1508 Leonardo da Vinci illustrates the concept of contact lenses

1823 British astronomer Sir John Herschel conceptualizes practical lens design

1887 First contact lens manufactured from glass, and fit to cover the entire eye

1939 Contact lenses first made from plastic

1948 Plastic contact lenses designed to cover only the front of the eye

1971 Introduction of soft contact lenses

1978 Introduction of gas permeable contact lenses

1981 FDA approval of new soft contact lenses for extended wear

1986 Overnight wear of GP contact lenses becomes available

1987 Introduction of disposable soft contact lenses

1987 GP contacts available in next-generation fluorosilicone acrylate materials

1994 Introduction of reverse geometry Contex OK lenses for orthokeratology

1998 Daily wear FDA approval of Contex OK Lens for orthokeratology

2002 Overnight FDA approval of orthokeratology lenses