Poor Vision During Ancient Times_ What Did People Do

Bright Side

Before the invention of glasses, people with poor vision had limited options for vision correction. Some of them might have relied on alternative methods, such as holding objects at a distance or using magnifying glasses for reading. Others may have sought assistance from friends or family members to navigate their surroundings. In certain cultures, there were mentions of using natural objects like water-filled globes as crude magnifiers. Life for those with poor vision was challenging, and the invention of glasses provided a transformative solution.   #brightside   Animation is created by Bright Side.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Listen to Bright Side on:  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD... Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/brightside/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brightside.... Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.of... Snapchat - https://www.snapchat.com/p/c6a1e38a-b...  Stock materials (photos, footages and other):  https://www.depositphotos.com  https://www.shutterstock.com  https://www.eastnews.ru  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me

Transcript

00:00 Let's take a walk down memory lane, back to the earliest days of human history when

00:04 our ancestors walked the earth as nomadic tribes.

00:09 Consider for a moment what life must have been like for those with impaired vision.

00:13 For those lucky enough to have only minor sight issues, they could probably navigate

00:18 their way around without too much difficulty.

00:21 But for those with severe vision problems, the challenges were formidable.

00:25 Their productivity and usefulness to their tribe could be greatly compromised, potentially

00:30 leading to their abandonment.

00:33 As we settled down and formed communities, the way we treated each other began to shift,

00:38 and we started to look at those with severe sight issues with a bit more kindness and

00:43 empathy.

00:44 However, without the scientific knowledge that we have today, there was limited capacity

00:49 to provide support.

00:54 Before glasses were available, those with minor vision problems like nearsightedness

00:58 were probably not that affected.

01:01 While their vision impairments might have made certain tasks like hunting or spotting

01:06 threats more difficult, these individuals could still contribute to the survival of

01:10 their tribe and therefore were generally accepted by their peers.

01:16 Over time, as vision progressively worsened, many people learned to adapt.

01:21 The gradual decline in their eyesight over several years may not have even been noticeable

01:26 to them, so they developed coping mechanisms like relying more heavily on their other senses.

01:33 It's also worth noting that precise vision wasn't as essential then as it is now.

01:38 For a huge chunk of our history, literacy rates were low, often around 20% or less,

01:45 and formal education was not essential for most jobs.

01:49 As such, vision problems did not necessarily affect an individual's ability to work or

01:54 learn.

01:57 Most people were not expected to perform tasks that required exceptional eyesight.

02:02 So, they could get by as long as they could carry out their tasks, which would often be

02:07 in the form of physical work.

02:10 It may seem harsh by today's standards, but if your sight was good enough to work on,

02:15 say, a field, you could at least secure food and income.

02:21 Fast forward to the 13th century, when the first glimmers of what we would recognize

02:25 today as eyeglasses began to appear.

02:28 These early versions of spectacles were fundamentally just magnifying glasses, only serving to help

02:34 with reading tasks.

02:37 As the centuries rolled by, glasses grew more complex and began to resemble what we recognize

02:42 today around the 17th and 18th centuries.

02:47 Now let's look at the interesting history of eyeglasses for a bit.

02:52 Their journey to completion took several centuries, dotted with countless visionaries and their

02:56 inventive ideas.

02:58 However, the mystery behind who invented wearable glasses remains unsolved.

03:04 We do know that our ancient friends, the Romans, were the first ones to unravel the magic of

03:09 glass and its power to magnify tiny text, giving birth to many magnifying glasses.

03:17 Fast forward to Italy in the 13th century, where we meet the earliest wearable glasses

03:23 in recorded history.

03:25 These had rudimentary lenses crafted by skilled glassblowers, which were popped into frames

03:30 made of wood, leather, or sometimes even animal horn, and held up to the face or balanced

03:35 on the nose.

03:37 As the tech improved during the Renaissance, these contraptions became more common.

03:44 How do we know these glasses existed, you ask?

03:47 Well, thanks to art.

03:49 Paintings from the early Renaissance period often portray scholars with handheld frames

03:54 or eyeglasses perched on their noses.

03:57 Based on rudimentary vision tests, the Italian glassblowers fashioned lenses of varying thicknesses.

04:04 As their popularity soared, these eyeglasses began their journey from Italy to the rest

04:09 of Europe, becoming a luxury accessory available to those who could afford them.

04:14 Given the importance placed on knowledge during the Renaissance, glasses became badges of

04:19 intellectual prowess and wealth.

04:23 For a while, it looked like eyeglass technology had hit a plateau.

