No single person can be definitively credited with inventing glasses; early eyeglasses emerged in 13th‑century Italy from the work of multiple craftsmen and scholars rather than a lone inventor.

Quick Scoop: Who Invented Glasses?

Historians agree that the first wearable eyeglasses appeared in northern Italy around the late 1200s, especially in regions like Venice and Pisa. These early spectacles used convex lenses to help older people read, and they were typically held in front of the eyes or balanced on the nose rather than hooked over the ears.

Key facts in a nutshell

  • The exact inventor is unknown ; records point to several craftsmen, not one genius moment.
  • Earliest confirmed use of spectacles is in Italy around 1280–1300.
  • Italian monks and scholars were among the first regular users, mainly for reading manuscripts.
  • Earlier “reading stones” and magnifying devices go back to Romans and medieval Islamic inventors, so glasses are part of a long evolution of optical tools.

Names You’ll Hear (But With Asterisks)

Over time, several figures get pulled into the “who invented glasses” story, but each with caveats.

  • Salvino D’Armati (Italy, 13th c.)
    • Often traditionally credited as the inventor of eyeglasses.
* Modern historians say there’s no solid evidence he was the true or sole inventor; the story likely grew later.
  • Roger Bacon (England, 13th c.)
    • A scholar who wrote about how convex lenses could help people with poor vision, in the 1260s.
* He described the _principle_ of using lenses for vision correction but didn’t clearly leave behind a confirmed, wearable pair of spectacles.
  • Abbas Ibn Firnas and earlier lens makers
    • Medieval sources credit Abbas Ibn Firnas with developing early “reading stones” (polished lenses) centuries before Italian spectacles, part of the prehistory of glasses.

So when people ask “who invented glasses,” the historically cautious answer is: a cluster of Italian artisans in the late 1200s, building on centuries of lens experiments , not a single named inventor.

How Glasses Evolved After That

Once those first Italian spectacles appeared, the design and use spread and changed over centuries.

  • 13th–15th centuries:
    • Simple convex lenses in “rivet spectacles” (two lenses joined by a pin) that had to be held in place.
* Mostly for aging scholars and monks, reinforcing the image of glasses as tools of learning and piety.
  • 17th–18th centuries:
    • Lighter metal frames were introduced; materials shifted from heavy wood and metal to steel and natural materials like horn and bone.
* By 1727, British optician Edward Scarlett developed frames that rested on both nose and ears, much closer to modern glasses.
  • Modern era:
    • From basic readers to bifocals, progressives, sunglasses, and fashion frames, glasses evolved from a niche tool for scholars into a daily accessory for hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

You can think of glasses less as a single “Eureka!” invention and more as a team project across centuries , with Romans, Islamic scientists, medieval monks, and Renaissance artisans all adding pieces to the puzzle.

Mini FAQ

So, who officially invented glasses?
There is no official, universally accepted single inventor; historians usually credit anonymous Italian craftsmen in the late 13th century.

Did Roger Bacon invent glasses?
He helped lay the theoretical groundwork by describing how lenses could correct vision, but he isn’t reliably documented as the inventor of wearable spectacles.

Are the stories about Salvino D’Armati true?
They are part of a later tradition; modern scholarship finds no firm proof he alone invented glasses.

TL;DR: Nobody knows the exact person who invented glasses; they emerged in late‑1200s Italy from several lens‑makers and scholars, building on much older magnifying tools.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.