints are included in discounts to members of Ameriplan.

If you find yourself squinting or experiencing headaches or eye strain or experience difficulty seeing objects clearly in bright sunshine. Your eyes just may be trying to tell you they are struggling and need help. Many feel that harmful UV rays have something to do with developing cataracts or other eye problems later in life.

Blue in the Eyes





Some of My Other Lenses

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