11/12/2025
Did you know Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals?
He’s probably most famous in Australia for flying kites in lightning storms (and for being on the US $100 bill), but back in the 1780s, post-revolutionary America, Franklin was constantly inventing things — lightning rods, wood stoves, the world’s first urinary catheter, even swimming fins!
But the idea that changed his everyday life was far simpler. Tired of switching between two pairs of glasses, he sliced the lenses in half and combined them. Ta-dah! Bifocals: a kitchen-table solution to a very annoying problem.
Thankfully, seeing clearly doesn’t require home-made optics anymore.
St Kilda Eyecare handles the testing, the lenses, the fitting — all properly, all on-site, and often within one hour. And if your prescription changes, they’ll replace your lenses within three months at no extra cost.
December is also the perfect time to think practically: a fresh pair of frames can lift your whole look for the season, and stylish specs or sunglasses make a very thoughtful gift for any bespectacled friends.
Visit St Kilda Eyecare at 159 Acland Street to try the latest styles or book an eye test.
Clear vision — no kitchen-sink glass-cutting ( or catheters😬 ) required.
St Kilda Eyecare - 159 Acland Street (look for the rocket!)
open Monday to Saturday.
https://stkildaeyecare.com.au
image credit - Marco Palumbo
