What are eye lenses made of? Who invented contact lenses. Pros and cons of soft lenses

No matter how surprising it may sound, but attempts to create contact lenses were made at the end of the 16th century. And the first experience belongs to Leonardo da Vinci himself. The archives left by the great master contain sketches from 1508, which depict a device designed to correct vision. according to the sketches, the optical system should be installed on the eye and correct vision. To date, scientists are confident that it was this invention of Leonardo that became the prototype of modern contact lenses.

However, the invention of the master at that time did not find due recognition and was safely forgotten about for almost 400 years. It wasn't until 1887 that the German glassblower Friedrich Müller took advantage of Leonardo's idea. And it all happened because one of Muller's acquaintances did not have a century, and in order to help the sufferer, the glassblower made a glass spherical lens and placed it on his eye. This lens protected the eye and prevented moisture loss. The patient walked with this lens for 20 years, and with age-related changes in vision, he began to notice that he sees better under the lens. After that, Muller began to manufacture such lenses, helping people with visual impairments. These lenses were prostheses that follow the shape of the eye. The part of the lens adjacent to the sclera was made of white glass, and the one above the pupil was made of transparent glass.

Nearly 30 years have passed and the Carl Zeiss company has launched the production of special sets of contact lenses. Each set contained lenses with different parameters, which greatly facilitated the selection of lenses for the eyes of a particular person.

Until the mid-50s of the 20th century, all lenses were made of glass, and they had similar parameters, the diameter was 20-30 mm, and the thickness was 1-2 mm. These lenses covered almost the entire visible part of the eye, both the sclera and the cornea. Because of this, a large amount of fluid accumulated under them, this caused swelling of the cornea, and pain in the patient. After the patients removed the lenses, they had to be treated for a long time to restore the transparency of the cornea.

A major breakthrough was the fact that in 1947, Kevin Touhy created the first small-diameter contact lens, it covered only the cornea, and was made of plastic, and not like glass before that. It was after this that the contact lens became the form that it has now.

A new word in the production of contact lenses was the invention of the Czech scientist Otto Wichterle, in the late fifties. He invented a transparent, stable polymer, which is excellent for the production of soft contact lenses. This polymer had the ability to retain moisture and allow the eyes to "breathe", and it did not cause corneal edema. And since 1971, Wichterle's invention has formed the basis for the mass production of contact lenses, making them accessible to everyone.

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25.04.14 19:57

History of contact vision correction.

The idea of creating lenses that would be in direct contact with the eyes and improve vision has a five-century history.

In 1508 Leonardo da Vinci described a ball filled with water, which was able to change the optical properties of the patient's eyes (although such a lens could not be put on the eye, one had to immerse one's face in it).

There is even a drawing "An eye with a bath filled with water put on it."

Three hundred years later Thomas Young described an experiment with a short tube filled with water and a biconvex lens, which, when placed on the eye, improved vision. By the end of the 18th century, a German ophthalmologist Adolf Fick created the first glass contact lens, the shape of which corresponded to the shape of the eye. After experimenting on animals, he ventured to test it on the human eye. Along with the work fika, French ophthalmologist Eugene Kalt used lenses of a similar design in patients with keratoconus.

In 1887 another scientist Friedrich Müller placed a blown glass lens on the eye of a patient whose eyelids had been removed. The lens protected the eye and prevented moisture loss, the patient wore this lens for more than 20 years. In the early 1920s, mass production of glass contact lenses was launched by the optical company Carl Zeiss Jena (Germany), and special trial sets were made for their selection.

Further development of contact correction was aimed at improving the tolerance of contact lenses and the search for new materials for their manufacture.

In 1937 an American optometrist William Finebloom began to produce lenses in which the scleral part was made of plastic, and the corneal (optical) part was made of glass. And in 1938, a Hungarian ophthalmologist István Györfi first in Europe began to manufacture scleral lenses entirely from plastics (PMMA). However, practice has shown that neither new materials (PMMA) nor new production methods (the turning method proposed by T. Obrig in 1938) have had a significant impact on the portability of such lenses. They were still too heavy, motionless and sensitive.

And by the end of the 50s, the Czech scientist Otto Wichterle developed the polymer hydrogel, which became the basis for the materials used in the production of modern soft contact lenses today. Hydroxyethyl methacrylate polymer (HEMA) is a material that has the ability to retain water. At the same time, it is soft, flexible and passes oxygen.

Since the advent of soft contact lenses, many improvements have been made in their design, manufacturing methods, which have made them significantly thinner, improved their patient tolerance and optical properties. HEMA is still used to make most soft contact lenses today.

