Comments on: Why Do Rich People Wear Monocles?

By: Gracchus

Gracchus — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:50:15 +0000

The monocle was used by gentlemen suffering from presbyopia, it was seen as more convenient than reading glasses.
People wear monocles all the time in the present day: a presbyopic will have one contact lens fitted with a magnifying prescription, or similar effect achieved by differential diopter strength between left and right lenses where vision requires correction for myopia.

By: Chauncey Howell

Chauncey Howell — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 21:50:20 +0000

Ptosis, drooping eyelid, is a symptom of third stage syphilis, which was very common among gentry and proles all through the 19th Century. It was always my understanding that the monocle was used to prop up a languishing eyelid.

By: Phinneus

Phinneus — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 21:44:49 +0000

You know you’re scrapping bottom when you find yourself quoting Slate.com.

By: Laura Salovitch

Laura Salovitch — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 19:27:54 +0000

I’ve always assumed that monocles were worn because vision in only one eye needed correcting.