The history of the ISCLS

It was not until a meeting of the International Optical League in London in 1951 that all three met. They discussed their separate lines of research and found they were all working on similar ideas. They pooled their resources, which led to the launch of the micro-corneal lens in 1952.

After the war Söhnges moved from Berlin, where he had previously established four practices, to Munich where he established another optical practice specialising in the fitting of contact lenses. He bought an estate at Urfahn-am-Chiemsee in Bavaria with a large if somewhat dilapidated house. In August 1953 Frank and his son Peter visited Billy who explained his ideas of using the house as a study centre for those interested in making and fitting contact lenses. From this arose the idea of forming an international group of contact lens practitioners who could meet at the house in a social atmosphere and discuss mutual problems and ideas.

Billy immediately put in hand renovations to the house converting the upper floor of an octagonal tower at the house into a lecture room for the congresses. By 1955 five or six newcomers were welcomed to their discussions in the now enlarged house which featured extensive grounds, a boat house by the lakeside and also a Finnish bathroom. Days often started and ended with a dip in the lake and so started the ongoing theme of mixing work and recreation allowing informal discussions between friends.

It became clear that space was limited so it was decided to restrict the number of members initially to 25, later rising to 30, with emphasis on representation from many different countries. In August 1959 the congress was held in London with the following meeting in 1962 being held in Philadelphia. However there was continuous exchange of views between members by correspondence and personal visits well before the advent of mobile phones and emails. Today full membership is still limited; however a wider representation of the profession has been encouraged through associate membership. Members are leading practitioners in contact lenses from optometric, medical, and manufacturing backgrounds from Europe, North and South America, Australia, Scandinavia, Asia, and Great Britain.

The Society continues to hold congresses on an 18 month programme with two European events being followed by one in the Americas. In the words of Dr. E. Ward Ewalt Jr., president of the American Optometric Association in 1962, “the assembly was indeed a classic example of what can be achieved by men of good will from many nations united in their interest in scientific development.”

Since 2006 it has been known simply as the Herschel medal. Initially there were two versions, the Gold medal was in recognition of work by a practitioner and the Silver to one engaged in some allied or associated field. Only two silver medals have ever been presented. The first recipients of the medal were Frank Dickinson and Jack Neill co-founders of the ISCLS with Wilhelm Söhnges. Frank and Jack were against the idea of being presented with the medal unless Wilhelm received one as well. Wilhelm was adamant that other, more deserving people should be awarded the medal well before himself. However Frank and Jack got their way in 1959 when the congress was held in London and they made it clear to Wilhelm that he had no choice in the matter!