However, as it turned out, soft contact lenses also have their drawbacks: this is the need for special, sometimes complex, care; and most importantly - limited oxygen transmission. Therefore, scientific work in contact correction was actively continued.

In 1988 the idea of a planned replacement of contact lenses was born, which involves much easier care of the lenses and ensures high safety in their use. Now we have lenses with a replacement regime every month, 2 weeks and even 1 day.

In 1999 A fundamentally new material for soft contact lenses has appeared - silicone hydrogel, which is characterized by an unprecedentedly high oxygen permeability. We can say that in such a lens the eye receives as much oxygen as without it. In 2003-2004, second-generation silicone hydrogels with improved properties appeared. Today, many companies produce "breathing" lenses from these materials, including lenses with non-standard parameters, for the correction of astigmatism, keratoconus.

Contact vision correction does not stand still, every day brings something new - new lens designs are created, materials and production methods are improved.

In the future - the creation of contact lenses with antibacterial coating, which will ensure complete safety when wearing contact lenses.

American scientists (USA, Washington) have begun developing special contact lenses with an integrated microcircuit, which will allow contact lenses to magnify the image and display various kinds of data on the lens, such as body temperature or blood pressure

What are contact lenses?

contact lens (hard or soft) is a small "cup" that has optical properties and is worn directly on the eye. Contact lenses are made from an oxygen-permeable material. The back surface of the lens follows the shape of the cornea of the eye and is responsible for the fit, while the front surface corrects the wrong optical system of the eye, which allows you to see clearly.

What are contact lenses for?

Soft and hard contact lenses are used to correct visual impairment - myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism. With proper selection and use, contact lenses have a number of advantages over glasses.

First, contact lenses provide better visual acuity than glasses without distortion or aberrations. Compared to glasses, contact lenses greatly expand the field of vision.

Secondly, the range of correction with contact lenses is much wider than that of spectacle or surgical lenses, from +20.0 to -20.0 diopters.

Thirdly, contact lenses do not restrict freedom, they allow you to lead an active lifestyle, play sports.

Indications for wearing contact lenses.

1. myopia and farsightedness from weak to high degrees. Lenses allow you to achieve higher levels of visual acuity and quality than glasses.

2. intolerance to spectacle correction of vision.

3. big difference in visual acuity of the right and left eyes (more than 2.5 diopters). In this situation, glasses do not allow for maximum correction;

4 aphakia (lack of the lens) after cataract removal, trauma or congenital defect of the eye;

In addition, contact lenses can change the color of the eyes for cosmetic purposes.

Classification of contact lenses.

According to materials:

1. Rigid contact lenses

Gas permeable

gas-tight

2. Soft contact lenses

Hydrogel

Silicone hydrogel

According to the production method:

1. Turning

2.. Spin molding

3. Combined method

Wearing mode:

1. Daily wear lenses(DW daily wear) - these lenses can be worn 8-12 hours a day, you can not sleep in these lenses

2. Flexible wear lenses (FW flexible wear) - sometimes allow the possibility of sleeping in lenses (be sure to consult your doctor - there may be individual restrictions depending on the condition of your eyes).

3. Extended wear lenses (ew extended wear) - can be worn up to 7 days continuously (6 nights, 7 days). If you choose this mode of wearing, during the adaptation period (1 month) you will need constant medical supervision.

4. Continuous wear lenses (CW continuous wear) - it is allowed not to remove up to 30 days in a row; there are significant limitations when certifying these lenses, only 2 contact lenses for continuous wear are available in Russia.

Replacement period:

1.Traditional contact lenses- are made by turning, produced in glass bottles, the service life is from 6 months to 1 year.

2.Contact lenses for scheduled replacement

- planned replacement lenses - are issued in blisters, are usually replaced 1 time in 3 months.

- lenses of frequent scheduled replacement - lens replacement 1 time per month or more, available in blisters.

3. Disposable contact lenses- such lenses are worn in the morning, removed in the evening and thrown away, produced in blisters.

Lens replacement time depends on lens material, lens design, and manufacturing method.

It is strictly forbidden to wear lenses longer than the period prescribed by the manufacturer, as this greatly increases the risk of complications !!!

How to choose contact lenses.

SELECTION OF CONTACT LENSES for vision correction - a medical procedure that only an ophthalmologist has the right to perform.

Contact lenses cannot simply be purchased based on a previous eyeglass prescription. In order for the lens to perfectly match the surface of the eye, it is necessary to know certain parameters of the cornea (diameter and radius of curvature). To measure these parameters, special ophthalmic devices are used (which is why even colored lenses without optical power must also be selected by a doctor).

