What is Otto Wichterle?
[[File:Prof. Ing. RTDr. Otto Wichterle.jpg|thumb|Prof. Ing. RTDr. Otto Wichterle]]'''Otto Wichterle''' (27 October 1913 [[:en:Prostějov|Prostějov]] now in the [[Czech Republic]] – 18 August 1998) was a [[Czechoslovakia|Czech]] [[Chemistry|chemist]] known for his invention of modern soft [[Contact lens|contact lenses.]] == Life == He decided to be a chemist after his father, which co-owned a [[farm]] [[machine]] factory. He [[Graduation|graduated]] from high school in [[:en:Prostějov|Prostějov]] and then he studied at the [[:en:Faculty_of_Chemical_Technology|Chemical and Technological Faculty]] of the [[:en:Czech_Technical_University_in_Prague|Czech Technical University]]. After he got his diploma he wanted to continue in his studies, but the [[Protectorate]] regime didn't let him do so. Fortunately, he could continue in his scientific work because he was able to take part in the [[research]] [[Institution|institute]] at [[:en:Bata_Shoes|Baťa]]'s works in [[Zlín]]. His team made the first [[Czechoslovakia|Czechoslovak]] [[:en:Synthetic_fiber|synthetic fiber]] called ''silon.'' He was arrested by the [[Gestapo]] in 1942 but was released few months later. After [[World War II]] he returned to the university and started teaching [[:en:General_chemistry|general]] and [[inorganic chemistry]]. He wrote an inorganic chemistry [[textbook]] and [[Germany|German]] and [[Czech Republic|Czech]] [[organic chemistry]] textbook. In 1952 he was made the [[Dean (education)|dean]] of the [[University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague|I]][[:en:University_of_Chemistry_and_Technology,_Prague|nstitute of Chemical Technology]] in [[Prague]]. == Development of contact lenses == [[File:Merkur based apparatus for centrifugal casting of contact lenses by wichterle.jpg|thumb|Merkur based apparatus]] Otto studied the [[synthesis]] of [[:en:Cross-link|cross-linking]] hydrophilous gels. He wanted to find a perfect [[material]] that can be in permanent contact with living [[tissue]]<nowiki/>s. His colleague [[:en:Drahoslav_Lím|Drahoslav Lí