In recent times the NHS was in control of our eyewear. Up until 1988 the NHS paid towards everyone’s glasses, even the frames. They provided the stunning selection of plastic frames in black, autumn leaf, crystal, blue or pink. Many a teenager was reduced to tears in the opticians when confronted with these delights! If plastic was not for you, then you could have round John Lennon frames, made of rolled gold no less, or the half moon version. Therefore all of us looked like Buddy Holly, hippies with dubious taste, or mad professors. For children there were scaled down versions, or sweet little metal frames that tied across the back of the head with elastic.

John Lennon In His Iconic Round Spectacles

During the war years you could get metal frame with flat sides, to slip inside your gas mask – how clever is that?! And previous to that little round frames in tortoiseshell. Organic of course but fairly bad news for the Hawksbill Turtle, whose shell was used and he was never even acknowledged, for they were always credited to tortoises.

Hawksbill Turtles Are Much Happier Now Their Shells Aren't Used To Make Glasses

Or of course there was the elegance of the quizzer, lorgnette, or pince-nez. Perfect for supercilious glaring at the opera etc. The quizzer was a single lens on a handle, the lorgnette two lenses that flipped out on a spring, and the pince-nez gripped your nose with the ferocity of a cross crab. How we suffered for our sight!

In ancient history frames were made of wood, leather, bone or horn – again very organic but unfortunate for any original owners! Lenses were flat and optically not very good, so the next time you curse your specs, just be grateful you do not have to feel guilty about a Turtle as well!