After calculating the optical power and choosing the parameters of the lens, the doctor will evaluate the quality of vision, fit, centering and mobility of the lens on the eye. Then he will teach you how to remove and put on lenses yourself, discuss the issues of lens care, as well as the time of dispensary examinations.

Incorrectly fitting lenses can cause severe corneal complications, up to serious loss of vision.

How to put on and take off contact lenses.

How to put on contact lenses?

1. Sit in front of the mirror, slightly tilting your head forward and looking into the mirror as if into the distance (you don’t need to follow your finger).

2. Always start the installation of contact lenses with the same eye, for example, with the right one (this is especially important for those who have different vision in the right and left eyes).

3. Remove the lens from the blister (if the packaging is damaged, the lens cannot be used). If the lens sticks to the package, it remains sterile and can be used.

4. Carefully inspect the lens and make sure that it is not damaged (no breaks, cracks, foreign bodies on the surface). If you are in doubt, the lens seems to be damaged - do not use it, take the next one from the package.

5. Make sure the lens is turned out the right way. Put the lens on the pad of your index finger and look at it in profile:

A properly positioned lens resembles a cup in shape - its edges are directed upwards.

If the lens is turned inside out, it looks more like a plate - its edges are directed to the sides.

Two ways to put on contact lenses.

Putting on the lens with one hand:

1. Place the lens on the pad of your index finger.

2. Pull the lower eyelid with the middle finger of the same hand.

3. Lift your eyes up and gently place the lens on the white part of the eye (sclera) below the pupil

4. Remove your index finger from the lens.

5. Lower your eyes down to accurately center the lens.

6. Gently lower the retracted lower eyelid.

7. Close your eyes for a short time to better fit the lens.

We put on the lens with two hands:

1. Place the lens on the pad of your right index finger.

2. Pull the lower eyelid with the middle finger of the right hand.

3. Pull the upper eyelid to the eyebrow with the middle finger of the left hand and fix it.

4. Lift your eyes up and carefully place the lens on the white part of the eye (sclera) below the pupil

5. Remove your index finger from the lens.

6. Keeping your eyelids in the indicated position, lower your eyes down to accurately center the contact lens.

7. Gently lower the retracted eyelids.

8. Repeat the manipulations when putting the lens on the other eye.

How to remove contact lenses?

1. Pull down the lower eyelid with your middle finger.

2. Look up with your eye without changing the position of your head.

3. Place the tip of your index finger on the contact lens and slide it down onto the sclera with a sliding motion.

4. Gently pinch the lens between your thumb and forefinger and remove it from your eye.

5. Place the contact lens into the solution container.

6. Do the same manipulations with the contact lens on the other eye.

If, after you have removed the lens, it is stuck together, do not try to straighten it by stretching the edges, as you may tear it. Place the lens in a container with the solution, it will most likely straighten itself. If this does not happen, gently spoil it between your thumb and forefinger, after moistening it well with a solution.

How to care for contact lenses?

Daily care.

Step 1. Mechanical cleaning(provides the removal of protein and fat deposits from the surface of the lenses)

1. Fill the compartments of the lens storage container 2/3 full with multipurpose solution.

2.. Remove the lens from the right eye and place it on the open palm of the left hand

3. Apply 3-4 drops of multipurpose solution to the lens

4. With the index finger of your right hand, gently rub the lens on your palm in horizontal or vertical movements for 20 seconds. (Do not rub the lens in a circular motion as this may damage the lens).

Be sure to follow this procedure as it removes 90% of all surface contaminants.

Step 2 After mechanical cleaning, rinse the contact lens with a multifunctional solution, holding it in an open palm.

Step 3. Lens disinfection(ensures the destruction of microorganisms)

1. Put the lens in the appropriate compartment of the container

2. Repeat all manipulations with another lens.

3. Make sure the fresh solution completely covers the lenses.

4. Close container lids carefully.

5. Leave the lenses for at least 4 hours for complete disinfection (disinfection time depends on the solution you use, check it according to the instructions that came with the solution)

At the end of the disinfection time, contact lenses can be worn without additional rinsing.

After putting on the lenses, drain the solution and rinse the container with a clean solution.

In school physics lessons, we remember that light rays propagate in a straight line. Any object in their path partially absorbs light, partially reflects at the same angle at which it falls. The only exception is when light passes through a transparent object. At the boundary of two transparent media with different densities (for example, air and water or glass), the rays of light are refracted to a greater or lesser extent, and amazing optical effects arise, depending on the physical characteristics of the object through which the light passes.

