The Optometry Legend

The Optometry Legend is a story I’ve been told my entire life. It’s also the reason I went into optometry. Long ago, in Ancient Greece, there was a man named Archimedes. His claim to fame was that he invented the lever and discovered buoyancy (Archimedes’ Principle). He also created one of the most important and influential theories of all time: The Principle of the Lever. The Principle of the Lever states that if you place a rigid object on an incline at its center of mass, it will balance with no effort on your part as long as you hold up one end or pivot point. This discovery led to devices such as fulcrums and levers which we use today for applications such as opening jars and constructing buildings.

This is where things get interesting – according to legend – Archimedes had an eye problem that caused him great irritation and pain (I’m not sure exactly what his problem was – maybe cataracts). One day while applying himself diligently to his work, he shouted “Eureka!” (in Ancient Greek) which translates roughly into “I found it!” He jumped from his bathtub naked shouting “I can see! I can see!” To this day people believe that Archimedes may have developed contact lenses using this principle (see picture below) by balancing them on top of sticks until they were dry enough for him to wear them comfortably. The teacher wore eyewear with a design that matched the principle of the lever. This is why we wear glasses today.

The Optometry Legend – Facts Vs Fiction

Did Archimedes really invent contact lenses? We may never know for sure, but there are a few things we can deduce from this story: The first is that Archimedes had a problem with his vision, and sought to improve it with the use of an optical device. The second is that he was smart enough to make a discovery which would benefit mankind for all eternity – using only sticks and his own intellect. The third is that he found inspiration in nature – observing how objects balance on inclines led him to create what became known as “The Principle of the Lever”. Finally, he was so proud of his discovery that he ran naked through town shouting “I’ve found it! I’ve found it!”. From these facts one can draw some conclusions about optometry.

The first conclusion is that Archimedes lived in a time when eye disease was rampant. The second is that he wanted to do something about it, but he didn’t have access to modern technology. Finally, his discovery led to the creation of an optical device which enabled him and others like him (and us today) to improve their vision and better enjoy life. If I had been alive back then, I would have wanted these glasses too! That’s why optometry has always fascinated me; we get to play a role in improving people’s lives through the use of advanced technology such as contact lenses and laser vision correction (which wasn’t invented until recently).

What Does Optometry Have To Do With Me?

Optometrists are awesome because we get to help people see better every day! It’s fun because we don’t limit ourselves with pharmaceuticals or surgery – we’re limited only by our imagination! For example: Did you know that you can prescribe corrective contact lenses for patients who suffer from migraines? Because light sensitivity can be caused by many factors, including some prescription medications or some types of cataracts for example; we optometrists need all sorts of tools at our disposal so that we can treat each patient as if they were our only one. This means finding the best possible solution for each person based on their specific needs and situation – whether it be eyeglasses, contacts or Lasik surgery.

I’m thankful to Archimedes for his insight into the world of physics and I’m thankful to my parents for sharing that with me when I was younger. This is why I love optometry, and why I will always love it.

Thanks for reading!