Eyeglasses were invented in Northern Italy between the late 1200s and early 1300s, most likely by multiple craftsmen rather than a single inventor. While Salvino D’Armati is often credited, historians agree that eyeglasses evolved gradually during the Renaissance period as optical knowledge advanced.
Most historians agree that eyeglasses were invented between 1000 and 1250 AD, with the first wearable spectacles appearing in late 13th-century Italy, particularly in Pisa and Florence.
Early eyeglasses consisted of:
They were primarily used to aid reading and close work.
There is no single confirmed inventor of eyeglasses. Instead, several historical figures contributed to their development.
Salvino D’Armati is traditionally credited with inventing eyeglasses in the late 1200s. However, no definitive evidence confirms he was the sole inventor. Most scholars believe eyeglasses emerged from collective experimentation in Italy during the Renaissance.
In 1266, Roger Bacon, an English Franciscan friar, documented how convex lenses could correct vision. His work helped establish the scientific principles of magnification.
Earlier still, Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) wrote influential optical treatises around the year 1000. His research earned him the title Father of Modern Optics and laid the groundwork for corrective lenses.
No. Benjamin Franklin did not invent eyeglasses, but he did invent bifocals in the mid-1700s.
Franklin split lenses into:
This allowed wearers to see clearly at multiple distances without changing glasses.
Eyeglasses became more widespread during the Renaissance, especially after the invention of the printing press in 1452.
Key developments:
In 1306, Giordano da Rivalto referenced eyeglasses in a sermon, noting they had existed for fewer than 20 years at the time.
Modern eyeglasses—with temples that rest on the ears—emerged in the early 20th century, becoming widespread in the 1920s.
Today, the Vision Council estimates that over half of U.S. adults wear eyeglasses.
Sunglasses evolved independently from eyeglasses and were not originally designed for sun protection.
Sunglasses gained mass popularity in 1929, when Sam Foster introduced affordable sunglasses using injection-molding technology.
Later innovations included:
In the 1930s, Bausch & Lomb developed aviator sunglasses for U.S. military pilots.
Key milestones:
This marked a turning point in sunglass technology and fashion.
Eyeglasses were invented in Northern Italy in the late 13th century by multiple craftsmen, not a single individual.
Eyeglasses began appearing around the late 1200s, primarily for reading and scholarly work.
Sunglasses evolved from early eye coverings used by the Chinese and Inuit cultures and were later refined in Europe.
Yes. Eyeglasses became more common during the Renaissance due to increased literacy and printing.
Early eyeglasses used hand-ground glass lenses and metal or leather frames.
Eyeglasses were not invented overnight. They are the result of centuries of optical experimentation, cultural needs, and technological progress—evolving from simple reading aids into the advanced eyewear we rely on today.