Detail of a portrait of Hugh de Provence, painted by Tomaso da Modena in 1352
- believed to be the earliest pictorial evidence of eyeglasses
Photo from Wikipedia
I only recently started wearing glasses regularly. What prompted me to get them was I noticed especially at night, I couldn't see very well while I was driving. Every time I would put on my glasses to drive I would be amazed at what a difference they made - everything was so clear! After awhile I thought to myself, "Self, why am I limiting myself to seeing clearly just when I'm driving? Why not see clearly ALL the time?" So, I started wearing them pretty much all the time, and to be honest, it's great to see clearly! Such a simple thing, but I appreciate it so much.
I got to thinking, wow, I can't imagine what it must have been like before glasses were invented. My vision isn't very bad at all, but I know people with very poor vision and gosh, at one time before there were glasses, their inability to see would have made a huge impact on their lives. So I was wondering when were glasses invented, after all? So I looked it up.
Apparently the first wearable eyeglasses were invented in 1284. However the use of glass, gemstones and globes filled with water had been used previous to this to aid those who were nearsighted or farsighted. Thing is, the first corrective lenses developed for astigmatism - not invented until 1825!
Sometimes I get the romantic idea that it would be fun to live back in colonial times, but it's things like this that remind me how difficult it must have been to live with certain health conditions that nowadays are so simple and easy to treat or correct that we take them for granted. In fact, a-duh - I just realized that my scoliosis condition I JUST posted about (here) would have shortened my own life and caused me great discomfort! I can't find any discussion of treatment for scoliosis before the 1920s.
On a side note, one thing I always think about when I fantasize about traveling back in time is that most people didn't have good deodorant/antiperspirant back then. People used to try to cover their body odor with perfumes. Oh man, people must have STUNK SO BAD! I just looked it up and whoa - modern deodorant was not invented until 1941! From Wikipedia: "The modern formulation of the antiperspirant was patented by Jules Montenier on January 28, 1941. This patent solved the problem of the excessive acidity of aluminium chloride and its excessive irritation of the skin, by combining it with a soluble nitrile or a similar compound. This formulation was first found in "Stopette" deodorant spray, which Time Magazine called "the best-selling deodorant of the early 1950s".
Anyway, bottom line is that I'm even MORE thankful to be able to see clearly, and I appreciate all the modern inventions that help us - everything from glasses, to artificial limbs, to talking watches to back braces!
Oh, and I also really appreciate our ability to NOT STINK! :-)
The End.
I appreciate your ability not to stink, either. lol. ;)
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered about the history of eyeglasses, also. Thanks for looking that up! If I was transported back in time, I probably would have been a beggar-- my eyesight is 20/1000. NYS considers me "legally blind," but I wear glasses, so I can drive. :) In the olden days, people with physical deformities were usually beggars. :( No wonder Jesus showed such compassion on the outcasts, and healed them.
Wow, you know I never even thought of that - by the time I would've been a young adult I would've likely been too disfigured from the scoliosis to find a husband and I probably would have been a beggar too! I take it so for granted that I was able to be treated for that and live a normal life. Wow, that really made me stop and think.
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