Glasses became common in the 1660s, as a pair of lenses set in a frame and used to wear on the nose and ears to help correct or assist eyesight. The word spectacles was adopted in the 18th century and comes from the Latin ‘spectare’, to observe or to look at. Other words used: blinkers, eyeglasses, prisms, bifocals, specs, sunglasses, jiggers, field-glasses, opera-glasses and nose glasses.







