History


DATE

WHO

HOW

1508

Leonardo da Vinci

sketches many different types of Contact lenses

1632

Rene Descartes of France

suggests a corneal contact lens

1801

Thomas Young 

develops Descartes' idea and uses it to correct his own vision

1827

Sir Jonh Herschel

suggests grinding a lens to fit perfectly to the eye

1887

F.E. Muller of Wisbaden, Germany

made the first contact to be tolerated 

1888

A. Eugen Fick & Edouard Kalt( they never worked with each other)

almost at the same time report using contacts to correct eye defects

1929

Joseph Dallos

makes molds from living eyes to make the lens form just for that eye

1936

William Feinbloom from New York

makes the first American made contact and introduces  the use of plastic

1945

American Optomertric Association(AOA)

recognizes the growing contact lens field and making it a key part of the practice of optometry

1950

Dr. George Butterfield from Oregon

designs a corneal contact which follows the eye's shape instead of being flat

1960

Otto Wichterle & Drahoslva Lim

 experiment with lenses made of a soft, water absorbing plastic(that they made)

1971

UNKNOWN

soft contact becomes available

1978

UNKNOWN

first troic contact was approved distribution in US

1980

UNKNOWN

tinted daily wear soft contact lens became available for distribution

1981

UNKNOWN

extended wear lenses became available for distribution

1982

UNKNOWN

bifocal contacts(daily wear) became available

1983

UNKNOWN

first tinted RGP contact lens became available

1986

UNKNOWN

extended wear RGP contact lens became available

1987

UNKNOWN

disposable soft contact lens became available, soft contact lens to change eye color became available, & first multipurpose contact lens care product made available

1991

UNKNOWN

replacement lenses available & daily wear two-week replacement lenses available

1992

UNKNOWN

disposable contact lenses(tinted) available

1995

UNKNOWN

daily disposable contact lenses available

1996

UNKNOWN

first disposable lenses using ultra-violet absorber available

1998

UNKNOWN

first multifocal disposable(soft)


 
 
 

HOME