Today there are many people around the world with some sort of eye deficiency, so it’s a good job we have eyeglasses to help correct vision. This wasn’t the case in the late 13th century, as prior to the invention of the spectacles in Italy the optical powers of lenses were poorly understood. Even after they were developed, only the richest visually impaired would have been able to afford a pair of spectacles to help them see.
Salvino D’Armate invented the concept of spectacles. He shared the invention of his new device with Allesandro Della Spina, an Italian monk, who made it public and is often credited with inventing eyeglasses.
