When Were Glasses Invented? A History of Eyewear from 1286 to Today

Before Glasses: Reading Stones (9th–13th Century)

Long before anyone wore glasses on their face, people used 'reading stones' — polished pieces of quartz or beryl crystal laid flat on a page to magnify text. The first written reference comes from Abbas ibn Firnas in 9th-century Andalusia (modern-day Spain), who described polished stones used for reading.

By the 11th century, these reading stones were common in European monasteries. Monks spent their days copying manuscripts by hand, and magnification wasn't a luxury — it was a necessity for aging scholars whose near vision had faded. The leap from 'stone you lay on a page' to 'lenses you put on your face' took another two centuries.

This is one of the most common questions that comes up during eye exams, and the answer often depends on individual factors that only a professional assessment can evaluate. What works for one person may not be ideal for another — your prescription, daily activities, facial anatomy, and budget all play a role in determining the best approach.

If you're in the Edmonton area, Charm Optical offers comprehensive eye exams that go beyond just measuring your prescription. Their optometrists assess your overall eye health, discuss your visual needs, and recommend lens and frame options tailored to your lifestyle. With direct insurance billing for most Alberta providers and same-day glasses for many prescriptions, getting the right eyewear doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Book online — appointments are usually available within a few days.

The First Eyeglasses: Italy, Around 1286

The first wearable spectacles appeared in northern Italy between 1280 and 1290. A 1306 sermon by Dominican friar Giordano da Pisa mentions that 'it is not yet twenty years since there was discovered the art of making eyeglasses,' placing the invention around 1286.

The exact inventor is unknown, though several candidates have been proposed — Salvino d'Armato of Florence is often credited, but historians consider this claim unreliable, based on a now-lost tombstone inscription that may have been fabricated. The more likely origin is the glassmaking guilds of Venice or the monastery workshops of Florence, where optical grinding was already a skilled trade.

These first glasses were simple: two convex (magnifying) lenses set in bone, metal, or leather frames, riveted together at the bridge. You balanced them on your nose or held them up to your eyes. They corrected farsightedness (presbyopia) only — useful for reading but nothing else.

Key Milestones in Eyewear History

Year	Milestone
~1286	First wearable reading glasses (Italy)
~1440	Concave lenses for nearsightedness developed
1604	Kepler publishes first accurate theory of how lenses correct vision
1727	Edward Scarlett adds rigid temple arms (no more balancing on the nose)
1784	Benjamin Franklin invents bifocal lenses
1825	Cylindrical lenses for astigmatism correction introduced by George Airy
1908	Zeiss releases the first commercial production of aspherical lenses
1959	Bernard Maitenaz (Essilor) patents the first progressive lens (Varilux)
1960s	Plastic (CR-39) lenses begin replacing glass
1983	Polycarbonate lenses introduced for impact resistance
1991	Anti-reflective coatings become commercially available
2023	Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses with camera and AI assistant

The Temple Arm Revolution (1727)

For over 400 years, glasses had no arms. You either held them up (lorgnettes), balanced them on your nose (pince-nez), or looped a ribbon around your ears. In 1727, London optician Edward Scarlett introduced rigid side arms that hooked over the ears — essentially creating the modern glasses shape we still use today.

This seems like a small change, but it was transformative. Suddenly glasses could be worn hands-free during work, conversation, and daily life. It shifted eyeglasses from a tool you occasionally used (like reading) to something you could wear all day.

Benjamin Franklin and Bifocals (1784)

By his 70s, Benjamin Franklin was tired of switching between two pairs of glasses — one for reading and one for distance. His solution was elegant: cut the lenses in half and combine them into one frame, with the distance lens on top and the reading lens on the bottom.

This basic design persisted for nearly 200 years with only minor refinements. Bifocals remained the standard multifocal solution until the late 20th century, when progressive lenses offered a line-free alternative. Today, progressives have largely replaced bifocals, though some wearers still prefer the wider, undistorted reading zone of traditional bifocals. Both options are available at Charm Optical in Edmonton.

Modern Innovations: From Plastic Lenses to Smart Glasses

The 20th century brought rapid changes. Glass lenses were replaced by lighter, shatter-resistant plastic (CR-39) in the 1960s. Polycarbonate arrived in the 1980s for safety and sports use. Anti-reflective coatings, photochromic lenses (Transitions), and digital free-form lens manufacturing followed.

