How did people get by before the invention of glasses?

by [deleted]

After about 4 feet, my vision becomes extremely blurred. I've never thought twice about it, just throw on some glasses or contacts. Nevertheless, this would be an almost crippling disability without the corrective eye-wear. How did people with bad eye sight function in society before this invention? Was it considered a form of near-blindness? Or did bad eye sight become prevalent in the modern world?

Searocksandtrees

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