Ologies with Alie Ward
Bonus Episode: Optical Technology (HISTORY OF EYEGLASSES + MODERN DAY VISION)
01 Aug 2025
When were glasses invented? What happened back then if your horse stepped on them? How is the digital age changing adults’ and kids’ vision? The first half of this special bonus episode about Optical Technology features the charmingly hilarious director of the Museum of the Eye in San Francisco, Jenny Benjamin. Then we bop over to Houston, Texas for the ultra-knowledgeable real-life optometrist, Dr. Nadia Sledge to chat about the importance of annual exams and where our eyesight is trending in the digital age. Also: dark Roman trivia, Downton Abbey fashion, how online eye tests overlook critical conditions, and how you would have survived in the past without spectacles. Donations went to Onesight and the Museum of the EyeMore episode sources and linksOther episodes you may enjoy: Ophthalmology (EYES), Medieval Codicology (WEIRD OLD MANUSCRIPT ART & MEMES & SNAILS), Experimental Archeology (OLD TOOLS/ATLATLS), Literary Olfactology (THE POLITICS OF SMELL), Proptology (THEATER & FILM PROPS), Disability Sociology (DISABILITY PRIDE), Funology (YES, FUN), Salugenology (WHY HUMANS REQUIRE HOBBIES)400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topicSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn
Full Episode
Today's episode is sponsored by Pearl Vision. You know how you're like, I have to get a physical once a year. You got to go to the dentist. A lot of people are like, my eyes, I forgot. Even if no one in your family wears glasses, you could have underlying issues. This is where Pearl Vision comes in.
It was the first place of its kind to bring easy access to comprehensive eye exams and glasses all in one place. And now over 60 years later, Pearl Vision has doctors throughout the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and they're making sure that you see your best and also that you look your best because they have cool glasses there. You can book an eye exam online.
And I love that they have an option to book an appointment for up to three people. So you can just gather your fam or your friends, head to Pearl Vision from my eyes to yours. Nobody cares for eyes more than Pearl. Visit pearlvision.com for more information. Eye exams available by independent doctors of optometry at or next to Pearl Vision. Doctors in some states are employed by Pearl Vision.
See you at the eye doctor. Oh, hey, it's that friend who cannot leave the house without sunglasses and has a glove compartment chock full of them. Allie Ward, this is a bonus, fun, just a special little episode of Ologies. It's unlike the rest of them. It's a little looser. It's shorter. There's a couple of people. It's more of an overview. I was thrilled to do it.
So a few months back, and I will tell you this whole story later in the episode, but I was wondering about the history of eyeglasses. And I thought like someone needs to do a deep dive on that because I want to know. And then I realized that that is me. I'm the kind of person that would do that as a job. And that's great.
And then ProVision came to me and said, hey, do you have any ideas about a vision-based mini episode? And I said, boy, howdy, do I. So we've done an ophthalmology episode in the past with a wonderful LA-based ophthalmologist, Dr. Reed Weynes. Look him up. And we'll link his episode in the show notes.
But this one is a little different because in the first half, we chat with Jenny Benjamin, the director of the Museum of the Eye in San Francisco, all about how far back eyewear goes and what it looked like and how they made it and weird Roman trivia and Downton Abbey fashion and sunglasses and how eyewear used to be considered contemporary. sinful.
And then we bopped to the present and over to Houston, Texas to chat with a real-life optometrist, Dr. Nadia Sledge, who tells me all about how our eyesight is changing in the digital age and how kids are becoming more nearsighted and what to do about it, when it's time for reading glasses as you age, and how online eye tests overlook a lot of critical stuff and why you should see your eye doctor every year.
every year and also how i would have not survived in the past or maybe survived without glasses so thank you for coming along on this a little deep dive into what is on your face and why and the absolute magic of vision correction with jenny benjamin and dr nadia sledge in this bonus episode optical technology the history of glasses and modern day vision
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