#978: ScreenPrint

Most spectacle lenses are now made of plastic for weight and cost reasons, but it’s still damn hard to find a pair which a) fit and b) look sensible.

Today’s invention is to make both the lenses and frame of spectacles in a single piece, by rapid prototyping techniques (which are already used to make stand-alone lenses).

There would be a standard, integral hinge formed between the legs and the front section holding the lenses. Dyestuff could be added to the non-lens areas and filter particle material to the lens regions.

This approach would allow consumers to design their own frames online (including a sizeable variation in bridge width) and superimpose the result on their facial image before ever ordering the glasses.