From a Visionary English Physicist, Self-Adjusting Lenses for the Poor

The glasses work on the principle that the more liquid pumped into a thin sac in the plastic lenses, the stronger the correction.

Silver has attached plastic syringes filled with silicone oil on each bow of the glasses; the wearer adds or subtracts the clear liquid with a little dial on the pump until the focus is right. After that adjustment, the syringes are removed and the “adaptive glasses” are ready to go.

Currently, Silver said, a pair costs about $19, but his hope is to cut that to a few dollars.

His glasses correct nearsightedness and farsightedness but not astigmatism. Silver stressed they do not replace the need for people to go to an eye professional who can diagnose health problems such as glaucoma, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Absolutely incredible. He needs a MacArthur Fellowship to scale this, or Gates Foundation money.

[via kottke.org]