The design of contact lenses is attributed to multiple individuals, with several notable contributors in the late 19th century.
Early Development of Contact Lenses
The creation of contact lenses is not attributed to a single person, but rather evolved through the contributions of several individuals:
- F.A. Muller: Some reports suggest that German glassblower F.A. Muller used ideas from Herschel to create the first known glass contact lens in 1887.
- Adolf E. Fick and Edouard Kalt: According to other reports, Swiss physician Adolf E. Fick and Paris optician Edouard Kalt created and fitted the first glass contact lenses to correct vision problems in 1888.
Therefore, it is more accurate to credit the concept and early designs of contact lenses to multiple people, including F.A. Muller, Adolf E. Fick, and Edouard Kalt, rather than a singular inventor.
| Inventor(s) | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|
| F.A. Muller | German glassblower | 1887 |
| Adolf E. Fick & Edouard Kalt | Swiss physician and Paris optician | 1888 |
The early lenses were made from glass and were not very comfortable, but they paved the way for the modern contact lenses we use today.