Today, the most exciting frontier is smart eyewear. Ray-Ban Meta glasses integrate cameras, speakers, and an AI assistant into a frame that looks like ordinary sunglasses. We're also seeing advances in lens technology — light-adaptive lenses that respond faster to UV, blue light filtering built into the lens material rather than coated on top, and thinner high-index lenses for strong prescriptions.

After 700 years, the basic concept hasn't changed: put corrective lenses in front of your eyes. But the materials, precision, and additional features have come extraordinarily far.

Glasses in Canada

Canada's optical history is tied to European immigration. Early settlers brought spectacles from Britain and France, and by the mid-1800s, Canadian opticians were established in major cities. Today, Canada has over 6,000 licensed opticians and a thriving optical retail market.

Alberta's optical industry has grown alongside the province itself. In Edmonton, local optical stores like Charm Optical combine the latest lens technology with the kind of personal service that's been the foundation of optometry since those first Italian spectacle makers in the 1280s. The tools have changed — digital refraction, free-form lens surfacing, online booking — but the core idea is the same: helping people see clearly.

The Bottom Line

The best next step is always a professional eye exam. Your optometrist can evaluate your specific needs and recommend the right combination of lenses, coatings, and frames for your lifestyle and budget. In Alberta, most employer insurance plans cover comprehensive eye exams, and children under 18 and adults over 65 receive coverage through Alberta Health.

Charm Optical at 5035 Ellerslie Rd SW in South Edmonton offers thorough eye exams with experienced optometrists, a selection of over 500 designer frames from brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Versace, and same-day glasses for many prescription types. They offer direct insurance billing for most Alberta providers, so you only pay the difference at the counter — no upfront costs and no claim forms to submit afterwards.

Whether you're buying your first pair of glasses, upgrading to progressive lenses, or just need an adjustment on your current frames, having a trusted local optician makes the entire process smoother. Book an appointment online — most appointments are available within a few days, and walk-ins are welcome for adjustments and frame browsing.

How to Choose the Right Lenses

Choosing the right lenses starts with understanding your prescription and daily visual demands. Your optometrist will assess your refraction, measure your pupillary distance, and discuss your lifestyle needs — whether you spend most of your day on screens, driving, reading, or working outdoors. Each of these activities benefits from specific lens designs and coatings.

Lens material matters too. Standard CR-39 plastic is affordable and optically clear, but higher prescriptions benefit from high-index materials (1.60, 1.67, or 1.74) that produce thinner, lighter lenses. Polycarbonate and Trivex offer impact resistance for active lifestyles and children's glasses. The right combination of material, design, and coatings gives you the clearest, most comfortable vision possible.

The best way to navigate these choices is with professional guidance. A comprehensive eye exam at Charm Optical includes a detailed discussion of lens options tailored to your specific needs. The opticians at Charm Optical in Edmonton can walk you through each option side by side, and many lens types are available for same-day glasses at Charm Optical, so you don't have to wait days for your new glasses.

See How Far We've Come

From 13th-century Italian glass to modern free-form progressives — visit Charm Optical in South Edmonton to experience the latest in lens technology.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The first wearable eyeglasses were created by an unknown craftsman in northern Italy around 1286. The Venetian glassmaking guilds and Florentine monasteries are the most likely places of origin. Salvino d'Armato is often credited but historians consider this attribution unreliable.

Benjamin Franklin invented bifocal lenses in 1784 by combining half-lenses for distance and reading into a single frame. The basic bifocal design was used for nearly 200 years before progressive lenses offered a line-free alternative in 1959.

Glasses became widely available after the invention of the printing press in 1440, which created mass demand for reading correction. By the 1700s, spectacles were common across Europe. Temple arms (1727) made them practical for all-day wear.

The earliest glasses (1280s) used polished quartz or beryl crystal lenses set in frames made of bone, metal, or riveted leather. Glass lenses came soon after, ground by hand in Venetian workshops. Modern plastic lenses didn't appear until the 1960s.

Sources & Further Reading

Canadian Association of Optometrists — Canadian guidelines on vision care
American Academy of Ophthalmology — EyeSmart — Peer-reviewed eye health information
Review of Optometry — Clinical optometry journal
American Optometric Association — Lenses — Lens types, coatings, and fitting guidance

Disclosure: GlassesPedia is published by the team behind Charm Optical, an optical retailer in Edmonton, Alberta. Articles are educational and are not medical advice — for a diagnosis or prescription, see a licensed optometrist or optician.

When Were Glasses Invented? A History of Eyewear from 1286 to Today

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