When Was The First Contact Lens Invented?

Metsman · #1 (**permalink**) 04-23-2008, 12:00 PM

I've heard dates in 1887 and 1950. 63 years is a big difference. Who can tell me which is the correct date and why?

QuietLunatic · #2 (**permalink**) 04-29-2008, 09:55 PM

Wow...that's quite the difference. I don't know for sure, but I do remember that one of my sisters had hard contact lenses back as far as about 1969 or 1970. They were real eyeball agony devices.

jimmys devoted · #3 (**permalink**) 04-29-2008, 11:27 PM

http://www.eyetopics.com/articles/18/1/The-History-of-Contact-Lenses.html

1887 Glassblower F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden, Germany, produces the first eye covering designed to be seen through and tolerated.
so they have been around for a while. The first ones were heavy, not well tolerated and made from solid glass. they could be worn for short periods of time and a plain saline solution was used to lubricate teh lens. BUt small ridges were often created like scar tissue.

j

ken7700 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-17-2008, 12:11 PM

never knew they have been around for that long of a time. I guess we have had eye problems for a very long time it seems. I know technoogy has really advanced eye care in the last few years.

Metsman · #5 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmys devoted

http://www.eyetopics.com/articles/18/1/The-History-of-Contact-Lenses.html

1887 Glassblower F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden, Germany, produces the first eye covering designed to be seen through and tolerated.
so they have been around for a while. The first ones were heavy, not well tolerated and made from solid glass. they could be worn for short periods of time and a plain saline solution was used to lubricate teh lens. BUt small ridges were often created like scar tissue.

j

Thanks for your help. I've seen that eyetopics website before, but I didn't think of it when I was looking for this information. That's a good site.

shirley · #6 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmys devoted

http://www.eyetopics.com/articles/18/1/The-History-of-Contact-Lenses.html

1887 Glassblower F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden, Germany, produces the first eye covering designed to be seen through and tolerated.
so they have been around for a while. The first ones were heavy, not well tolerated and made from solid glass. they could be worn for short periods of time and a plain saline solution was used to lubricate teh lens. BUt small ridges were often created like scar tissue.

j

i didn't realize that it was been centuries old..i mean the invention of the lens..thanks for the information..

Bensica · #7 (**permalink**) 09-21-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmys devoted

http://www.eyetopics.com/articles/18/1/The-History-of-Contact-Lenses.html

1887 Glassblower F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden, Germany, produces the first eye covering designed to be seen through and tolerated.
So they have been around for a while. The first ones were heavy, not well tolerated and made from solid glass. They could be worn for short periods of time and a plain saline solution was used to lubricate the lens. But small ridges were often created like scar tissue.

j

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

shirley · #8 (**permalink**) 09-21-2009, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bensica

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

hey bensica..are you having some contest here ? just curious though..or is it just kind of a joke???

Spicegurl · #9 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirley

hey bensica..are you having some contest here ? just curious though..or is it just kind of a joke???

I think he or she is saying that we finally got a definite answer on this question. If you look at the top there was some uncertainly about the actual year that contacts first were developed. Jimmys devoted gave us the right information.

shirley · #10 (**permalink**) 09-22-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicegurl

I think he or she is saying that we finally got a definite answer on this question. If you look at the top there was some uncertainly about the actual year that contacts first were developed. Jimmys devoted gave us the right information.

well that explains it..great! thanks to jimmy too for that valuable information then..

Ragnarox · #11 (**permalink**) 09-23-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirley

i didn't realize that it was been centuries old..i mean the invention of the lens..thanks for the information..

Yes, contact lenses have been around in one form or another for quite a long time.

Metsman · #12 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 01:30 PM

Sounds (Looks?) like a lot of people are surprised at how long contact lenses have been among us. It almost a universal response here on Lens 101. Nice work, JD.

Spicegurl · #13 (**permalink**) 12-10-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmys devoted

http://www.eyetopics.com/articles/18/1/The-History-of-Contact-Lenses.html

1887 Glassblower F.E. Muller of Wiesbaden, Germany, produces the first eye covering designed to be seen through and tolerated.
so they have been around for a while. The first ones were heavy, not well tolerated and made from solid glass. They could be worn for short periods of time and a plain saline solution was used to lubricate teh lens. BUt small ridges were often created like scar tissue.

j

So I guess the correct answer would be 1887. Before the first World War. Before the Wright brothers invented their flying machine. Before television. Contact lenses have been around for a long time.

Metsman · #14 (**permalink**) 01-28-2010, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicegurl

So I guess the correct answer would be 1887. Before the first World War. Before the Wright brothers invented their flying machine. Before television. Contact lenses have been around for a long time.

That kind of puts it in perspective, doesn't it? Thanks for the history time line, Spicegurl.

Spicegurl · #15 (**permalink**) 02-09-2010, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metsman

That kind of puts it in perspective, doesn't it? Thanks for the history time line, Spicegurl.

See, once again Lens 101 proves to be educational and entertaining.

Ragnarox · #16 (**permalink**) 03-02-2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicegurl

See, once again Lens 101 proves to be educational and entertaining.

You got is Spicegurl. This is the only place I've seen a picture of the Wright brothers' airplane actually in flight. I've only seen it in the National Air and Space Museum.

By the way. According to wikipedia.com, "the United States government [told] the Wrights it [had] 'no requirements' for a flying machine."

Metsman · #17 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spicegurl

So I guess the correct answer would be 1887. Before the first World War. Before the Wright brothers invented their flying machine. Before television. Contact lenses have been around for a long time.

And only 21 years after the invention of the contact lens, the Cubs won their last World Series!