Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are tiny, thin lenses. They rest right on the surface of your eye. Like glasses, they help people see clearly. But you cannot see them when someone is wearing them. Many people like contacts because they do not slide off during sports.

The First Contacts

Leonardo da Vinci had the idea for contact lenses way back in 1508. But the first real contacts were not made until 1887. Early ones were made of glass and covered the whole eye. They were hard to wear for long. Soft plastic contacts were invented in the 1960s and were much better.

Wearing Contacts

Contact lenses must be kept very clean. People wash their hands before touching them. Some contacts are thrown away every day. Others can be used for weeks if cleaned well. A special doctor called an eye doctor fits them to your eye.

Fun Facts

• Soft contact lenses were invented by a Czech scientist named Otto Wichterle.
• Some contacts can change the color of your eyes.
• About 150 million people around the world wear contact lenses.

Did You Know?

Some special contact lenses are worn only at night. They gently reshape the eye so you can see well all day.