One of the most iconic appearances to come out of Star Trek: The Next Generation was Geordi LaForge's visor. Blind since birth, the Enterprise's chief engineering was given the ability to see even beyond the average human eye thanks to the technology of the future.

Though famous as Geordi's look was, many were left wondering why the technology that granted his vision was stuck on a simple-looking visor. Shouldn't a world that created warp travel also be able to make a smaller device to help those who are blind to be able to see? Both fans and LeVar Burton wondered the same thing and asked the producers of TNG what could be done about Geordi's visor.

"I had that conversation with the powers that be. They always maintained that Geordi’s visor was a shorthand language of communicating the technological sophistication of the 24th century," said LeVar Burton to Rolling Stone about Geordi's visor and its purpose to remain on the series.

By the time the series hit global phenomenon status, Geordi's visor became a look just as iconic and memorable as Spock's pointy ears. