History of Glasses

Early Glasses

Early glasses from the 13th century featured primitive lenses that were framed with wood. Because the design was so difficult to balance on the nose, wearers generally had to hold the glasses up to their eyes. When glasses were first invented, convex lenses were used to correct only presbyopia.



About Pince-nez

Around the 14th century, Pinsnese appeared. The name 'Pinsnese' comes from French for "pick" and "nez," which means "nose." Pinsnese secured it to the nose using the tension of the spring. This allowed the wearer to put the lens on the nose without using their hands, but only at a certain cost. This style returned after centuries. This style reemerged in the 1800s, and was popularized by many iconic figures wearing it.



Rising Demand for Vision Correction due to the invention of printing press

With the invention of the printing press in the 1430s, access to printmaking increased. This, of course, meant that there was a growing need for vision correction. By the 1500s, glasses were mass produced and sold by street vendors.



Specialization of Glasses using concave lens

In 1604, Johannes Kepler was credited with correctly explaining that concave lenses are more suitable than convex lenses for correcting myopia. By the 1600s, the situation had improved somewhat. By fixing the test lenses on the leather straps to the head, the wearer's eyesight could be seen in a little more detail. In addition, various lenses were used to correct more vision problems.



Invention of the Temple

The invention of the Temple of Glasses in 1727 brought about a major change in the development of glasses. In 1750, the first prototype of modern glasses was made.