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How Glasses Work

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but the windows that frame our eyes are glasses. Glasses and other eyewear including contact lenses are used by all sorts of people. Some 40% of people in the United States need a form of vision correction. Glasses are an important invention and help many people around the world to be able to do what they want and need to do. But how do glasses work? Continue reading to learn the answer to that question and to learn more about how glasses impact our society.

Eyes Are Very Complex

The mystery of how glasses work is complicated by the mystery of how eyes work. The puzzle of how eyes work is less of a mystery today, but can still be difficult to understand from the outside looking in. The little black dot that is located in the middle of your eye that constricts and contracts as you look around is called the pupil. The pupil allows light to enter your eye and the light bounces off the back of the eye which is covered in an intricate web of nerves called the retina. A person with good vision will have pupils that allow light to focus squarely on the retina.

Inside The Eye

Within the eye, there are several systems that help a person see different things that they are looking at. These systems bring the light into the eye onto the retina and then minimizes the light and shapes it to the retina, creating an image. When light is unable to pass through the retina properly or cannot center on the retina, a person will have a vision problem. Glasses were created to help alleviate this issue.

how glasses work

How Do Glasses Work?

Now that it is clear how the eye works, how exactly do glasses work and help with vision issues. Well, because eyesight issues are the result of light not being able to reach the retina within the eye, glasses and other prescription eyewear are used to help the light travel better to the retina. Glasses do this by bending the light as it moves through the lenses of the glasses, allowing the light to enter through the pupil at just the right angle to reach the retina.

The Results Of Wearing Glasses

The result of a person wearing the right pair of glasses with the correct prescription is that that person will now have the ability to see clearly in the same way that a person with 20/20 vision can see. There are several different prescriptions that have been created for people with different kinds of eye conditions. Some of the most common forms of eye conditions include nearsightedness (also called myopia), farsightedness (also called hyperopia), and astigmatism.

Do You Need Glasses?

If you find that your eyesight is blurry or that you have a hard time seeing things that are close by or far away, you may be in need of glasses. We at Wolcott Optical are happy to help you figure out whether or not you need glasses or another form of protective eyewear. Through an eye examination, you should be able to decide whether glasses are for you.

Reach Out For More Information

Once you have determined that glasses would be a great addition to your life and could positively benefit you, we would be happy to help you find a pair of glasses that would also be a good fit. We are passionate about eye health and taking care of your vision, and with our experienced team, we are sure that you will find something to your liking. Reach out to us today for more information.

Glasses are an extremely important invention in the history of eye care. For many of us, without glasses, life would be much more difficult. Glasses allow for many individuals to read, drive, and easily see things near and far. But not only do glasses give many people a better ability to live their lives, but they have a fascinating history. To learn more about the history of glasses, continue reading.

history of glasses millcreek ut

The Early History Of Glasses

The history of glasses is a long and interesting story. Glasses have been around for quite a long time. According to some sources, it seems that the first pair of spectacles that were worn on the bridge of the nose were invented around 1290 by an inventor named Salvino D’Armate in Italy. However, there is evidence that points to the fact that glasses may have existed much earlier than the 13th century. Early eyeglasses were made of glass and wooden or leather frames. The glasses were held up the eyes or simply rested on the bridges of the nose. Later, in the Renaissance period, ribbons and string were used to fasten the glasses to the face. 

At some point, temples were added to the sides of glasses. Temples are the pieces of the glasses that extend past the ears. But the fastener behind the back of the ear was not invented until a bit later in the history of glasses. A British optician named Edward Scarlett seems to have invented the modern version of glasses around 1727. This modern vision included hooks that would attach to the back of the ear, keeping the glasses on the face. Another notable invention was Benjamin Franklin’s bifocals. Benjamin Franklin created the first bifocals (or as they were called at the time “double spectacles”) in order to correct both nearsightedness and farsightedness in the same pair of glasses.

