Liquid lenses for low-cost eyeglasses

Joshua Silver – a retired Oxford professor – has developed a kind of eyeglasses that can be easily ‘tuned’ for a particular individual in the field. This is possible because the glasses contain sacs of liquid silicone and have syringes attached, allowing fluid to be added or removed. Changing the quantity of fluid effectively adjusts the kind of correction provided by the lenses, allowing them to address any degree or short- or long-sightedness.

10,000 pairs have already been distributed in Ghana, and there are plans to distribute 1,000,000 in India in 2009. Silver ultimately aims to produce enough glasses for 100 million people a year.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan