Advertisement

PentaVision

Contact Lens Spectrum

Article

HISTORY OF CONTACT LENSES

THE FIRST SOFT CONTACT LENSES IN THE UNITED STATES

By: PATRICK J. CAROLINE, FAAO, CRAIG W. NORMAN, FCLSA
Contact Lens Spectrum October 1, 2021 Vol 36, Issue October 2021 Page(s): 52

The story of how soft contact lenses were introduced into the United States is a complex narrative that involves the simultaneous merging of five parties in 1963 and 1964. At center stage were the Czechoslovakian government along with Otto Wichterle, the Czech polymer chemist who developed the first hydrogel (hydroxyethyl methacrylate or HEMA) plastic, and the four “suitors” from the United States interested in the soft lens technology. They were:

  • Dr. Raymond Ewell, a professor at the University of Buffalo, and Dr. Alan Isen, a Buffalo, NY, optometrist and contact lens entrepreneur.
  • National Patent Development Corporation, a New York City law firm where attorneys Jerome Feldman and Martin Pollack acted as a brokerage firm for international patents and technologies.
  • Dr. Robert Morrison, a Harrisburg, PA, optometrist and contact lens entrepreneur.
  • Bausch & Lomb, who in the 1960s primarily specialized in spectacles, microscopes, telescopes, binoculars, and ophthalmic instruments.

A Letter Tells the Story

Dr. Isen’s connection to the Czech soft lens technology began in the early 1960s, when he was providing contact lens fitting services to then Vice President Lyndon Johnson. Dr. Isen used his Washington, D.C., connections to help Dr. Ewell obtain a U.S. travel visa for a Czechoslovakian scientist who wanted to attend a meeting in the United States.

Dr. Ewell traveled to Prague in 1963, where he was given samples of soft lenses by Wichterle, which are believed to be the first soft contact lenses in the United States. The prototype lenses were then given to Dr. Isen and later to David Ewell, Dr. Ewell’s brother and a California-based contact lens manufacturer.

This story is nicely described in a hand-written letter by Dr. Ewell to his brother dated Feb. 8, 1964 (Figure 1). A copy of this letter is housed in the Contact Lens Museum.

Figure 1. The historic Ewell letter from Dr. Raymond Ewell to his brother David.Image courtesy of Contact Lens Museum in Forest Grove, OR
Figure 1. The historic Ewell letter from Dr. Raymond Ewell to his brother David. Image courtesy of Contact Lens Museum in Forest Grove, OR

In part, the letter reads:

Dear Dave,

I understand Al Isen has sent you some of the Wichterle contact lenses from Prague. When I returned from Prague, I gave Al all of the lenses Wichterle had given me so Al could make a professional appraisal of the lenses and send you the appraisal. This I believe has been done. There is still a lot we don’t know about these lenses. They have plenty of drawbacks, but they have enough promise that Al is going to Prague next week to try to find out more about them. He will pass on to you any info he picks up there. Wichterle wears the lenses himself, so he knows their good points and their bad points.

…The hydrophilic character causes them to absorb water like a sponge and become soft and flexible. This has advantages and disadvantages.…the hydrophilic character does not give as optically clear a product as lucite (PMMA) is.

This historic letter appears to be the first record of the soft contact lenses in the United States. It pre-dates the involvement of Dr. Morrison, National Patent Development Corporation, and Bausch & Lomb. Today, this historic letter is in the possession of Huntington Beach, CA optometrist Dr. Paul Blaze. CLS

Patrick Caroline is an associate professor of optometry at Pacific University. He is co-curator of the Contact Lens Museum. He is a consultant or advisor to Katt, Inc.

Craig Norman is an adjunct faculty member at the Michigan College of Optometry’s Vision Research Institute. He is co-curator of the Contact Lens Museum. He has received speaking honoraria or consulting fees from ABB Optical Group, Bausch Medical, Contamac, Euclid Systems, GPLI, Lentechs, Oculus USA, and Valley Contax.

What to Read Next