This property of light allows you to control the course of rays, changing their direction or turning a divergent beam of rays into a convergent one, and vice versa. In practice, this can be achieved using specially processed devices made of optically transparent homogeneous material, which are called lenses (from Latin lens "lentil"). Looking at an object through lenses with different physical and chemical characteristics, we will see it upright or inverted, enlarged or reduced, clear or distorted.

The simplest lens is a carefully ground and polished piece of highly transparent substance (glass, plastic, mineral), bounded by two refractive surfaces, two spherical or flat and spherical (although there are lenses with more complex aspherical surfaces). Lenses in which the middle is thicker than the edges are called converging (positive), scattering (negative) lenses are called lenses in which the edges are thicker than the middle. A positive lens has the ability to collect rays incident on it at one point located on the other side of it, in focus. A negative lens, on the contrary, deflects the rays passing through it towards the edges.

The simplest lens made of rock crystal.

Although the scope of the use of lenses in science and technology is very large, their main functions are reduced to a few basic ones. This is the accumulation of thermal energy of light rays, visual approximation and magnification of small or distant objects, as well as vision correction, because the lens of the eye by its nature is a lens with variable surface curvature. People began to use some properties of lenses earlier, others later, however, these optical devices have been known to them since ancient times.

There are different opinions about when people learned to make fire with the help of sunlight and polished pieces of transparent stone or glass with a convex surface. We can say for sure that this method was known in Ancient Greece in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e., as it is described in the play "Clouds" by Aristophanes. However, lenses made of rock crystal, quartz, precious and semi-precious stones found during excavations are much older. One of the most ancient lenses, the so-called god with glasses, was discovered during the excavations of Uruk, an ancient city-state in Mesopotamia. The age of this lens is about 6 thousand years, and the purpose remains a mystery.

In Egypt during the IV-XIII dynasties (III-II millennium BC), crystal lenses were used for ... eye models for statues. Optometric studies have shown that the models are very close to the real shape and optical qualities of the eye, and sometimes even show visual impairments, such as astigmatism.

Alabaster "idols with eyes". Tel Brak site, Syria. IV millennium BC. e.

Unfortunately, over time, the secret of making such lenses was lost; the false eyes of the statues began to be made of stone or faience. The technique of "glass eyes", although with less perfection, was also mastered by the ancient Greeks. For example, bronze statues of the 5th century BC were equipped with lenses. BC e., found in the sea off the coast of Calabria. But before the "official" discovery of the optical properties of the eye, there were still many centuries!

During excavations in the territory of Mesopotamia, Greece and Etruria, a considerable number of crystal lenses were found dating back to about the end of the 1st millennium BC. e. A study of their finish showed that the lenses were used both for visual magnification and as decorations. In fact, these were real magnifiers with a short focal length, increasing the angle of view. In addition, miniature gems were found in Greece, connected by a frame with convex lenses; these gems could not have been made without an optical increase in the working field. All this indicates that loupes were used long before the magnifying effect of lenses was recorded in scientific sources.

When exactly the lenses began to be used for vision correction has not yet been established. There is an opinion, however, not supported by anything, that it was for this purpose that the lenses discovered during the excavations of ancient Troy were used. In the writings of the Roman historian of the 1st century. Pliny the Elder mentions that the emperor Nero, who suffered from myopia, watched gladiator fights through a concave lens carved from emerald, this was a kind of prototype of glasses. Some historians, based on ancient engravings, believe that glasses were invented in China in the 7th-9th centuries, but whether they were optical or sunscreen is not known for sure.

The study of the eye as an optical system was first taken seriously by an Arab scientist of the 9th century. Abu Ali al-Hasan, known in Europe as Al-khazen. In his fundamental work, The Book of Optics, he relied on the research of a Roman physician of the 2nd century BC. Galena. Al-Hassan described in detail how an image of an object is created on the retina of the eye with the help of a lens. However, the essence of myopia, farsightedness and other visual defects, in which the focus of the lens shifts relative to the retina, was finally clarified only in the 19th century, and before that, glasses were selected virtually at random until the desired effect was achieved.

Mysterious optics

On the Swedish island of Gotland, in a hoard buried about a thousand years ago by the Vikings, lenses of a complex aspherical shape made of rock crystal were found. A similar form of lenses was theoretically calculated only in the 17th century. Rene Descartes. In his work, he indicated that these lenses would give excellent images, but for a long time no optician could make them. It remains a mystery who and for what purpose could grind the lenses from the Viking hoard.

