Reenactors are a large group of aficionados who dress up in costumes to replay the times and events in history that have captured the minds of modern history buffs. They will replay scenes from the French Revolution, Washington crossing the Delaware, the Charge at Bunker Hill and the Battle of Gettysburg.

The need for exact replication of clothing from hats to shoes is an absolute necessity to maintain the reputation of the reenactors and their work. If you visit colonial Williamsburg, Virginia and purchase a drink, don't ask for a straw. They haven't been invented yet.

My friend, Dr. Natty Bumpo of Finster, NJ is a reenactor and cherishes the experience it affords him. He wrote to me about a recent backpacking trip to NY where the lives of Native Americans and the frontier was acted out. Bona fide teepees and tents were constructed for living quarters. There was a blacksmith shop, as in days of yore, and the trappers wore buckskin. However, he was shocked to discover that some of their camping companions defied the tradition of attention to the accurate reconstruction of all artifacts. Amidst all the colorful reproductions, there were followers who sported modern eyewear.

Natty writes, "I couldn't understand why the reenactors were so exact to replicate the existence of those frontier people and then ruin the whole effect by wearing modern glasses. They might as well have used an electric light bulb or a cell phone in their teepees," he said. "They spent a good deal of money and time producing authentic outfits and artifacts. They did a great disservice to themselves and the others who manage to use eyewear suitable to the times and event."

Some excuses for not complying with the need for authenticity were, "I don't know where to find eyewear from this period," or "The period frames are too uncomfortable," or "Period frames are too expensive," and the final killer, "Who will know the difference?"

In response to Natty's letter we decided to address these comments from the eyewear dissidents. They ought to know that the development of our eyewear spans the 18th and 19th centuries, the most interesting periods of our modern history and the years that the majority of reenactments occurred. Some ideas for our reenactors about early eyewear descriptions range from lorgnette hand held types or glasses with a cord looped behind the ears, sometimes with a weight added to keep it in place.

Frames were made of leather, gutta percha, horn, gold, silver, brass and steel. Later inventions used rigid hinged temples with round lenses. In the 19th century, oval, square and octagonal shapes became popular. Tinted lenses made their appearance at about the same time. Modern nose pads came into use at the end of the 19th century. Natty has been frequenting antique stores, flea markets, garage sales and swap meets to match the costume he wore. Natty claims that he has purchased a period frame for $10.00 and two others at $50.00 each. An optician was able to make his lenses to prescription and fitted them to the period frames he has acquired.

There are sources that reproduce period frames in almost any price range. Such a company is James Townsend and Sons of Pierceton, Indiana. For the ultimate reenactor, Dr. Ron McDaniel of Rendezvous Eyewear makes handmade Sterling silver frames. These are, of course, more expensive and require an extended delivery date. Ron is located in Shelbyville, Illinois. Natty advises me that the addresses were listed in 1999 and may no longer be in existence. Reenactors are encouraged to follow up through information gleaned from their comrades or via the internet.

Reenactors can overcome the discomfort factor by adding velvet or leather to act as cushioning for the tough places. Many events require the use of muzzle loaded firearms, pistols, smoothbores or shotguns. These activities can be performed in total comfort. A librarian who is also a reenactor told me that he finds his spectacles of special value since they protect his eyes from powder flash when using his firearm. He explained that there are special safeguard coatings that can be applied to the frames and lenses to protect the eyewear from damage. It was hard to imagine that this soft spoken, slightly built man would engage in firing rifles, foraging for food during the day, and keeping the campfire lit at night.

Of course, fanaticism can take matters too far. I am reminded of a news item telling how, during a reenactment commemorating Imam Hussein's slaying in Basra, Iraq in 680, the crowd turned on the actor performing the part of his killer and beat the man so badly that he returned with an AK-47 rifle to exact revenge. Before he was subdued he killed one onlooker.