Astronaut eyewear under development

August 18, 2010

Astronauts must read at various angles and in low to no-gravity, making regular eyeglasses are cumbersome and often dysfunctional in space. However, according to Scientific American, NASA is currently developing eyewear that may help those in orbit.

Many astronauts are reaching the age when they are susceptible to presbyopia, a condition that causes many aging people to need the assistance of reading glasses. Over the past six months, the space organization has been using TruFocals, an adjustable lens, during training and on some missions.

The lenses of the eyewear are about three millimeters thick and are attached to the frames by magnets. The lens is also flexible and features an expandable membrane attached to the clear, durable surface. The space between this membrane and the surface hold a small amount of silicon fluid that can be squeezed out from the bridge of the glasses across the membrane, thus adjusting the lens' flexibility.

While these glasses probably aren't practical for those who remain grounded on Earth, but presbyopia is a common problem among adults between the ages of 40 and 60. According to the Mayo Clinic, a trip to the eye doctor can easily confirm the presence of presbyopia.