Prescribe-Your-Own Glasses, aka AdSpecs

I admit it: I have terrible vision. I'm the person at the party who hands their glasses around so everyone can see the coke bottle lenses and try them on, saying, "Oh, man, you really are blind!"

But hey, at least I have 'em. Because if I didn't, I wouldn't even be able to read a sign five feet ahead of me, not to mention a classroom board. And I'm lucky enough to just be nearsighted ... can we really imagine what it would be like to try to work, or read a textbook, without badly needed glasses?

Smart, determined people in developing countries have exactly this issue, and there are numerous organizations trying to solve this problem, such as Warby Parker (watch a video interview with the founder here). However, part of the problem is getting the prescription right. Cue: Glasses that you prescribe yourself!

Oxford Professor Josh Silver created silicone gel glasses that change prescription as you inject gel into the lens. A sort of one-pair-fits-all approach, they're called AdSpecs.

They may not be the best looking glasses, but if they let you see things clearly, they look pretty good to those who need them.

Found on GOOD. 

Stanford Social Innovation Review also has an in-depth article about organizations trying to address vision issues, and why a lack of glasses is still a problem in developing countries (they even mention AdSpecs, along with VisionSpring).