Contact Lens Blog

Intraocular Contact Lenses

One of the least common types of contact lenses currently are a type called intraocular contact lenses. Fitted permanently over the wearer’s eye, they are generally used almost solely for persons who have undergone some form of eye surgery.

The first time intraocular contact lenses were successfully implanted was in 1949, when Sir Harold Riley, an English ophthalmologist, fitted the worlds first intraocular contact lens on November 29. Only a few months later, on 8 February 1950, Riley fitted the worlds first permanent intraocular contact lens. It is often believed that Riley began to fit intraocular contact lenses onto patients after one of his younger, student colleagues at the time asked why he was not replacing the patient’s lens that he had operated on and removed completely.

It took over 20 years for fitting intraocular contact lenses to be considered regular and common practice. The 1970’s saw somewhat of a boom with intraocular contact lenses being fitted, with each year after seeing a growth on the year before. As of today, it is estimated that over 1 million American’s have intraocular contact lenses each and every year.

Whilst the fitting of intraocular contact lenses is generally considered a safe and healthy procedure, there are some risks associated with the fitting of the contact lens. The actual procedure itself is fairly risk free, but care afterwards is paramount to the procedure being fully effective. For example, it is not uncommon for infections or inflammations to occur in the eye, whilst the lens can occasionally move slightly, causing irritation and impaired vision.

History of Contact Lenses – 3 Part Series

Dan has recently shown us the history of Contact Lenses in a great 3 part series. If you missed it, here are the three articles.

The History of Contact Lenses – Part 1

1508 to 1887…

The History of Contact Lenses – Part 2

1936 to 1970…

The History of Contact Lenses – Part 3

1970′s to Today…

Please let us know if you have any questions and we’ll find the answer regarding the history of contact lenses.

The History of Contact Lenses – Part 3

It is generally accepted that the 1970’s and 1980’s saw the most medical progress being made in the contact lens field, it also saw a lot of developments being in the contact lens field in general. For example, the early 1980’s saw several daily contact lenses being developed that were tinted, reducing squinting in bright light, which in turn reduces strain on the eyes.

The early 1980’s also saw bifocal contact lenses being mass produced, whilst the mid-1980’s brought the introduction of an extended wear contact lens in 1986. A year later, in 1987, several contact lens developments were introduced, including disposable contact lenses, different coloured contact lenses and a multi-purposes contact lens cleaning solution. It has to be noted that whilst all these products were available previously, 1987 saw them being mass produced and available to all.

The early and mid 1990’s saw some minor developments being made with contact lenses, but it wasn’t until 1999 when the next major step was made. Just before the turn of the millennium, silicone hydrogel contact lenses were introduced to the public for the very first time. Benefiting from the oxygen permeability of silicone and the medical factors of the already well used hydrogel, the silicone hydrogel contact lenses are what the majority of contact lens wearers know and where to this day. Used for both daily wear and extended wear, these contact lenses are both comfortable, easy to fit and remove and effectively correct the wearer’s vision.

The History of Contact Lenses – Part 2

After Fick’s first real step towards wearable – if somewhat uncomfortable – contact lenses in 1888, this unfortunately remained the only forward movement in the field until 1936.

William Feinbloom, an American Optometrist, designed and manufactured contact lenses, based on Fick’s progress, but using plastic rather than glass. These plastic contact lenses were based on polymethyl methacrylate, more commonly known as Perspex, contact lenses that were discussed and developed only months earlier. Lighter, more comfortable to wear and easier to fit and remove, these plastic contact lenses were still only in the early years of how we know contact lenses today.

Over a decade later, in 1949, the very first contact lenses that fitted over the cornea section of the eye only – rather than the full, visible section of the eye. Because of this reason, these contact lenses were much smaller, making them more comfortable and easier to wear – allowing the wearer to wear the contact lenses for a full day. These contact lenses were developed over the coming years and received mass praise and appeal throughout the 1960’s.

Whilst the Perspex lenses were a massive step forward for contact lenses, they had one flaw. Due to the contact lenses being made from this impermeable material, no oxygen was flowing through the contact lens and to the eye, causing several medical issues with a large amount of wearers of the contact lens. This proved not to be a problem for long, as several Optometrists were working on a more suitable contact lens material and their work throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s saw a variety of contact lenses being developed that allowed for oxygen to enter the eye, through the contact lens, whilst not detracting from the wearers vision.

The History of Contact Lenses – Part 1

Unknown to many, the first contact lens concept is accredited to the legendary futurist, Leonardo Da Vinci. In 1508, Da Vinci wrote a book, Code of The Eye, Manual D, in which he took an in-depth look into how the human eye operates and more specifically, the human eye’s optics. He noted how light entered the eye and how the same light was refracted back out, discovering that different eyes refracted the light out at different angles. This is generally sited as the first discovery of incorrect vision. In has to be noted that whilst Da Vinci made this discovery, he didn’t make note of any device – such as a contact lenses – that could correct the person’s vision.

Over the next two hundred years, several inventions were designed and created that were aimed at aiding the wearers vision. Most resembled spectacles or monocles more than today’s contact lenses – including a gel filled cup that was placed over the eye – but progress was continually being made in the contact lens field and the following years saw a variety of different inventors continue along this same path.

It wasn’t until just less than four Centuries later that the first contact lens was actually fully designed and created. Adolf Eugen Fick, a German physiologist, successfully created the very first recorded contact lenses in 1887. Expanding more on British Astronomer Sir John Herschel’s idea of creating a contact lens that fitted onto the eyes surface, Fick tested his contact lenses initially on rabbits, then on Fick himself and finally on a small group of volunteers. The contact lenses were blown from heavy duty brown glass, making them unattractive, uncomfortable and difficult to fit and remove, although, importantly, they did serve their purpose – they corrected the user’s vision.