Lorgnettes were extremely fashionable once upon a time! | Vision | Health

Ordinary eyeglasses have frames that fit at the temples and go beyond the ears to be held securely. Lorgnettes are pairs of spectacles, which have one handle instead of those frames going behind ears. The term ‘lorgnette’ comes from the French word ‘lorgner’ which means to peer or ‘lorgne’ which means to squint. The credit for inventing this eyewear has to go to an Englishman named George Adams. He popularized the use of these spectacles so much that it became the height of fashion in the 1880s for ladies who did not wish to wear glasses. They were used mainly for reading or to peer closely at people and hence the persistent image of grand old dames/ spinsters/ terrifying aunts with ‘lorgnettes’ derived from books and pictures! Other fashionable ladies used it more as fashion accessories rather than to see clearly. 

Apart from helping in reading the lorgnettes were a popular accessory when going to the opera as they acted as magnify glasses and enabled the user to see the details on stage more clearly. The handles meant that the spectacles could be lifted up as and when desired which was mainly to see the facial expressions or the costume details of the opera actors and singers. Nowadays, with improving techniques, some of these opera glasses even come with telescopic handles which allow the user to elongate the handle to his maximum comfort. This is achieved by extending, twisting and tightening the opera glasses at the optimum length required. They can be made even more compact by folding up the handles when not in use.

Lorgnettes act as magnifiers for glasses and are like lightweight binoculars but with very low magnification. This enables the viewer to get a broad view of the stage without the shaking. Some of these opera glasses come with LED lights to enable viewers to read programs discreetly without disturbing other guests. Another popular style is magnify glasses the lorgnette spectacle with a chain, which can be worn around the neck to keep the hands free. This is attractive especially to the absent-minded peoplewho tend to forget where they left their Lorgnettes. The chain helps to keep the eyewear securely in place for them.

For whatever the reason, lorgnettes used to be fashionable once upon a time and even those who did not need glasses could be seen peering with them although now their charm has got restricted to either reading or drawingmuch attention to themselves at restaurants, at the theatre, at parties or the concert hall.

via freearticles.mohul.com