Glasses seller. Engraving after a painting by Giovanni Stradano. 16th century

It is believed that glasses were invented in Italy at the end of the 13th century, their invention is attributed to the monk Alessandro Spina or another monk Salvino D "Armata. The first documentary evidence of the existence of glasses dates back to 1289, and their first image was found in the Treviso church on fresco, painted in 1352 by the monk Tommaso da Modena.Until the 16th century, glasses were used only for farsightedness, then glasses with concave lenses for nearsightedness appeared.Over time, the shape of the glasses appeared frame, temples.In the 19th century, Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals. Lenses that are at the top for distance and at the bottom for near work.

J. B. Chardin. Self-portrait with glasses. 1775

Jan van Eyck. Madonna and Child with Canon Joris van der Pale. Fragment. 1436

Photochromic lenses (“chameleons”) were created in 1964 by Corning specialists. These were glass lenses, the photochromic properties of which were imparted by silver and copper salts. Polymer lenses with photochromic properties appeared in the early 1980s, but due to significant shortcomings, the low rate of darkening and lightening, as well as extraneous color shades, were not widely used. In 1990, Transition optical introduced more advanced plastic photochromic lenses, which gained immense popularity.

Contact lenses are considered a relatively young invention, but Leonardo da Vinci worked on their device. Many scientists thought about how to put the lens directly on the eyeball, but only in 1888 the Swiss ophthalmologist Adolf Fick described the device of the contact lens and began to experiment. Mass production of contact lenses was started in Germany by the famous optical company Carl Zeiss. The first samples were completely glass, quite large and heavy. In 1937, polymethyl methacrylate lenses appeared. In 1960, Czechoslovak scientists Otto Wichterle and Dragoslav Lim synthesized a new polymer material HEMA, developed a method of rotational polymerization and produced soft contact lenses. At the same time, hydrogel lenses were developed in the USA.

With regard to the magnifying power of single lenses, it soon became clear that it was limited, since an increase in the convexity of the lens leads to distortion of the image. But if you place two lenses (eyepiece and objective) between the eye and the object in series, the magnification will be much greater. With the help of a lens at the focal point, a real image of the observed object is created, which is then enlarged by an eyepiece that acts as a magnifying glass. The invention of the microscope (from the Greek mikros "small" and skopeo "look") is associated with the names of the Dutch John Lippershey and father and son Jansen (late 16th century). In 1624, Galileo Galilei created his compound microscope. The first microscopes gave a magnification of up to 500 times, while modern optical microscopes can achieve a magnification of 2000 times.

Simultaneously with the first microscopes, telescopes (or spyglasses) appeared (their invention is attributed to the Dutchmen Zacharias Jansen and Jakob Metius, although Leonardo da Vinci made the first attempts to look at stars with lenses). Galileo was the first to point a spotting scope at the sky, turning it into a telescope (from the Greek tele “far away”). The principle of operation of an optical telescope is the same as that of a microscope, the only difference is that the microscope lens gives an image of a close small body, and a large distant telescope. However, since the end of the 17th century, telescopes have used a concave mirror as an objective.

Otto Wichterle in the laboratory.

Among other things, lenses are used in the field of photography, film, television and video filming, as well as for the projection of finished images. The lens of a camera and similar equipment is an optical system of several lenses, sometimes in combination with mirrors, which is designed to project an image onto a flat surface. The curvature of the objective lenses is calculated so that possible aberrations (distortions) are mutually compensated. Joseph Niépce, who created one of the first cameras in 1816, borrowed a lens for it from a microscope.

Since the second half of the last century, along with optical systems, electronics with a higher resolution have been used to observe various micro- and macro-objects. However, lenses are still used so widely that it would be rather difficult to list all their applications.

Camera of Joseph Niépce.

Telescope refractor at the Lick Observatory. California, USA.

Today, contact lenses are very popular. They successfully replaced glasses and qualitatively correct myopia and hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia. They are also used for decorative purposes - to change or emphasize eye color. When and by whom were lenses invented?

There have always been people with poor eyesight. Of course, in recent years, this problem has become global in connection with the development of information technology. Today it is difficult to surprise anyone with a computer, tablet or e-book. It is not surprising that the visual functions of modern people begin to deteriorate from prolonged exposure to the eyes, which requires the constant use of glasses or. However, people faced similar problems in ancient times, but the reason for the drop in visual acuity was not in computers and televisions. When did the first lenses appear?

