5 Quack Eye Medical Devices

Eyeglasses Frame

Today, choosing eyeglasses frames is more for the fashion statement. It depends on your sense of style or the shape of your face. Do you want a nerdy look? Go for thick-rimmed frames. Do you want to pull off an authoritative aura in class? Pick rimless specs with dark colored frames. A round face shape goes well with rectangular frame styles. For some, finding matching frames for your glasses is a cumbersome task. But did you know, back in the olden days, people with poor eyesight were willing to throw away their glasses because of the belief that it can be cured by so-called special eye exercises or tools?

No history records were written that identifies who invented eyeglasses but it is considered as one of the ’50 Greatest Breakthroughs’ based on the survey conducted by The Atlantic. It snagged the fifth spot. We found where it originated though. According to Museum of Vision, it was believed that, between 1268 and 1289, specs existed in Italy. Too bad, we can’t formally thank the inventor who helped millions of people suffering from poor vision. On the other hand, we don’t know if we’re going to scratch our heads or say ‘meh’ to the inventions of eye-quack specialists below:

Ideal Sight Restorer

Source: wellcomeimages.org

This weird device was invented by Charles Tyrrell in 1900’s and categorized as an eye massager that can “cure” cataracts. It works by placing the cups over close eyelids and squeezing the rubber circle which creates a suction motion.

Natural Eye Normalizer

Source: flickr/Ryan Somma

This was manufactured by Natural Eyesight Institute in 1930’s. It is similar to Ideal Sight Restorer but has a little knob on the side to massage the eyes. The inventors claim it can eliminate all kinds of vision problems which is a false assumption. Unfortunately, Ideal Sight Restorer and Natural Eye Normalizer were not the only devices with such fraudulent claims. But do remember: quack devices like these existed when knowledge about eye diseases are at its infancy.

Sun Gazing

Doctor’s orders: don’t look directly at the sun. But William Bates, an ophthalmologist, says the otherwise. As stated in Listverse, “he recommended regular sun gazing, and specified some eye exercises that you could do while you were staring at the sun. He suggested circling the sun with your eyes, then moving them in a figure eight pattern in order to strengthen your eye muscles and your vision.” Never dare unless you want UV (Ultraviolet) light to fry your eyes.

The Madison Absorption Method

Source: periodpaper.com

Eye treatment at home without going under the knife is the promise of this ad. It doesn’t indicate how it is done but it claims that it can get rid of cataracts, cross eyes, spots and optic nerve disease. The ad was published on 1903.

Actina Battery

Source: kansascitystories.com

This was invented by the ‘King of Quacks’ of Kansas City, William Wilson, in 1886. It is an electric pocket battery device made of metal. However, it has no electrical properties but its ‘concoction’ is “saturated with oils of mustard and sassafras, belladonna extract, ether, and amyl nitrate. It can “treat” blindness, deafness, catarrh, myopia, asthma, sore throat and even bronchitis, Kansas City Stories says.

The Museum of Vision says “the invention of the printing press in 1452, the growing rate of literacy and the availability of books, encouraged new designs and the eventual mass production of inexpensive eyeglasses.” However, several quack eye doctors took advantage of this fact and lured the ignorant public of instant cure to eye-related problems. In United States, the invention of quack devices for eyes was stopped because of the creation of a regulatory body such as Food and Drug Administration.

Rich Coffman is a blogger on the front range of Colorado, he writes for Small Planet E Vehicles which specializes in and offers electric bikes for sale.