The contact lens has an interesting history and spans much further back than you would expect. The concept of the contact lens was originally drawn up by Leonardo da Vinci in 1508. In 1801, scientist Thomas Young took the concept to the next stage and became the first person ever to wear the ‘contact lens’. This all sounds great, but he secured the lens to his eye using wax! ouch!
The design of the lens has obviously come a long way since then and is very popular among people today.
There are many types of lenses, depending upon eyesight diagnosis, shape of eye and material choice, although the principal function remains the same for all. Contact lenses are medical devices worn directly on the cornea of the eye. The purpose of the lens is to correct refractive errors by adding or subtracting focal power to the eye’s corner and lens.
The shape of the lens is designed very precisely to safely sit on the eye and allow the person to see clearly. The engineering behind the lens is incredible. The lens must translate the incident light rays upon the eye while working in tandem with the eyeball itself.