A Four-Eyed World

David King Dunaway traces the history and cultural impact of eyeglasses, showing how a simple optical device transformed education, labor, science, and personal identity.

He explains how glasses moved from a stigmatized medical device to a widespread fashion and functional accessory, affecting who could participate fully in society.

The book combines historical research with anecdotes to illuminate technological, religious, and social responses to vision correction.

Dunaway also examines the economic and professional development of opticians and optometrists and the global spread of eyewear.

Ultimately, the book argues that eyeglasses fundamentally changed how humans see the world and each other.