You might look like a pinHEAD, but...

While my parents were here over the last week we received an interesting item. They were glasses called pinhole glasses. I’ve never heard of them, but apparently they aren’t new technology. As soon as my dad saw them he was all excited because he said he knew a guy that he worked with 20 years ago that wore them. And they worked.

Apparently, these glasses are supposed to allow you to see clearly without your prescription glasses or contacts. They have a black plastic material where the lenses would be. The material is filled with tiny holes. The frames are clear plastic.

It’s a weird concept, but when I did a little more research I found that they somehow work by only letting direct light to your eye from these evenly placed little “pinholes” which somehow increase clarity (like when you squint to see something).

OK. Whatever.
(And *yawn*).
If you want to read more about how these pinhole glasses work, put on your science guy hat and be my guest. I have other stuff to do right now.


Needless to say, Todd and I were clearly skeptical. My eyesight isn’t that bad. I’m nearsighted and can still see (if I have to) without my contacts or glasses. So I was game to be the guinea pig and look like an idiot. I mean, these aren’t the most fashionable glasses, but I’m always up for a good laugh. I tested them by looking out the window at a mailbox across the street, which was a little blurry without my contacts or glasses. Miraculously? After I put on the pinhole eyeglasses I could clearly see the mailbox.

I kid you not.

However, I felt like I was looking through a honeycomb (from the inside out). I also felt as if I wore them long enough I would have a headache. I will never be able to test the headache theory because, well, I wouldn’t be caught dead in public in these.

Todd was next up (in the “Let me try! Let me try!” kind of way). He is almost BLIND without his contacts or glasses. He had the same effect of clarity that I had and was able to read some text on a page that he otherwise would’ve needed his glasses or contacts to read.

Cool.

And Weird.

If they’re so great, you’re probably wondering why these pinhole eyeglasses haven’t caught on? I was wondering the same thing when my dad said the concept has been around for quite some time. I can tell you why:

You look like a total dork.

Kind of like this:

(Sorry honey)

As you can see, the shape is a BIG throw back to the 80s. And I mean the Tom-Cruise-slide-down-the-hall-in-your-socks-and-undies 80s.

Only not that cool.


Anyway, Ella’s verdict is still out, but she seemed to be channeling her inner Ray Charles…