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It’s a new day and a new generation. We attempt to learn, accept and appreciate
a variety of challenging ideas and habits.
If we were to judge the advances in clothing styles, music, art, poetry, the
humanities and commerce, then we must conclude that the new generation is indeed
molding its influence on society. Not the least of the changes can be seen in
the advertisements we observe in our eyewear magazines. The ads scream for the
attention of our young people and whet their desire to be different as they defy
convention and do it their own way.
One new idea that caught my attention was a sunglass lens that changed color on
demand. The University of Washington has developed an electrochromatic material
that enables, on demand, color or tint changes. This magical material will alter
its transparency dependent on the electric current that flows through it.
This can give athletes and motorists an easy way to adjust the tint instantly in
reaction to the changing circumstances in their environment. The device is
powered by a watch battery. The wearer alters the shade by spinning a small dial
on the temple of the spectacles. The prototypes are gaudy and
cumbersome. The developers of this new sunglass have explained that it will be a few years
before the glasses see commercialization.
Frame designs are now unique, colorful and desirable to those with youthful
notions. Even body art has become an accepted manner of self expression.
Tattooing, with its strange cousin, body piercing, is now a fairly common sight
to behold. At one time, this phenomenon was relegated to servicemen, stevedores,
long haul truckers, boxers, wrestlers, gang members and cult followers. Today,
men and women of every socio-economic level are providing tattoo artists with a
smashing good living. New emporiums are opening daily in localities across the
length and breadth of the U.S.A.
My knowledgeable and informed dear friend, Natty Bumpo, O.D., of Finster, N.J.
recently explained to me that he has discovered the ultimate application of
eyeglasses that has no precedent. His facts demand that I report this new,
rather bizarre, innovation to the eye care community. Natty said, “One day,
while I was noodling about on my computer, I came upon a site that described a
method of creating eyewear that solved the problem of those doggone worrisome
temples that are always too tight or too loose. Piercings or implants at the
bridge of the nose allowed metal connectors to be anchored successfully to a
rimless design and secure the lenses in place.”
I asked Natty how the concept got started and he replied, “I have to believe
that the inventor couldn’t wear contact lenses successfully nor did he opt for
refractive surgery and this was his creative answer,” he said. “Temple
adjustments would become a thing of the past.”
I wondered how this innovation would be manufactured for practical usage as eye
wear and queried Natty about this. He answered, “From the comments of the
originators I have deduced that the fittings were made of aluminum and attached
to a metal bar at the pierced site,” said Natty. “They used a metal lathe and
drilling apparatus to obtain an initial result that was then filed and polished
to fit. An early experimental subject reported that the conventional nose pads
that were attached helped to maintain firmness and stability. In this manner,
the pads accept any pressure due to the weight of the glasses. The subject
reported that he could wear the glasses while sleeping. If he rolled onto one
side he avoided damage or misalignment since temples were not present and the
mechanism was attached to a permanent anchor on the bridge of the nose. Another
positive aspect regards the fact that the subtle appearance of the glasses is a
great cosmetic advantage.”
I questioned Natty as to the long term possibilities of this strange variation.
“In the information I received it was mentioned that one of the members of the
experimental team had worn the pierced eye glasses for four days and some
discomfort had set in,” he said. “After a simple polishing procedure he wore the
glasses successfully over a two week period, including sleeping and showering
tasks without complications.”
I made known to Natty that I had some misgivings concerning possible maintenance
and repair liabilities. My good friend then opined, “I understand that removing
the glasses from the face required about ten minutes and a good deal of patience
and skill. A very small screwdriver is required to unscrew the glasses while
they are still in place on the nose,” he stated. “I suppose the same amount of
time could be taken in the care of contact lenses and their insertion and
removal.”
We did not discuss that scenario that would result from the free edges of the
lenses catching onto a strongly resistant object. One needn’t be a rocket
scientist to conclude that, in such an instance, great pain and unpleasantness
would be sustained. My old friend, Natty, further learned that the inventors
were investigating changes in design to better the fit. They desire a better
position of the lenses in relation to the face. However they are quite satisfied
with the concept of piercing and spectacles as a viable new thought in the
optical field. It is apparent to me that in order to market this item, the
information that we gleaned here indicates a long road before a practical goal
is reached. Of course, I could be wrong.
This may very well be an instance where we are witnessing an encounter with a
new frontier. Some successful, well known, manufacturer with a vision of the
future could very well utilize the concept of pierced eye glasses. Who knows?
Perhaps, one fine day, this kind of unusual eye wear will become commonplace. I
don’t know about you, but I hope I live long enough to see that day arrive.
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