Early 20th century recumbent spectacles. These spectacles, dating from the 1930s, were designed to allow books to be read while lying down. The prisms and mirrors bent light by 90 degrees, allowing a book to be read while looking upwards. This avoided the need to either move the head (sometimes fixed in place while recovering from an injury), or to hold a book above the head. Made by Hamlin, they were invented by Thomas Reed.