cateye

Cateye is a term with several distinct meanings in different contexts, including road safety, fashion, consumer products, and gemology.

In road safety, cat’s eyes (also written as catseyes) are reflective markers embedded in road surfaces to improve nighttime visibility and lane guidance. They typically consist of glass or ceramic lenses set in asphalt and illuminate when struck by headlights. Invented in the United Kingdom in the 1930s by Percy Shaw, cat’s eyes have evolved with modern versions incorporating solar power or LEDs.

In fashion and eyewear, a cat-eye describes a style of glasses or sunglasses with upswept outer edges that flare away from the face, evoking the silhouette of a cat’s eye. The look originated in the mid-20th century and has experienced several revivals in design trends.

In consumer products, CatEye Co., Ltd. is a Japanese manufacturer known for bicycle accessories such as lights, reflectors, and cycle computers. The company, established in 1954, is a well-known supplier in cycling gear and is commonly referred to by the brand name CatEye.

In gemology, cat’s-eye refers to chrysoberyl exhibiting chatoyancy, a luminous band that appears to move across the surface when viewed from different angles. This optical effect is produced by parallel rutile silk within the gemstone and is a recognized phenomenon in certain cabochon-cut stones. The term can also be used more generally to describe similar eye-like effects in other stones.

The term may also appear in informal usage to describe the appearance or character of cat eyes in animals or stylized designs.