Prerequisites for creating lenses

It is hard to believe that the very first mention of contact lenses belongs to the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci. It dates back to 1508 and is found in the book "The Code of the Eye". It was da Vinci who created the blueprint for future lenses. The image was a glass sphere filled with water, thanks to which a person with poor eyesight could better see the surrounding objects. However, it is impossible to say that Leonardo da Vinci was the creator of the very first model of contact lenses. Rather, he drew attention to the existing refraction of light that enters the eye. It was the mention of the artist that served as an incentive for his followers who wanted to invent lenses. One of them was the French philosopher, mathematician and physicist Rene Descartes. In 1632, for the first time, he put a glass container filled with water on his eyes, because this is how he described da Vinci's future contact lenses. However, it was impossible to wear such an invention. Firstly, it was completely inconvenient to use and significantly hampered the movements of its owner. Secondly, vision correction with their help was rather difficult, since the container filled with water quickly fogged up, thereby further worsening visual functions. Thirdly, the use of such lenses prevented a person from blinking, thus disrupting the natural physiological processes and contributing to the drying of the cornea.

Correct contact lenses

After another two hundred years, the British physicist and astronomer John Herschel returned to the topic of creating contact lenses. It was he who described in detail in his writings how a real and, most importantly, correct contact lens should look like. Herschel called its most important characteristic the ability to repeat the shape of the eye. Today, each of us understands that this particular feature is the main one for lenses, but at that time, it was quite difficult for scientists to understand exactly how contact lens models should actually look like, which can not only correct visual impairment, but also remain comfortable to wear. for any user.

First glass lenses

Who developed the very first glass lens? This man was the German glass blower Friedrich Müller, and this memorable event in the field of ophthalmology took place in 1888. Müller did not set out to create a contact lens. He just wanted to help his close friend see the world around him in bright colors. It so happened that a friend lost an eyelid. Why this happened is unknown, but the fact remains. Moreover, Muller did not seek to develop optical products that could correct vision. A friend who was left without a century repeatedly complained to Friedrich that the mucous membrane of the eye dries out quickly, and therefore vision is clouded. Nobody used contact lenses in those days, and therefore this method of correction remained unexplored to the end. Muller positioned his invention as protecting the eye from the negative effects of the environment. Having developed the first lenses in this way, the glassblower devoted himself to the further creation of similar models, but already intended for a wide range of customers. The lenses he created completely repeated the shape of the eye and were two-tone. The white part adjoined directly to the eye sclera, and the transparent part to the iris and pupil.

When did lenses appear on the optics market?

The very first lenses that went into mass production were created by the famous German brand Carl Zeiss. Although to call him famous would not be entirely correct. At that time, the company had just appeared on the market and was actively engaged in the production of microscopes. The founder of the company, Carl Zeiss, considered it his duty to continue the work begun by his countryman, the German glassblower Friedrich Muller. Zeiss managed to give the contact lens the right shape so that it could repeat the shape of the human eye. The difficulty was that the lenses he produced were of the same size, because they were all made by the specialists of his company, using the same equipment. However, the problem with identically manufactured lenses was soon solved. This was facilitated by the acquaintance of Carl Zeiss with Otto Schott, a German chemist specializing in the production of glass products. Together they managed to create lenses that, although slightly, differed from each other in their sizes, which allowed many people to correct their vision thanks to contact lenses.

Carl Zeiss and Otto Schott

plastic lenses

The next step in the history of optical products was the unique discovery of the Hungarian physician Istvan Gyorfi. He managed to develop a lens made of plastic. It is not surprising that most people were quite uncomfortable in glass lenses. Many of them complained of discomfort, pain in the eyes when using them, and their wearing was completely forbidden to children. However, a lens made of plastic was also not ideal. The material used in its creation was called Plexiglas and was characterized by increased rigidity, which also caused inconvenience during operation, albeit not to such a large number of people. Despite this, Györfi received a patent for the production of contact lenses based on Plexiglas.

Who Invented Soft Lenses?

When did soft lenses appear and who is their creator? The first soft material was used by the Czech scientist Otto Wichterle. For several years he worked in the research institute of one of the country's shoe companies, being the head of the department for the processing of polyamide and plastics. Few people know that lenses were preceded by the creation of silicone - the material from which they began to create soft models. Wichterle managed to develop this polymer in the following way. Interested in organic chemistry, Otto developed a method for winding a polyamide thread onto a spool. It is called silicone. Then he became interested in the synthesis of polymeric materials. He tried to understand which of the materials is better than others for the production of contact lenses. So he managed to develop a hydrogel that could absorb about 40% of water. It was completely transparent and had all the necessary properties. In the mid-50s of the last century, the material was patented, after which Otto Wichterle received a patent for the further production of lenses.

May 25th, 2016. 10:12 am

If someone thinks that the idea of creating contact lenses belongs to an ultra-modern society, then he is deeply mistaken. The first sketches of the prototype of modern CLs were made by Leonardo da Vinci himself back in 1508. The drawings of the genius that have survived to this day depict a device consisting of a ball filled with water and designed to correct vision. And what is most striking - this design, according to the author's idea, was to be installed on the eyes!

