The Evolution Of Contact Lenses

A new contact-lens prototype senses changes in pressure, which may one day provide continuous monitoring for patients with glaucoma. Each lens (pictured) consists of a transparent polymer with tiny, opaque electrical circuits (gold). The circuits exhibit changes in voltage as the lens is bent or pressed. Credit: Tingrui Pan, UC Davis

When you think about it, it’s really quite amazing how far the contact lens has come. Before contact lenses were invented, those who couldn’t see well had one option and one option only: glasses. Then, the contact lens was invented. At first, the contact lens was a cumbersome piece of eyewear. It was fragile and not a great fit for those who wanted to play sports, go running, go out dancing – the opportunities for contact lens wearers were anything but endless.

The origin of the contact lens can be traced back to the 16th century (Leonardo D’Vinci) , but credit is usually given to a man named F.E. Muller. Muller came up with contact lenses in 1887, but it was a long while before the lenses were actually created the way that we think of them today. In fact, in their original incarnation, contact lenses were almost as bulky as actual glasses. However, contact lens technology has evolved greatly since their inception.

What was initially a hard, glass lens has become a soft, thin plastic composite. These days, there are contact lenses for just about everyone! Sports lenses are one of the newer inventions, and they’ve made a real difference for many athletes around the world. Sport specific contact lenses were developed recently, and were driven by the desire of both professional and casual athletes who were looking for a lens that not only corrected their vision but boosted their ability to see clearly.

American drag racer Gary Scelzi, who suffers from astigmatism, was one of the first to test-drive a sports-specific contact lens. Gary Sclezi was prescribed contact lenses that corrected his vision not just to the “perfect” 20/20, but to 20/15. The lenses that Sclezi wore were specifically created to give him a fine-depth perception that was enhanced, which undoubtedly helped him in his racing. Sclezi himself noted that he saw a dramatic improvement in his ability to read the starting lights that are imperative to drag racing.

Professional baseball players also make use of sports-specific contact lenses. Baseball players tend to utilize amber-tinted lenses for

Bionic Contact Lens

games played in varying lighting conditions, so that they can see no matter where the sun is in the sky. The amber tint in these lenses blocks blue light from the eyes. This enables the player to better see fast-moving objects against a fixed background, which is exactly what a third baseman needs to see! Some believe that these sports- specific contact lenses can also mentally improve an athlete’s physical skills.

Particularly in sports that rely heavily on precise hand-eye coordination, such as baseball, if the player thinks he can see the ball more clearly, he might actually perform better.

Sports-specific lenses aren’t the only kind of advanced contact lenses available. On the contrary, there are lenses for all types of vision correction. Got astigmatism? There are contacts for you! Have dry eyes? Don’t worry, there’s a wide array of lenses available to ensure maximum hydration and comfort.

Some of the most popular inventions in the history of contact lenses have been recent ones, such as colored contact lenses and disposable contact lenses.

Colored contact lenses have been embraced by celebrities, who change their eye color as often as their change their hair these days. Actress Lindsay Lohan has been seen sporting just about every eye color on the planet, and colored contacts are integral in modern day films. Think, for example, about the vampires in the Twilight series. Their roles require them to have golden eyes, and at times, red ones. Colored contacts make this sort of physical characteristic, which is absolutely imperative to their character, as easy as pie. All the actors need to do is pop the contacts in and voila; they’re a new person! Regular folks have also utilized colored contacts both in their every day lives and in their Halloween costumes. Because modern-day contacts are so easy to put in and take out, eye colors can change daily!

Disposable contact lenses are perhaps the greatest modern invention for those with vision correction needs. Today, disposable contact lenses are an easy and affordable option. Disposable contacts are convenient, and require much less hassle. Current contact lenses contain hydrogel, a form of plastic that contains water, but researchers have recently revealed a new type of lens that incorporates silicone into the hydrogel. Silicone has a high degree of permeability, which means that more oxygen can get through the lens to your eye. This means that the new lenses can contain less water than their older counterparts, which in turn makes them less susceptible to dryness thanks to extended wear. These lenses are often referred to as “continuous wear” and can be worn for up to thirty days straight!

What are they thinking of next? Here is what is coming up in contact lens trends!

• Contact Lenses For Diabetic Patients
• Contact Lenses That Change Color With Emotions
• Bionic Contact Lenses
• Contact Lenses To Monitor Glaucoma
• Vitamin E Contact Lens
• Solar Powered Contact Lens
• Transitions Contact Lenses
• Designer Contact Lenses

Submitted by guest blogger Robert Kelli of http://www.buymorecontacts.com

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