Contact Lenses
The concept of contact lenses goes back about 450 years, to the time of Leonardo da Vinci, but it wasn't until 1947 that significant progress in lens design made contact lens practical for the average person. In 1971, Sir Robert Morrison, a Pennsylvania optometrist brought the soft contact lens to America and sold the rights to Bausch and Lomb for mass production.
Many people wear contact lenses in place of glasses for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons. But there are also medical indications for the wearing of contact lenses.
About 26 million people in America wear contact lenses, and that number is constantly increasing. This popularity is due to the many improvements made in the design and availability of contact lenses and the fact that they have been made more comfortable and easier to wear. Contact lenses are also suited for people with medical conditions where eyeglasses do not provide adequate clarity of vision.
Ninety-five percent of those who want to wear contact lenses and who are well-motivated can do so successfully, under ideal circumstances. The key for successful wearing rests with the wearer. However, for others, some organic or systemic disease may bar the use of contact lenses.
Contact Lens Fitting Procedure
When Should Contacts Not Be Worn
Advice for Contact Lens Wearers