Unfortunately, during the lifetime of the great scientist and artist, the idea of creating a device that helps the eye to see better did not find support in society and was forgotten for several long centuries. Only in the eighteenth century, quite by accident, as often happens, trying to help his friend, who was left without a century, the German glass blower Friedrich Müller blew out the first contact lens in history. The great-great-grandmother of the modern soft contact lens was a glass prosthesis that covered the entire eye. The part of the prosthesis adjacent to the sclera was made of white glass, and a small part above the pupil remained transparent.

Muller's invention was met with great enthusiasm in the then medical community, especially since the sufferer's eye, protected from the external environment, began to feel somewhat better. Thus, the glass blower opened a workshop for the production of prosthetic eyes, and the scientific minds took up their improvement. Only three decades later, thanks to the invention of Muller, it became possible to correct vision. In appearance, these were already more elegant glass eye "caps" made of transparent glass, more naturally repeating the shape of the eyeball. They were produced in sets, and differed from each other in various parameters, and everyone could choose the right pair.

Glass foreign bodies, even if they can improve vision, were very difficult to wear all the time, because due to the accumulation of fluid, patients often experienced swelling of the eye organs.

Later it became clear that the cause of this phenomenon is the gas impermeability of the lens, and too large a contact area with a limited supply of oxygen to the biological tissues of the eye.

But science did not stand still, and in the middle of the last twentieth century, there were several real breakthroughs that brought the emergence of modern MCL closer. First, Kevin Touhy invented a plastic lens that covers only the cornea. However, plastic too hard for a sensitive eye caused discomfort. A few years later, the Czech scientist Otto Wichterle and the engineer Dragoslav Lim introduced the world to a material that could absorb water and then become elastic. These products are called soft contact lenses, or soft contact lenses for short. Since that moment, SCLs have become what we are used to seeing them today - comfortable, non-irritating, breathable and easy to use. But the most curious thing in this whole story is the fact that to make a miracle material, the inventors used a device made from a bicycle tire and a children's designer. Connoisseurs of modern contact lenses and simply interesting finds can still admire the miracle unit in the Czech National Museum.

Today, there are already rumors that the LCL will soon be able to check blood sugar levels, or even serve as a navigator in unfamiliar terrain. So it seems that this is far from the end point in the evolution of contact lenses.

Who Invented Lens - When Was It Invented?

The simplest lens made of rock crystal.

There are different opinions about when people learned to make fire with the help of sunlight and polished pieces of transparent stone or glass with a convex surface. We can say for sure that this method was known in Ancient Greece in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. because it is described in the play "Clouds" by Aristophanes. However, lenses made of rock crystal, quartz, precious and semi-precious stones found during excavations are much older. One of the most ancient lenses, the so-called god with glasses, was discovered during the excavations of Uruk, an ancient city-state in Mesopotamia. The age of this lens is about 6 thousand years, and the purpose remains a mystery.

In Egypt during the IV-XIII dynasties (III-II millennium BC), crystal lenses were used for. models of the eyes of the statues. Optometric studies have shown that the models are very close to the real shape and optical qualities of the eye, and sometimes even show visual impairments, such as astigmatism.

Alabaster "idols with eyes". Tel Brak site, Syria. IV millennium BC. e.

Unfortunately, over time, the secret of making such lenses was lost; the false eyes of the statues began to be made of stone or faience. The technique of "glass eyes", although with less perfection, was also mastered by the ancient Greeks. For example, bronze statues of the 5th century BC were equipped with lenses. BC e. found in the sea off the coast of Calabria. But before the "official" discovery of the optical properties of the eye, there were still many centuries!

When exactly the lenses began to be used for vision correction has not yet been established. There is an opinion, however, not supported by anything, that it was for this purpose that the lenses discovered during the excavations of ancient Troy were used. In the writings of the Roman historian of the 1st century. Pliny the Elder mentions that the emperor Nero, who suffered from myopia, watched gladiator fights through a concave lens carved from emerald, this was a kind of prototype of glasses. Some historians, based on ancient engravings, believe that glasses were invented in China in the 7th-9th centuries. but whether they were optical or sunscreen is not exactly known.

The study of the eye as an optical system was first taken seriously by an Arab scientist of the 9th century. Abu Ali al-Hasan, known in Europe as Al-khazen. In his fundamental work, The Book of Optics, he relied on the research of a Roman physician of the 2nd century BC. Galena. Al-Hassan described in detail how an image of an object is created on the retina of the eye with the help of a lens. However, the essence of myopia, farsightedness and other visual defects, in which the focus of the lens shifts relative to the retina, was finally clarified only in the 19th century. and before that, points were chosen virtually at random until the desired effect was achieved.

