History of Optometry
Discover the History of Optometry
Have you ever wondered about the history of optometry?
It is interesting to learn the history of optometry. The word optometry comes from two Greek words – opto which means sight, and metron which means measure. The history of optometry can be traced back to the early studies on optics and image formation by the eye.
The history of optometry includes notable names of scientists, such as Claudius Ptolemy, who measured angles of reflection and incidence from air to water in 150 AD. Included also in the history of optometry is Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), who was the first person to give an accurate description of how the retina forms images.
Even Sir Isaac Newton is included in the history of optometry, as he is the one who discovered how white light can be split into component colors and then recombined afterwards. Snell (1621), on the other hand, discovered the law of refraction, which is an important highlight in the history of optometry.
The history of optometry also includes Thomas Young (1773-1829), who was the first person to measure astigmatism. An English astronomer named George Biddell Airy is believed to be the first to design and actually wear a spherocylindrical lens to correct astigmatism in 1827.
A study on the history of optometry is not complete without the mention of the Benito Daza de Valdes, who published the first book on optometry in 1623, where he mentioned the use and fitting of eyeglasses.
In 1620, Peter Brown brought the first pair of eyeglasses to America from Europe, the only place where these were available at that time. Most influential in the history of optometry is John McAllister, who begun the US optical industry in 1783.
