Who invented the first successful practical contact lenses designed to be worn on the surface of the eye for vision correction?

Introduction / Context:

Contact lenses are now a common alternative to spectacles for correcting vision. This question focuses on the early history of contact lenses and asks you to identify the person who is credited with inventing the first successful practical contact lenses worn on the eye. Such questions test both general scientific knowledge and awareness of medical device history.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The invention is contact lenses used for vision correction.
• The focus is on the first practical lenses that could be worn on the eye.
• The options list inventors known for different products such as household devices, foods and medicines.
• You are expected to recognise the name associated with early contact lens development.

Concept / Approach:

Adolf Gaston Eugen Fick, a German Swiss ophthalmologist, is credited with creating the first successful contact lenses in the late nineteenth century. He designed large glass shells that rested on the sclera, the white part of the eye, and covered the cornea. Although much less comfortable than modern lenses, they demonstrated that placing corrective lenses directly on the eye was possible. Over time, materials and designs improved, but Fick remains recognised as a key pioneer in contact lens invention.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Ophthalmology histories mention Fick as a pioneer who fitted the first glass contact lenses, often referring to them as scleral lenses. Over time, other researchers refined the design, but Fick s role as the first to create and fit such lenses is consistently acknowledged. This provides strong evidence that he is the correct name for this question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Joel Houghton patented an early washing machine, not a vision correction device.

Ruth Graves Wakefield created the chocolate chip cookie recipe, which is a culinary contribution, not a medical invention.

John Stith Pemberton formulated a famous soft drink, not contact lenses.

Harold Ridley pioneered the idea of implanting lenses inside the eye during cataract surgery, which is important but different from external contact lenses.

Common Pitfalls:

Because many names here are associated with inventions, candidates may guess based on familiarity instead of specific knowledge. For example, Pemberton is a familiar name due to his drink, and Ridley is known in eye surgery. To avoid this, focus on matching medical specialisation and the type of vision correction device with the correct inventor. Fick is the name most closely and consistently linked to early contact lenses.

Final Answer:

The first successful practical contact lenses were invented by Adolf Gaston Eugen Fick.