Emerging Tech For Glasses

Glasses have been in existence for longer than we realize, dating back to their use by scholarly monks in the 13th century. In fact, Benjamin Franklin developed bifocal lenses in 1784, allowing him to simultaneously see and read from long-range distances. Today, a staggering 184 million Americans wear eyeglasses; so while the availability of glasses isn’t a question, the reasoning for needing them is. 

 

Saying this, astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia, and presbyopia are the leading causes for needing an eyeglass prescription. If you are of the 36% of Americans suffering from astigmatism, this simply means you have a light refraction issue. In other words, your cornears are imperfectly curved, resulting in blurry vision. 

 

Myopia, or nearsightedness, causes light rays to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, affecting 33%. On the other hand, hyperopia, or farsightedness, is a rarity (affecting 4%), and it causes light rays to not have a focus point at all - even once they reach the retina. Interestingly enough, age-related farsightedness is known as presbyopia, affecting 25% of people worldwide. 

 

The science of eyeglasses is far more technical than you could imagine, as well as their future. Keep reading to learn how technology will reshape the future of eyeglasses - even restoring vision to the blind. Be sure to grab your glasses first, however.