World Scene: Japan

Glasses bring tears to 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 yesterday its "Wink Glasses" - retailing for 40,000 yen ($430) - 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.