Color lens: the history of one brilliant invention

Perhaps many will be surprised to learn that contact lenses were invented by none other than Leonardo da Vinci, back in 1508, describing a lens that, when installed on the human eyeball , had to correct vision by changing the optical properties of the eye.

Until the 1940s, almost all the lenses were made of fairly thick glass, and their diameter was 20-30 mm (they covered the entire surface of the eyeball). Such lenses could not be worn for more than a few hours, as this caused corneal edema and blurred vision, and after the lens was removed from the eye, it took more than a day to restore the cornea. Naturally, such a concept as a colored lens, at that time was still unknown to anyone.

In 1947, the first contact lens of the modern model appeared, made of special plastic, over which scientists have worked for many years.

And only in the middle of the XX century the polymeric hydrogel was developed, and to this day is the basis of most modern materials, from which transparent, and also all kinds of colored contact lenses are made. This flexible and soft material has unique properties: it passes oxygen and absorbs water.

Currently, there are more than 150 kinds of different materials intended for the manufacture of different types of contact lenses, their quality is improving every day.

The production of such materials takes into account their strength, percentage of water content, oxygen permeability, biocompatibility, refractive index and other indicators.

Today, with the help of various types of contact lenses, you can not only adjust your vision without glasses, but even change your eye color, and you can do both.

How to choose the right lens without harming the eye?

Color lenses with diopters have been around for more than 30 years. It is not only beautiful, but also very convenient. If initially they were available only to movie stars, today anyone can easily change the natural color of the eyes when he wants. Each colored lens contains a pattern or a hue of color that can enhance the personal natural color of the human eye.

However, before deciding on the purchase of color lenses, you should read the rules for caring for them. Any color lens Requires the same careful care and observance of precautions when used as simple corrective lenses.

To ensure that the color lens does not cause any discomfort in the eye, you need to carefully approach the choice of manufacturer and care products.

Each colored lens must be thoroughly washed and cleaned. However, do not forget that for the care of colored lenses special solutions are required that do not scratch or damage the paint. Information on how to care for lenses of a particular brand, you can always get in the cabin of optics, where you plan to purchase lenses. Never clean colored lenses with solutions containing hydrogen peroxide - they become frosted from this.

And most importantly: before you buy colored lenses, you must go through a survey with an ophthalmologist. As studies show, frequent wearing of colored lenses can reduce visual acuity and contrast sensitivity of the eyes.