Since their invention in 13th century Italy, eyeglasses have become so common as to be intrinsic in the human experience. Even for those who don’t need corrective lenses, eyeglasses are still the norm for things like sports, gaming, blocking the sun, or for safety. Originally, glasses were made of glass-blown lenses and fitted into wooden or leather frames that were hand-held or perched on the bridge of the nose. They were first embraced by monks and then were made popular among scholars and aristocrats who could afford them.
As the accessibility of accurate lenses has grown more and more over time, glasses have now morphed far beyond their original uses alone. Today, glasses have become as much a fashion statement as a tool for corrected or enhanced vision.
Currently, about 126 million Americans can be seen sporting glasses at any given time, and with new technologies bringing glasses to even greater heights, it seems as though they will forever continue to be an extension of the human experience.
Infographic by: lensfactory
