In this interview, I spoke with Dr. Neil Handley, the curator of the British Optical Association Museum, about the development of spectacles from the Middle Ages to the modern era. He explained that spectacles were probably not invented by one person at one exact moment, but instead slowly developed in northern Italy during the late 13th century. We discussed how historians use sermons, legal records, paintings, and archaeological discoveries to trace their early history, although each type of evidence has its own limitations. Dr. Handley also described how early rivet spectacles were made from materials such as wood or bone and had to be held in front of the eyes, which meant that they were mainly used for short periods by monks, scribes, and other readers. By the 15th century, glasses could also correct nearsightedness, while the spread of printing helped increase the demand for them. Later developments, such as arms that held spectacles securely on the face, allowed people to wear them throughout the day and turned glasses into part of a person’s appearance and identity. Overall, the interview showed how spectacles changed gradually over centuries and how their development depended on other changes in trade, printing, manufacturing, fashion, and scientific testing.
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