What are Prism Glasses and Why Did Hillary Clinton Need Them?

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For more, listen to “The Elephant (and The Donkey) In The Room” on This Life Podcast

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Fresnel prisms (prism glasses) are used by patients who are experiencing a visual disturbance or abnormality. They effectively trick the brain into thinking that the eyes are working together, when, in fact, they are not. The glasses are designed to bend light, shifting the image into proper alignment for both eyes. The adjustment then allows the brain to process visual information correctly.

French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel, (one of the early pioneers for a “wave theory” of light), produced his first prism to improve French lighthouses. He used glass’ refractive properties to build a lens panel that could focus the disbursed light of a lamp into a single beam, thereby increasing its effectiveness for mariners. Similar technology is used in manipulating light in prism glasses.

In the case of Hillary Clinton, prism glasses were used to correct a visual disturbance that was the result of a fall-induced concussion in 2012. Clinton (likely suffering from double vision), wore a pair of glasses that featured an adhesive version of the prism stuck onto her left lens. For longer usage, a ground lens is available.

Guest post by Michelle Poe. This website is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Sources: 

Bernstein, Lenny.  “Why did Hillary Clinton wear those glasses after her concussion?” The Washington Post, May 13, 2014 

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Augustine-Jean Fresnel”

Klimas, Liz.  “What Medical Issue Do the Closeup Pictures of Hillary’s Glasses Likely Reveal?” The Blaze, January 25, 2013 

Sanchez, Nick.  “10 Hillary Health Issues That Have Raised Questions”  Newsmax, February 18, 2016 

“What is the Purpose off Prism in Eyeglasses?” GlassesCrafter.com

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