eyewear

Eyewear is a category of devices worn on the face to aid vision, protect the eyes, or express personal style. The core items are eyeglasses (spectacles) and sunglasses, with additional forms including safety glasses, sports eyewear, reading glasses, and fashion eyewear that may combine vision correction with aesthetic design. Eyewear can be prescription or non-prescription, and some styles combine sunglasses with cosmetic lenses.

Vision correction relies on lenses set into frames to converge or diverge light entering the eye. Prescription lenses may be single-vision, bifocal, or progressive. Non-prescription sunglasses or blue-light filtering lenses are used for glare reduction or eye comfort. Lenses may have coatings such as anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, UV protection, polarization, or mirror finishes, and come in various tints and materials.

Frames provide the structure and can be made from plastic (such as acetate), nylon, or metal alloys including titanium. Lenses are commonly plastics (polycarbonate, CR-39) or, less commonly, glass. Lens thickness and weight depend on prescription strength and frame style, and newer high-index materials reduce thickness.

Historically, spectacles emerged in Italy in the 13th century and spread widely in Europe, transforming reading and the delivery of vision. In contemporary markets, eyewear ranges from lightweight, rimless designs to fashion-forward frames, with advanced optics like progressive lenses and lightweight coatings. Standards for safety eyewear exist worldwide to protect eyes in industrial and sports settings.