Misdiagnosis of James Joyce's farsightedness
December 16, 2011 at 11:32AM
Had James Joyce been alive today he may have been diagnosed with the wrong type of extended wear contact lenses as it has long been thought he was shortsighted.
On closer inspection it is the biographers who have proliferated the myth about the author's eyesight and looking more closely at his prescription glasses shows he was farsighted.
Since Richard Ellmann is generally considered to have written the definitive biography of the Dubliners writer back in 1982, it is possible this is where the error arose.
Perhaps the misdiagnosis stems from the myopia themes in his writing and the fact that his fictional alter ego, Stephen Dedalus, was given the trait.
The Dublin born writer went to Paris to study medicine, but in 1903 returned to Ireland when his mother died and is generally considered to be one of the most important literary figures of his time.
Researchers said: "Joyce's thick convex lenses can be discerned in photographs either from a lateral view, or through the magnifying effect of his glasses."
