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Our Story

ThinOptics Our Story About Us

"Some ideas come to us in a dream and some, like ThinOptics, during a long bike ride. My friend had forgotten his reading glasses. He was frustrated, and asked me to read a text message on his cell phone because he couldn’t see it. During the next twenty miles of riding, I developed the idea of putting reading glasses onto the backs of all cell phones."

                - Teddy Shalon, Inventor & Chairman of ThinOptics

The Problem With Reading Glasses

ThinOptics woman confused about traditional reading glasses

Every year, billions of dollars are spent to engineer ever more beautiful, high-resolution displays for our computers and phones, but the same kind of energy has not been allocated toward reading glasses. As a result, there has been very little evolution since their invention in the late 13th century. Today over 30 million Americans buy two pairs of reading glasses every year. Two pairs of brittle, yet bulky reading glasses every year. Two pairs of clunky reading glasses that either break or get lost. Every. Single. Year.

In this day and age, you and your eyesight deserve more. Technology has delivered convenience to our fingertips, yet we still fumble for our reading glasses. They never seem to be there when we need them. Besides, can you imagine bringing a conventional pair of reading glasses on a 20 mile bike ride? 

ThinOptics Logo

At ThinOptics, our concept is simple enough -- since your smartphone is always with you, we set out to develop thin, comfortable reading glasses that fit on the back of your phone.

Reading Glasses Backed By Sophisticated Technology

When we started this journey, friends wondered if we were insane to assemble a dream team in Silicon Valley to create the perfect reading glasses. With our collective specialties and resources, we estimated that it would take six months of development to make these glasses, but instead, it took over 30 months. Our challenge was to make our glasses fit comfortably. Not for 90%, but for 100% of all users. As we developed ThinOptics reading glasses, we tested hundreds of prototypes on thousands of noses. Because ThinOptics reading glasses have to work as well as your cell phone does, every single time you use them.

ThinOptics Unversal Pod with Headline Readers attached to the back of an iPhone

Once we got the reading glasses right, we developed what would become the Universal Pod -- a slim, durable case that elegantly protects your readers while fitting effortlessly on the back of a smartphone (or any hard, flat surface).

ThinOptics products - Keychain, Full Frame Brooklyn Reading Glasses, Full Frame Connect Reading Glasses, Full Frame Manhattan Reading Glasses, Wallet, Phone Case, Palo Alto Sunglasses, Mountain View Sunglasses, Los Altos Sunglasses, Menlo Park Sunglasses

Since then, we've grown our product line to include phone caseskeychain caseswallet casesfull frame reading glassesblue light blocking solutions and sunglasses.

Born in Silicon Valley

ThinOptics reading glasses are created from medical device materials, like the super-elastic memory-metal alloy used for heart stents, and incredibly slim, bulletproof-strong polycarbonate lenses. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies create a consistently high-quality and affordable product. ThinOptics reading glasses are not a gadget; they're a revolutionary new vision platform. Our engineering team continues to develop new innovations to deliver powerful vision solutions to our customers.

ThinOptics reading glasses bring a contagious delight to our customers that reinforces our passion and commitment to produce amazing eyewear that's Always With You.

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