Increasing Popularity Of Glasses

For many years, glasses were unavailable to the general public. After the invention of the bifocals, the prescriptions in glasses only continued to get better in the 19th century. With better forms of communication and these improvements in the functionality of glasses, glasses began to increase in popularity and started to become more commonplace. The Industrial Revolution made it possible for glasses to be more easily and efficiently produced, and in bulk. This also made glasses more affordable, opening up the world of eyeglasses to poorer populations.

Modern Glasses

In the late 1800’s rich men wore monocles and with World War 1 then went out of style with much of Europe. After WW1, glasses became much more commonplace meaning that they started to become a fashion statement. Men and women started wearing glasses of different shapes and sizes, colors and made of an assortment of materials.

With the development of plastics in the later 1900’s, horn, wood and metal frames became less common and soon lenses were also being made of plastics. This made glasses much more sturdy and durable. The mid-1900’s also saw the creation of sunglasses which led to better eye protection and more fashion statements being made. These days, glasses are found in almost every house. Glasses are used in all sorts of ways for fashion and for practicality. 

Do You Need A New Pair Of Glasses?

Here at Wolcott Optical, we are grateful for the history of glasses. We have made glasses our specialty and are happy to help you find the perfect pair of glasses for any occasion. If you have any questions regarding glasses or need an eye exam to see if you need a new prescription in your glasses, contact us today.

“What’s up, four-eyes!” There have been all sorts of stereotypes about people who need glasses. Some things that have been associated with a person who wears glasses is that they are smarter, shier or more reserved than average. These days, glasses have become much more commonplace and are less connected to old stereotypes. They are seen more as tools, which is what they are. But unfortunately, a large population of people are not aware that they need glasses.

How To Know If You Need Glasses

Did you know that more than half of adults need glasses? About 75% of adults need vision correction, but not all of them wear glasses or corrective eyewear. Some people only need glasses to read or to see things in the distance when they are driving. Many people do not even know that they need glasses. This may be because eyesight changes overtime, so someone who had never needed glasses before may be diagnosed with nearsightedness later in life. There are several tests that you can do to find out if you need glasses.

Why Do People Wear Glasses?

First of all, why do people wear glasses? The most common reasons why people need glasses are because they have myopia or hyperopia. These are fancy words for near-sightedness and far-sightedness. Near-sighted people have issues seeing things that are far away from them. The image will be fuzzy or blurry. Far-sighted people have the opposite problem of near-sighted people. They can see objects in the distance well, but the image of close objects is blurry. If you experience either of these conditions, you may need glasses. Similarly, if you experience any of the following problems you might need to get a pair of glasses.

Blurred Vision

Blurred vision is essentially the inability to see detail. As mentioned adobe, your vision may be blurred for things that are far-way or close to you. Your eyes may also become completely blurry. Blurred vision may come as a result of other issues such as migraines, so it is important to get a professional eye exam. 

Headaches

You may have headaches that originate right behind your eyes. When an individual who needs glasses tries really hard to focus on things, they may begin to develop headaches because they are straining their eyes. Even people who do not need glasses can get eye strain headaches, so it is important to give your eyes breaks when looking at a screen or focusing on something for a long period of time.

are you aware that you may need glasses

Eye Strain

Eye strain itself may be an indication of some sort of vision problem. Tired or stressed eyes and headaches are symptoms of eye strain.

Squinting

If you are squinting your eyes often in order to see something more clearly, this is typically an indicator that you may need glasses.

Distorted Or Double Vision

Some other signs that you may need glasses are distorted or double vision. Distorted vision can cause things to look wavy or bendy. Double vision is where you see two images where there is only one object. Double vision can be a cause of squinting.

How To Decide If You Need Glasses

If you experience any of these problems, then it is advisable to get an eye exam or speak to an optometrist. After you have gone through this process and it has been recommended that you get glasses, it is time to decide on what kind of glasses you want.

Do You Need Glasses?

Once you have discovered the source of your problem, the hardest part is over! Now it is time for the fun part of finding a pair of glasses that fit you. Luckily, here at Wolcott Optical, we have many different designs of glasses that you can choose from. If you need help finding a pair of glasses we are here to help. Contact us today for more information!

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Monday Closed
Tuesday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
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