While contact lenses are not a new invention, these optical devices have experienced a marked increase in popularity in recent years. Much of this increased interest and prevalence has to do with the fact that advancements in the eye care industry have resulted in contacts which are easier and more comfortable to wear than they were in the past. Now that the downsides of wearing contacts have been virtually eliminated by advancements in the industry, the benefits of choosing contact lenses over eyeglasses are numerous, and more and more people are beginning to recognize these benefits. In fact, over 35 million people in the United States alone have now traded their glasses for contact lenses.

Contact lenses are medical devices which consist of a thin lens worn over the cornea of the eye, typically to correct vision defects such as farsightedness, nearsightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism. However, contacts can also be cosmetic or therapeutic, designed either to change the color or appearance of the eyes or to treat optical medical problems. Whether these lenses are corrective, cosmetic or therapeutic, they are still medical devices which require a prescription from a licensed eye care professional. Proper fitting of these lenses is essential to ensuring good results as well as the safety and comfort of the wearer.

As mentioned previously, contacts are not a recent invention. The earliest record of a design for a corneal device dates back to the early sixteenth century when Leonardo da Vinci depicted such ideas in sketches and written descriptions. Although da Vinci did not suggest that his ideas were meant to provide vision correction, he did introduce the basic principles behind future contact lenses. While it took centuries for the first contacts to actually be manufactured and worn, the first of such lenses were put into use in the late nineteenth century. These early contact lenses were made from heavy glass and could only be worn for short periods of time. However, by the mid-twentieth century, fully plastic contacts had made their debut in the optical industry. Over the years, these early designs have evolved into today's modern soft contact lenses, which are the most prevalent type of contacts worn by people around the world.

Considering the many benefits that modern contacts have to offer, it's really not surprising that they are becoming increasingly popular among people who require vision correction. To begin with, many people who try wearing contacts find that they are far more comfortable than eyeglasses. With contact lenses, there are no cumbersome frames. Thus, there's nothing to pinch or slip down your nose or to press uncomfortably against your ears. While contact lenses may cause a small amount of discomfort when worn for the first few times, this can typically be overcome quite quickly and, ultimately, contacts prove to be far more comfortable than spectacles for the vast majority of people requiring vision correction.

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