Oct 27, 2021
Otto Wichterle's 108th Birthday
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Are you one of the estimated 140 million people around the world who wears contact lenses? Whether your answer is yes or no, the story of the Czech chemist who invented the soft contact lens—Otto Wichterle—might give you some fresh insight. Today’s Doodle celebrates Wichterle’s life and legacy on his 108th birthday.
Otto Wichterle was born on this day in 1913 in Prostĕjov, the Czech Republic (then, Austria-Hungary). As a lover of science from his youth, Wichterle went on to earn his doctorate in organic chemistry in 1936 from the Prague Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT). He taught as a professor at his alma mater during the 1950s while developing an absorbent and transparent gel for eye implants.
Political turmoil pushed Wichterle out of the ICT, leading him to continue refining his hydrogel development at home. In 1961, Wichterle (a glasses wearer himself) produced the first soft contact lenses with a DIY apparatus made of a child’s erector set, a bicycle light battery, a phonograph motor, and homemade glass tubing and molds. As the inventor of countless patents and a lifelong researcher, Wichterle was elected the first President of the Academy of the Czech Republic following the country’s establishment in 1993.
While Wichterle is most well-known as the inventor of contact lenses, his innovations also laid the foundation for state-of-the-art medical technologies such as “smart” biomaterials, which are used to restore human connective tissues, and bio-recognizable polymers, which have inspired a new standard for drug administration.
Happy birthday, Otto Wichterle—thanks for helping the world see eye to eye!
Early drafts of the Doodle
Where this Doodle appeared
Discover more Doodles by color
Did you know?
The very first Doodle launched as an “out of office” message of sorts when company founders Larry and Sergey went on vacation.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first Doodle launched in 1998, before Google was officially incorporated.
Learn MoreDid you know?
The first same day Doodle was created in 2009 when water was discovered on the moon.
Learn MoreDid you know?
Doodle for Google student contest winners have gone on to become professional artists
Learn MoreDid you know?
The time it takes from sketch to launch for a Doodle varies widely: some have taken years and others just a few hours!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Hundreds of Doodles launch around the world every year. Often, several different ones are live in different places at the same time!
Learn MoreDid you know?
Our most frequently recurring Doodle character is Momo the Cat - named after a real-life team pet!
Learn More