Language
Country/Area
No result found
The evolution of contact lenses: From bulky glass to ultra-comfortable silicone hydrogel. How did it all happen?
Contact lenses, or “contact lenses” for short, are thin lenses that are placed directly on the surface of the eyeball. These prosthetic devices for the eye are used by more than 150 million people worldwide, either for vision correction, cosmetic or therapeutic purposes. As technology advances, the development of contact lenses clearly demonstrates people's pursuit of comfort and convenience.
"The use of contact lenses not only improves vision, but also improves people's quality of life to a certain extent."
Early origins and initial functional prototypes
The concept of contact lenses originated from Leonardo da Vinci in the Renaissance. In 1510, he mentioned the use of water to change the refractive power of the eyes in his "Handbook of Eyes". Although his idea could not be realized at the time, it laid the foundation for the future development of glasses. As time went on, DeCates, John Herschel and others also put forward various ideas, trying to explore the changes that glasses could bring. It wasn't until the 19th century that Hungarian doctor Josef Dalos creatively made molds in the shape of living eyes, which enabled the production of contact lenses to begin.
Transition from heavy glass to silicone hydrogel
In 1888, German ophthalmologist Adolf Gaston Eugene Fick created the first successful contact lens, which, although bulky, won widespread attention. With the advancement of technology, the development of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in the 1930s ushered in a new era for contact lenses. These hard contact lenses offer better vision correction but lack oxygen permeability.
"Early contact lenses were effective, but they caused a lot of discomfort when worn."
Gas Permeability and the Rise of Soft Contact Lenses
Starting in the 1970s, new materials were introduced to address the health problems caused by PMMA contact lenses. Scientist Norman Gaylord worked on developing gas-permeable contact lenses, which allowed contact lenses to protect the eyes while providing good comfort. In 1965, Czech chemists Otto Vichtere and Drakoslav Limi successfully launched the first hydrogel contact lens, and the technology quickly became popular.
Today's Contact Lens Technology
The latest silicone hydrogel contact lenses were introduced in 1998. This material combines the high oxygen permeability of silicone with the comfort of traditional hydrogels. This design allows the wearer to wear it for a long time and reduces eyestrain. Thanks to the development of medical technology, today's contact lenses can not only correct vision, but also be used to treat various eye diseases, improving their functionality and comfort.
The diversity and future development of contact lenses
Contact lenses can be divided into several categories based on different functions, materials, wearing and replacement plans. In addition to the common contact lenses for correcting vision, there are now also colored contact lenses for cosmetic purposes, therapeutic contact lenses, etc., which further expand the application range of contact lenses. With the advancement of technology, contact lenses in the future may even be embedded with electronic components to achieve unimaginable functions.
Summary"The future of contact lenses may exceed our expectations and become an indispensable part of our lives."
Today, contact lens manufacturing and design have evolved over hundreds of years, from the original bulky glass lenses to lightweight and breathable silicone hydrogels, helping millions of people improve their vision and Quality of life. However, protecting eye health is always a topic that we cannot ignore. In this rapidly changing era, we can't help but wonder what surprises contact lenses will bring us in the future?
