The eye is the primary means—though not the only means because humans also hear, smell, taste, feel, and perhaps sense a hidden sixth dimension—with which we interpret our surroundings. Often, however, the eye does not work as it should. Eyeglasses are the answer. The first true eyeglasses were made in Italy in about 1286 and have been constantly refined and improved since then. It is commonly accepted that the American printer, inventor, statesman, and man-about-town Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia invented bifocals—a life-saver for older eyeglass wearers—and several paintings of him portray him wearing glasses. Although the basic eyeglass design has changed little since Benjamin Franklin's time, the materials and processes used to fashion today's eyeglasses have improved dramatically. Not only do modern eyeglasses improve the wearer's vision, they also protect the wearer's eyes from sun damage. Eyeglass frames and lens colors are considered by many to be fashion statements of the utmost importance. Elton John is an excellent example of this belief. The eyeglass frames highlighted in this book are only a very small sampling of the entire universe of designs available today to the eyeglass wearer.
