Improvements in Spectacles, Pince-nez, and Eye Glasses.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
Improvements in Spectacles, Pince-nez, and Eye Glasses.
I FRANZ HEILBORN, of 72¹ Schuhbruckestrasse, Breslau, Germany, Doctor of
Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide spectacles, pince-nez, and eye glasses
which will improve the clearness and sharpness of vision in cases of intense myopia
or of primary irregular "astigmatism" to such an extent that patients suffering
from the first disease can readily read with weak glasses whilst those suffering
from the second disease can easily read without glasses at a distance of about
33 centimetres.
The strong concave glasses generally used in cases of intense myopia frequently
injuriously affect the patients as they generally reduce and disfigure the images
projected on the retina to such an extent as to produce a blurred or indistinct image.
This indistinctness is much increased in very strong glasses which have moreover
the defect that they injuriously affect the eye by causing disruptions in the retina
and sometimes blood suffusions of the pupil. These glasses also injuriously
overstrain the muscles of the eyes.
By means of my invention these defects can be overcome and the patient enabled
to see clearly at a distance of 33 centimetres which is quite sufficient for close
work.
The apparatus which consists essentially of a finely perforated plate is applicable
to persons affected with myopia to the extent of from 10 to 20 dioptrics.
The following is a description of the theory upon which this invention is based :-
It must be clearly understood in the first instance that the new spectacles have
not in any way the mere stenopaic action of ordinary spectacles, as, on account of
the fine perforations, the edge rays which pass through the glass to the patient's
eye are cast off or diverted and in this manner their diffusing action is prevented
by correcting or diminishing in the manner hereinafter set forth, another
important defect in the eye, viz., “astigmatismus irregularis," thereby improving the
sight.
The longitudinal growth of the pupil induced by increasing myopia causes a
distortion of the cornea in all its parts and it is obvious that this distortion will
increase as the eye becomes larger or more dilated. As a cousequence nearly all
cases of intense myopia are associated with the appearance of “astigmatismus
irregularis" which arises from the above cause.
As "astigmatismus irregularis" is the chief cause of injury to the sight in cases
of intense myopia it follows, that, as the myopia can be corrected or entirely
eliminated by a pair of spectacles, patients who suffer from astigmatism and who
receive no permanent benefit from the use of the complicated glasses at present
employed can be greatly benefited by the use of the additional device in com-
bination with the glasses. It is therefore obvious, that, by using the new glasses,
the sight of those suffering from myopia can be improved and this improvement
is such that patients can be enabled to read at the normal distance, viz., of a
metre. Generally speaking the more intense the shortness of sight the more efficient
will the new glasses be found.
The thickness of the glasses need not exceed from 5 to 6 dioptrics. The intervals
between the perforations and the diameter of the latter should not always be the

page_text: same in one plate, and the interval between any two holes should not be less than
the diameter of the pupil of the eye. The holes are made in a radial or stellated
manner in the plate which is of the thinnest material, preferably, brass or German
silver.
The chief requirement, when using these glasses, is to have a thoroughly good
light, which is an hygienic postulate of the physician, so that, in this case, the
desires of the patient and of the doctor will be identical.
From the foregoing proofs it is obvious that the device is very important for
making a prognosis, as doctors will be able to determine by experiments how much
irregular astigmatism can be overcome.
The persons likely to be most benefited by the invention are those, who, while
suffering from a high degree of short sightedness yet possess a strong sight.
The accompanying drawings show several methods of framing the spectacles and
the perforated plates.
In Fig. 1 an arrangement is shown wherein the frame A, in which the plate C
is fixed, turns upon a pivot a and is locked to the bridge of the spectacles B by a
hook b. If desired, in some cases, the pivot pin can be changed and the frame
arranged on the underside of the glasses as shown at the right hand side of the
figure. A hinge, can also, if required, be arranged below the pivot pin in order to
permit of the plate being moved outwards at right angles and in a line parallel with
the bridge.
In Fig. 2 an arrangement is shown wherein the frame A of the plate C is
connected by a hinge c with the frame B in such ma r as to be capable of being
moved, as desired, either in front of or behind the g
ses.
As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a curved plate D can be used instead of a flat
plate. In this case the glass, as shown at Fig. 4, is fitted at the back of the plate.
Fig. 5 shows a test glass for use by doctors wherein a glass is placed in the front
of as well as at the back of the plate C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
consider novel and desire to claim is :
1. Spectacles, pince-nez, and eye glasses, for short sighted persons, having in
conjunction therewith a flat or perforated plate which is either used alone or placed
before or behind the glasses, substantially as herein before described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
2. The combination with the perforated plate C of the special frame A which
is movably hinged or pivotted to the frame B of the glasses, substantially as
herein before described and shown at Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 5th day of August 1895.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.