New Japanese glasses bring tears to the eyes
The Japanese eyewear company behind Sarah Palin's designer glasses has come up with a high-tech solution for obsessive video-gamers and bookworms whose eyes dry out from lack of blinking.
Masunaga Optical Manufacturing Co. Ltd. said Tuesday its "Wink Glasses" -- retailing for 40,000 yen (430 dollars) -- were an answer to the ocular dehydration caused for instance by prolonged computer use.
When a sensor detects that the wearer has not blinked for more than five seconds, the glasses "fog up" by gradually making a liquid crystal display over one eye turn opaque.
A simple blink clears the lens again.
Masunaga, based in the central Japanese city of Fukui, has enjoyed a boost in sales since Palin burst to international prominence last year as the Republicans' vice presidential pick in the United States.
(c) 2009 AFP
