The world of vision correction doesn't have a reputation for excitement or mystery. Most glasses or contact lens users likely think of vision correction as a necessary evil and nothing more. However, vision correction has a wild and wooly history that includes some incredibly strange moments.
Early Water-Based Glasses
Vision problems have plagued humanity since the dawn of history, so it's no surprise that there are dozens of references to crude vision correction systems in ancient history. One of the most interesting of these occurs in about 4 B.C. in ancient Rome.
The Roman writer Seneca was a highly educated and well-read man, but histories of the time indicate he started to experience vision problems. His solution was as ingenious as it was simple: he simply used the refractive properties of a glass globe of water to magnify his favorite books.
Golden Earrings
The origins of folk remedies are often baffling. Though modern science has verified the healing powers of some herbs and roots, most homespun cures are as strange as they are ineffective. One remedy that may shock modern readers is the belief that golden earrings improve vision.
This belief is rooted in the ancient art of acupuncture and its belief that there is a connection between the ears and the eyes. Belief in this remedy originated in Asiatic cultures, but was spread around the world by seafaring pirates.
Emerald Sunglasses
Sunglasses perform the important function of protecting your eyes from harmful UV radiation. Many people may think that sunglasses are a relatively modern invention, but the history of sunglasses stretches back almost as far as corrective lenses.
In fact, one of the earliest historical references to sunglasses comes from ancient Roman history, which states that deranged Roman emperor Nero enjoyed wearing a pair of crude emerald sunglasses while watching his gladiators fight.
Weight Loss Eye Glasses
Dieticians, scientists and con artists alike have been searching for the perfect weight loss solution for centuries. What does this have to do with vision correction and eye glasses? Well, scientists in Japan have created a pair of glasses that are designed to help you lose weight.
How is that even possible? By distorting the image of food. Basically, these glasses digitally manipulate the food in your hand to make it look bigger. It also distorts the color of the food to a blue tint, which is much less appealing than its normal tint.
Early tests on these glasses have shown that test subjects ate about 10 percent less when the food was manipulated to look larger and 15 percent more when it looked smaller.
These strange vision correction moments are just some of the weirdest moments in vision correction history. Thankfully, these fascinating moments have created a great present and a promising future for those who suffer from vision problems. If that is you, visit a doctor, such as San Juans Vision Source, to find effective solutions.
Share11 December 2014
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