Inventor Creates Instantly Adjustable Eyeglasses
British Inventor Josh Silver has developer a pair of eyeglasses that are instantly adjustable. They’ve got a liquid-filled sac in the middle—add more fluid to make the glasses stronger, deflate to weaken them.
The no-optician-required glasses rely on the principle that the fatter a lens is, the more powerful it comes, so by pumping in or sucking out fluid, the glasses can be instantly tailored to the right strength. They’re so simple to adjust that practically anyone can do it. So far the only complaint with the glasses is that they’re kind of ginormous—which kind of goes with having specs that operate on the coke-bottle glasses principle and have a fluid-filled membrane sitting in the middle of the lens.
It was a chance conversation on March 23, 1985 that first started Silver on his quest to make the world’s poor see. A professor of physics at Oxford University, Silver was idly discussing optical lenses with a colleague, wondering whether they might be adjusted without the need for expensive specialist equipment, when the lightbulb of inspiration first flickered above his head.
What if it were possible, he thought, to make a pair of glasses which, instead of requiring an optician, could be “tuned” by the wearer to correct his or her own vision? Might it be possible to bring affordable spectacles to millions who would never otherwise have them?
More than two decades after posing that question, Silver now feels he has the answer. The British inventor has embarked on a quest that is breathtakingly ambitious, but which he insists is achievable – to offer glasses to a billion of the world’s poorest people by 2020.
Photo by Michael Lewis.
Jaclyn on December 30th, 2008 3:12 pm
That is actually a pretty cool idea. glasses that you can alter yourself without having to spend hundreds at the eye doctor…especially for those who don’t have eye coverage…it can get very expensive.
cassy on January 2nd, 2009 2:19 am
Josh Silver has made his new invention eyeglasses that can be adjust into any grading according to what peoples grade for their eye, this is a great idea for those people who have problem with their reading glasses. they dont need to buy 2 or more eye glasses coz Mr,Josh has his adjustable glasses now! i hope i can have one of this adjustable eye glasses good invention and good luck Mr. Josh Silver! this will be a good product to sell in the market.
Ethan on January 2nd, 2009 9:31 pm
OK How do we find out how to invest in this product?
Zazu on February 15th, 2009 12:10 pm
How/where do I get a pair? readarticle in popsci, march ‘09 issue. article states that they can be purchased at $ 20.00 a pair. I would like topurchase at least one pair maybe more.
Thank you.
william neva on July 9th, 2009 4:42 am
since the “adjustable silicone” eyeglasses are non-prescription, how does one get a pair for a 45 year old “no income” lady with compromised vision.. regular prescription glasses never have worked for this lady & these “adjustables” sound like they are worth a try . anyone with a pair for sale that cannot use them please email me at the above address. thank you. w.n.
Greg Wiens on August 7th, 2009 8:26 pm
I want to know where to buy hundreds of these glasses. I am a Mennonite pastor in Canada and our congregation gives out about $100,000 a year to helping the poor. If I knew where to buy crates of these at $20 a pair I would most likely buy $10,000 worth if I could. (We are not a big church, only about 275, but we love to give and help the poor help themselves). Please post where we can buy these things.
Jim Styck on September 17th, 2009 6:23 pm
Yes we need a way to buy these glasses even in the USA.
PLEASE
54 year old male…
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