Eye care began many years ago when the first pair of spectacles was invented between 1280 and 1300. These first spectacles corrected farsightedness, so were only used for reading. It was earlier believed that Benjamin Franklin created the first pair of spectacles. This, however, was later found to be untrue as he invented the first pair of bifocals, which he called his “double glasses”, in 1783. Studies show that 75% of American adults wear prescription spectacles or contact lenses.

Lasik eye care was first approved in the late 1990s and has dramatically changed the way we see eye care. For some people it is considered a luxury as most lasik eye care procedures cost around $5000. Some medical centres offer an affordable payment plan, so Lasik eye care is within most peoples’ reach.

Sir Isaac Newton advanced eye care by studying lenses and discovering that when a prism was given light, that an array of colours was produced. He was famous for poking an ice-pick into his own eye, as far back as possible, and by doing so discovered that he saw different colours of spots in dark and light rooms. He saw the same images when he looked at the sun and then at a piece of white paper. This did much to augment how we understand the retina, proving that our perception of colour was caused by pressure on the eye.

Lasik eye care can cure far-sightedness (hyperopia), near-sightedness (myopia) and astigmatism, although age-related far-sightedness (presbyopia), cannot be treated with laser. Normal far-sightedness is due to the flatness of the cornea, whereas with presbyopia the cornea muscle can be weakened. For those who are getting on in years can actually do eyeball exercises, by focusing on a close fixed point and then switching rapidly to another. Eyeball strength can also be alternated by wearing an eye-patch for several weeks to exercise the eyes.

Lasik eye care procedures might not be able to treat presbyopia, but it can offer a solution for age-related muscular degeneration. New techniques that use short, intense pulsed light actually clean the surface of the eye. The option of this eye care procedure can, and does in many cases, mean the difference between legal blindness and an elderly life with very bad eyesight, or alternatively, independence.

As with any medical procedure, if you have problems with your eyesight, consult a professional who will be able to advise you as to what your problem is and what can be done to rectify it.