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The first wearable glasses appeared in Italy -

The earliest known example of wearable eyeglasses dates back to 13th-century Italy. A man named Salvino degli Armati is credited for the invention.

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During the Renaissance, glasses were a symbol of intelligence -

Scholars during the Renaissance were revered by society. Probably due to excessive reading, many of them wore glasses due to eyesight problems, which is why people associated glasses with intelligence and wealth.

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Glasses were designed to be manually held in place -

Holding glasses by hand, or leaving them on the nose without temples or earpieces for support, was a daily routine in the 16th century.

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Further development -

Around the late 1700s, Spanish eyewear manufacturers found a solution to glasses slipping down the nose. They used to fix ribbons to the lenses, looping them around the ears to ensure stability. Those ribbons inspired the modern-day temple arms.

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Benjamin Franklin also contributed to the development of glasses -

Many don't know this, but one of the Founding Fathers of the US, Benjamin Franklin, invented the bifocal lens. It helped people with both myopia (nearsightedness) and hypertropia (misalignment of the eyes) see using only one pair of glasses.

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Glasses for everyone -

Before the 19th century, glasses were still handmade and hardly accessible to everyone. Fortunately, the Industrial Revolution changed that with the massive manufacture of frames, lenses, and components. It finally allowed people from all social classes to have access to proper eyewear.

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The "Martin’s Margins" are named after the inventor -

Named after its inventor, Benjamin Martin, these 18th-century glasses had dark rims meant to improve user vision, as well as protect them from excessive light. The frames were in silver and the lenses were round.

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An astronomer's invention -

George Airy, a famous British astronomer, introduced the first astigmatism correction lenses in 1825.

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The first anti-glare glasses with polarization -

In the 1920s, Edwin Land, inventor of the instant photography method and co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation, created the first anti-glare glasses with polarization.

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Sunglasses were invented in the 12th century -

Previously believed to have been invented in the 20th century, these accessories actually came into existence in 12th-century China. Their purpose was to obscure judges' eyes while they were in court listening to cases.

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Mass production of sunglasses -

In 1929, the mass production of affordable sunglasses began after American brand Foster Grant started selling them on Atlantic City beaches.

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Tinted sunglasses were designed for medical conditions -

Tinted sunglasses were originally developed to help people who were too sensitive to light. But because they were so effective at reducing glare, manufacturers in the 1900s started to ramp up production and sell them to the general public.

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Chameleons -

Photochromic glasses, aka chameleons, were invented in the '60s in France. The lenses have the ability to change shades of darkness according to the light intensity of the environment.

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"Spectacles" is a word derived from Latin -

Around the 18th century, people started calling glasses "spectacles." The word is a derivative of spectare, which is Latin for "to look at" or "to observe."

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Approximately four billion people wear glasses -

According to statistics from the Vision Council of America, about 75% of the adult population worldwide uses vision correction products, and 64% of them wear glasses.

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Developed economies are adversely affected by myopia -

Researchers have found that overreliance and addiction to smartphones, tablets, and personal computers have significantly contributed to an increase of myopia, i.e. nearsightedness.

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Glasses can improve vision permanently -

While these cases are rare, it can happen if the individual has amblyopia or strabismus. Amblyopia is commonly known as lazy eye, and strabismus is when one is crossed-eyed.

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Not all lenses are made of glass -

Contrary to popular belief, glass lenses aren’t the best lenses. They're weighty, costly, and could easily break or shatter.

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Plastic lenses were introduced in the '80s -

Thanks to technological advances, lenses became lighter and thinner. Plastic lenses are also less breakable, and have various coatings added in layers to reduce UV light and glare.

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There’s more than one type of glasses -

There are nine different types of glasses with varied functions. The ones that we're used to seeing people wear are monovision lens glasses (single vision), prisms glasses, progressives, bifocals, toric glasses, and trifocals. Then there are sunglasses, safety glasses, and digital blue-light-blocking glasses.

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Wearing a different prescription for a long time can damage your eyes -

Some people believe that wearing somebody else’s glasses for a couple of minutes will permanently damage an individual’s eyes. In reality, the only thing you'll experience are headaches caused by eye strain or eye fatigue. However, if you wear them for an extended period, then that's a different story.

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Most people can't see with their peripheral vision when they're wearing glasses -

Peripheral vision is what you see in your surroundings that aren't directly in front of you. When wearing glasses, most of that peripheral vision is blocked because the lenses are in the way.

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The power of an eyeglass is measured in diopters -

How strong or weak your glasses are will be evaluated using the diopter. This measurement is vital in determining the lens’ magnification level for the individual’s requirements.

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It takes a week to adjust to your new glasses -

If you've just gotten a new pair of glasses, don't be surprised if your eyes don't adjust right away. During that time, you might experience some headaches and eye fatigue.

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A signature look -

Rounded glasses with thin frames became popular in the '60s thanks to John Lennon, whose signature look always included them.

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Bicycle glasses -

However, before the peak of their global popularity, rounded glasses were considered to be bicycle glasses in the USSR.

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Safety glasses -

Designed to protect the eyes of people working in environments that can permanently blind them, safety glasses are also an important piece of eyewear.

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Aviator sunglasses -

Aviators were originally designed in the '30s to protect the eyes of US military pilots. After the release of 'Top Gun' (1986), the style became quite popular among the masses.

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Glasses are important -

Glasses are meant to help you see clearly. Trying to avoid wearing them is definitely not advisable, as you might develop migraines.

Sources: (Optics Mag) (Designer Optics)

See also: Famous glasses in movie history

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