Have you been wondering about your glasses lately? While we at Utah Valley Eye in Provo can get you the right pair of glasses to enhance your eye sight you may still be left wondering just how glasses came about. These amazing vision enhancers actually have a very interesting history.

• The first vision aid was invented around 1000 AD. It was called a reading stone – a small glass sphere that was placed on top of small letters and texts to magnify them for easy reading.
• Wearable eyeglasses can be traced back to Italy around 1284. The first eyeglasses were simply glass lenses mounted on heavy frames that were held up manually or worn on the nose. These frames were made of natural materials like wood, copper, leather and bone.
• According to studies and research all around the world, 50% of the world’s population may need to wear some form of glasses or corrective lenses.
• Early Spanish eyeglass manufacturers fixed ribbons to the lenses and looped the ribbons on the wearer’s ears to keep them from constantly slipping down the nose. This led to the eventual creation of the modern temple arms that allow glasses to rest comfortably on the bridge of the nose and on top of the ears without slipping in the 1700s.
• Cheaper glasses work just as well as expensive ones in blocking harmful UV rays, but the more expensive, prescribed ones tend to provide better protective technologies because they are customized to the individual wearer.
• Contrary to popular belief, wearing someone’s glasses will not damage your eyes. You may experience headaches due to eye strain and eye fatigue if you wear them for long, but it won’t do any lasting damage.

For more information about the glasses you wear make sure you schedule an appointment with Utah Valley Eye Center in Provo. We can provide you with any from an exam to LASIK Surgery.