Thursday Thirteen XXIII:
The Eyeglass Edition
5 Facts About the First Glasses
The first “reading glass” was developed around A.D. 1000 but was more of a magnifying glass than an eyeglass. Most historians believe the first eyeglasses were invented in 1284 or 1285. No one knows if the inventor was a monk, a scientist, or a craftsman, but all agree that the inventor was Italian.
In the 1300s eyeglasses were a luxury used by the rich as a symbol of their wealth and power. However, when Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1456, the history of eyeglasses changed forever. Because of the widespread availability of books, the use of reading glasses gradually filtered down to the common people and became an important part of everyday life.
We do know that the first artistic depiction of eyeglasses was painted by Tommaso da Modena in his 1352 portrait of Hugh of Provence. The religious scholar is seen with his glasses studiously perched on his nose.
In the seventeenth century the Spanish invented the first graded lenses, which solved the problem of the trial-and-error fitting of eyeglasses.
Until the eighteenth century, eyeglasses either balanced precariously on the nose or were held by the rim with one hand. Finally, an optician in Paris added short arms that extended to the temples, and an optician in England carried the idea further by extending the arms to the ears. This became the world standard for eyeglass frames.
7 Reasons I Loved NOT Having Glasses
Being able to buy a pair of sunglasses at the Dollar Tree. When I had glasses I either had to get a prescription pair or a clip on pair. Now that I’m older I’m considering just getting those big covers that go over the glasses, and have that swanky peripheral panel. (I’m kidding about those Maw-Maw covers, btw.)
Not having to reach for my glasses in the morning, or the middle of the night when a kid woke up. Pre-LASIK I was practically blind, so I needed my lenses to see which kid was coming to my bedside.
Getting out of the shower and being able to see, even after a hot shower! When I needed my glasses and I took a hot shower, the steamy bathroom was hard to navigate. Without needed them, it was still hard to see–just not as hard!
Not having to say in *bow chicka bow wow* times, “Hold on, let me take these off!”
Going from a cold to a hot environment without worrying about steaming them up.
Never having to push my glasses up my–unnaturally–small nasal bridge.
Not having to worry about buying new frames and lenses. Although, yesterday, the experience was fun and I got to pick out an uber-cool pair of specs.
1 Picture of Me in My New Glasses
for my Project 365
Day 169
5 + 7 + 1 = 13
This entry was posted on Thursday, February 7th, 2008 at 4:31 pm and is filed under Project 365, Thursday Thirteen. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
You look hot! And I’m not just saying that because your frames are similar to mine. I’m lucky enough to be able to get by without my glasses if I need to (well, unless I’m driving, watching a movie, or both – wait, that’s not allowed…). I started actually wearing my glasses full-time once I got these sexy frames like yours, but then I cut my hair and worry about the glasses again. Luckily, you are hot no matter what, so you have such freedom with your new eyes.
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Very sexy librarian-ish.
I too wore glasses for years and years and now wear contacts. I didn’t realise how much I was hiding behind them. Plus, I much prefer not having to push them up all the time, or having to see through them during a rainstorm, or hold on to them when I’m looking down from a tall building. My prescription is, shall we say, healthy? You can see me eyes now. I still miss wearing them for a lot of reasons, but opticians won’t let you put glass in them and wear them for no good reason.
That sucks about Lasik btw.
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My glasses kind of look like that too – proving that super cool people all think alike. ;) or maybe 8) would be better?
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I could think of lots of adjectives… but all I really want to say is…
DAYUM! YOU ARE A HOT MAMA!!!
I love your glasses, great choice! They make you look even more secret agentish too. ~xox
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!
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Cutie Pie :)
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I freakin LOVE those glasses on you! Damn, you are hot!
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Those specs look fabulous on you! WHOA…
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OH MY .. woo woo.. you seriously look stunning in those glasses!! WOW.. Beautiful.
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You look amazing in the glasses. They suit your face perfectly!
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You are so Tina Fey sexy. I like them a lot.
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Did anyone tell you that you have GREAT skin! Geesh you do! I now need readers… haven’t got them yet, because I’m looking for something like the exact ones YOU have. You look HOT!
come over and enter my Valentine’s Day Contest!
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I had lasik too. I love not having to reach for my glasses in the middle of the night to read the alarm clock. I had to keep the clock across the room or I would press snooze until noon.
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Good grief woman! You look like an eyeglasses model! I wish I looked like that in mine. I look uber dork-ish so I never wear them…I know, I’m just going to get coke bottles later :(
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you’re so pretty!!! i love those glasses! i have always had great eyesight so, i never needed glasses. back in the 80’s, they had fake glasses…you’re younger than me but, do you remember those? i used to have some because i thought they made me look smarter.
now, as i’m slowly creeping up on 40…i’m noticing that i squint…a lot! so, i have a feeling that i’ll be getting some glasses…of the real kind…within the next year or so! i hope that i look as good as you do in them!!
xoxo
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I didn’t realize you could get any cuter, but you proved me wrong!
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Those specs look GREAT on you, SAM (and I’m not just sayin’ because they look similar to mine :) —they really suit your face beautifully!
Oh, I’ve been thinking about Lasik for a while, but I’ve prob’y left it too late. It’s best if you get it done before 35 apparently. Now if I do it, I might have to consider monovision, which sounds weird to me.
But I’d love to be able to see clearly beyond 3 inches from my face!
Great TT!!
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OH!! I LOVE THEM!!! You look HAWT!!! I still have to go fill my Rx for new specs. You have inspired me.
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smokin’. that.is.exactly.what i was suggesting, just in goes with everything black, which is much smarter than my brooding maroon colour suggestion. excellent. gorgeous.
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I think you are WAY hot in glasses!! Wow.
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I love my glasses. I am older than you, but even when I wasn’t, I liked the way they covered up the dark circles under my eyes, etc. I hate being seen without mine….
Yours are GORGEOUS.
TT#23 | 13 New York Photos (Part I: Around Town)
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I love the new specs!!!
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I share your pain of glasses i do truly hate the chore of them.However, I must say you truly look very hawt in them girl and they add something to your beautiful face! I do not have the same luck :)
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Those are some great glasses. I am getting some new ones nest week and I might try to find some in that style.
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I like the new frames….I am getting new glasses this summer and thinking of chopping off my hair too, but that would be before March ends.
I know yu are not thrilled to need the glasses, but you are still one hot mama!
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Yours look good on you!
I only need glasses for distance, and I am forever putting them down and forgetting where they are. It happens tow or three times a day.
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LOVE THEM!!!!!
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