2. Eyeglasses
Eyeglasses emerged in late 13th-century Italy, forever changing how people addressed vision problems. Unlike the rudimentary magnifying stones used in antiquity, these early spectacles consisted of convex lenses mounted in frames. Artisans in cities like Venice and Florence crafted them for monks and scholars, enabling longer hours of study and work. Their usefulness quickly became apparent, and eyeglasses spread rapidly throughout Europe, setting the stage for future advances in optics and personal health.
