Glasses...what were they like?
Kasey
what were they made out of back then?
Salvino D'Armate invented glasses around 1285. He shared the invention with Allesandro della Spina, an Italian monk, who made it go public and is thought of inventing glasses. The first frames on glasses were made out of metal or bone and it had lenses made of quartz. In the 14th century, craftsmen were making "disks for eyes". Italians gave these "disks" the name lenses because it was similar to a shape of a lentil bean. The earliest lenses were bulged outward in the middle and were used to correct far-sightedness. By the 15th century, spectacles made their way to China. In 1451, Nicholas of Cusa in Germany produced lenses to aid people who were near-sided. They used lenses that were thinner at the center and thicker at the edges. Early glasses had lenses into frames of wood, lead, or copper. Leather, bone, and horn were then used later on. The modern style frames, which could be placed over the ears and nose, were made by Edward Scarlett in 1727. In 1955, the unbreakable lenses were invented and in 1971 a new lense was developed which combined plastic and glass. Glasses have changed the world for near-sighted and far-sighted people. It helps me see too.
Who invented it?
Salvino D'Armate is given credit for inventing glasses in 1285. He was born in 1258 and died in 1312. His exact birth date is still unknown. Armate had injured his eyes when examining light refractions. Through these experiments, he discovered how to increase the appearance of objects through glass pieces. Armate has changed the world for everybody. People who can't see clearly are thankful for him.
Scissor Glasses
This is what the earliest glasses looked like.
Different Shapes
Glasses could be in different shapes and sizes.
Different Colors
They can come in different colors too.