Contact lenses were first conceptualized by Leonardo da Vinci in 1508, when he sketched ideas about modifying vision by placing the cornea in contact with water or a water-filled glass dome over the eye. However, these ideas were not practical inventions for vision correction at that time. The first actual fitting of contact lenses was recorded much later, in 1887, when glass contact lenses covering the entire eye were made, initially for eye protection and later for vision correction. German ophthalmologist Adolf Eugen Fick is credited with fitting the first usable glass contact lenses in 1888. These early lenses covered the whole eye (scleral lenses) and were quite heavy. Significant advancements followed over time:
- In 1936, plastic-glass combination scleral lenses were introduced to improve comfort.
- In 1948, the first modern hard plastic corneal lenses resembling today's contact lenses were made.
- Disposable soft contact lenses were introduced in 1972.
So, while the concept dates back over 500 years to da Vinci’s sketches, practical contact lenses were invented and fitted in the late 19th century, around 1887-1888, with continuous evolution since then.