04:27 The next significant leap forward didn't happen until the 1700s, when eyeglasses became

04:33 hands-free with the introduction of temples that extended over the ears.

04:37 One of the most notable examples of these modern glasses is the "Martin's Margins,"

04:43 designed by inventor Benjamin Martin.

04:45 Today, these glasses are highly sought after by collectors, but they were the trailblazers

04:51 in the quest for more accurate and thinner lenses held together by robust frames.

04:57 Since glasses graduated to being "over the ear," their evolution seemed to pick up the

05:02 pace.

05:04 Even Benjamin Franklin contributed to this rapid development by inventing the bifocal

05:08 lens, a nifty solution for those juggling near and far-sighted vision issues.

05:14 He ingeniously sliced two lenses and merged them into one frame.

05:20 Around the same time, scissor spectacles gained popularity.

05:24 These were essentially pocket-friendly glasses, foldable like a pair of scissors, and perfect

05:29 for those moments when you needed a quick peek at something important.

05:33 Some gentlemen weren't thrilled about wearing glasses all the time, so these compact glasses

05:38 were the perfect solution.

05:41 As the 19th century arrived, eyeglasses were still handmade and not accessible to everyone.

05:47 But thanks to the upcoming industrial revolution, mass production of both frames and lenses

05:52 were on the horizon, making it easier for hard-working folks to correct their vision.

05:58 The early 1800s also witnessed the introduction of unique cylindrical lenses designed to correct

06:04 astigmatism.

06:07 In the 20th century, eyeglasses began to morph from a vision necessity to a fashion accessory.

06:13 An array of frames with different shapes, materials, and colors started flooding the

06:17 market, allowing wearers to select glasses that complemented their face shape, eye color,

06:23 or even their outfit.

06:25 Take Theodore Roosevelt, for instance.

06:27 He rocked glasses with no earpieces that stayed put with a nose clip.

06:31 Although these fell out of style as they became associated with the older generation, they

06:36 were quite the rage back in the day.

06:39 The real game-changer was the advent of sturdy plastics.

06:43 Wearers no longer had to rely on wood, metal, or horn.

06:48 Plastic could be molded into an assortment of shapes and sizes.

06:52 The 20th century was also when we witnessed the rise of sunglasses.

06:58 While the idea was born in Asia during the 12th century, they were originally intended

07:02 to mask the expressions of judges in court, not to improve vision or shield from the sun.

07:10 Some manufacturers played around with colored lenses, but not for protective reasons.

07:15 Soon enough, though, tinted sunglasses became popular for light sensitivity due to certain

07:20 medical conditions.

07:22 This trend caught on quickly, and by the end of the 1920s, sunglasses were being mass-produced

07:27 not just for sun protection, but also to reduce glare.

07:32 The 80s brought us plastic lenses, which were less prone to breaking and could be made lighter

07:37 and thinner than their glass counterparts.

07:40 The innovation didn't stop there.

07:42 Today, we have glasses with protective coatings that reduce glare and block harmful UV light.

07:49 Fascinating as this may have been, another interesting discovery has to do with the percentage

07:55 of people affected by vision issues.

07:58 Some studies suggest that short-sightedness or myopia wasn't as widespread in the past

08:03 as it is today.

08:05 Truth is, we've seen a skyrocketing number of folks diagnosed with this condition.

08:10 Projections even suggest that by 2050, every second person on the planet might be myopic.

08:17 One particular study brought to light that myopia now impacts more than double the number

08:22 of kids in the UK compared to the 60s.

08:25 Also, in some parts of Asia, the situation is even more pronounced.

08:30 While doctors and researchers worldwide are trying to figure out the root cause of this

08:34 problem, some label it as nothing short of an epidemic.

08:38 The theories are many, with some pointing the finger at genetics or the surge in time

08:43 spent glued to screens and buried in books.

08:47 But then there are other scientists who've noticed a link between children who play less

08:51 outside and the likelihood of developing myopia.

08:55 Regardless of what's fueling this situation, it's fair to say that myopia probably didn't

09:00 impact as many folks in the days of old as it does today.

09:04 The relatively recent invention of glasses for nearsightedness suggests that it wasn't

09:09 such a pressing issue in the past.

09:12 Maybe people found ways to adjust their lifestyles to manage their shortsightedness better?

09:17 Or perhaps there was a greater emphasis on matching jobs to people's visual abilities

09:22 instead of hunting for tech solutions to level the playing field?

09:27 That's it for today.

09:29 So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your

09:34 friends!

09:35 Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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