Glasses seller. Engraving after a painting by Giovanni Stradano. 16th century

It is believed that glasses were invented in Italy at the end of the 13th century. their invention is attributed to the monk Alessandro Spina or another monk Salvino D "Armata. The first documentary evidence of the existence of glasses dates back to 1289, and their first image was found in the church of Treviso on a fresco painted in 1352 by the monk Tommaso da Modena. Until the 16th century glasses were used only for farsightedness, then glasses with concave glasses for nearsightedness appeared.Over time, the shape of the glasses changed and the frame, temples appeared.In the 19th century, Benjamin Franklin invented bifocal lenses, which are designed for distance at the top and work at the bottom close.

J. B. Chardin. Self-portrait with glasses. 1775

Jan van Eyck. Madonna and Child with Canon Joris van der Pale. Fragment. 1436

Otto Wichterle in the laboratory.

Camera of Joseph Niépce.

Telescope refractor at the Lick Observatory. California, USA.

The First Contact Lenses - Who Invented? | Inventions and discoveries

Contact lenses instead of glasses are chosen not only for beauty. With severe myopia, with some specific visual impairments and for sports, their advantages are undeniable. We owe the possibility of choosing between one and the other to Heinrich Wölck, who invented contact lenses made of plexiglass in 1940.

Forerunners and pioneers

The idea of optical glass worn directly on the eye came as early as 1636 to the French philosopher René Descartes. But it took almost 250 years until Adolf Eigen Flick created a contact lens prototype. However, his "scleral" glasses were large, heavy and caused many inconveniences.

Breakthrough and further development

Heinrich Wölck, who suffered from severe farsightedness from childhood, experienced it himself. Looking for a better solution, he came across a new glass-like man-made material called PMMA, colloquially called plexiglass. Its use made it possible to significantly reduce the diameter of the lenses and increase the wearing time to several hours.

Soft contact lenses made of hydrotel, developed by Otto Wichterle in 1961, turned out to be much more convenient. They kept their shape better, irritated the cornea less and, unlike hard lenses made of plexiglass, let oxygen through. Scientists continued to work intensively on improving the material. Modern contact lenses have high oxygen permeability. There are models for one-day, weekly or monthly wear. There are colored lenses and even lenses with a pattern - but this is certainly only for beauty.

1299 in Italy began to wear glasses.

1971 The first soft contact lenses appeared in Germany and the USA.

1976 Oxygen-permeable hard contact lenses went on sale.

1982 Multifocal lenses help to see well at different distances.

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Useful information about contact lenses - from the history of creation to practical advice

When and how were contact lenses invented?

Let's take a look at a brief history of contact lenses. The first mention of the very principle of corrective lenses dates back to 1508 and was made in the book The Code of the Eye, written by the great dreamer Leonardo da Vinci, he first touched upon the issue of eye optics.

But it cannot be said that Leonardo da Vinci was the inventor of contact lenses, he just drew attention to the principles of refraction of light entering the eye. In his work, he did not touch upon the issue of vision correction.

The first glasses that refracted light were useless and impossible to wear. For example, in 1632, Res Descartes put a glass tube filled with water over his eyes. One of the drawbacks of his attempt was that the person using the invention could not blink.

The first contact lenses were invented by a German named Fick, who in 1888 made a brown glass shell-shaped scleral contact lens and placed it on the edge of his eye.

The advantage of his invention was that the lens did not affect the sensitive cornea of the eye and could be used for several hours. Fick called his invention contact glasses.

The introduction of plastic

At the very beginning, lenses were made of glass, this continued until the 1930s, before the invention of plastic. The first plastic used in the optical industry was called plexiglas, or PMMA.

A corneal lens is a lens that fits only on the cornea of the eye, this is what we call a contact lens today.

In 1948, Kevin Touhy received the first patent for the manufacture of corneal contact lenses from PMMA plastic. His invention was much more compact than previous lenses and, as its name suggests, only covered the cornea of the eye.

The birth of modern contact lenses

A big step forward was made in 1959, when the Czech chemist Otto Wichterle invented soft water-containing lenses made from HEMA (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) material.

His patent for making soft contact lenses was later sold to Bausch and Lomb and in 1971 the material was improved by the FDA under the trademark Soflens®. This is how modern contact lenses were born.

Breakthrough in the development of contact lenses.

The first toric lenses for astigmatism were introduced in 1978, followed a year later by rigid gas permeable lenses (RGP).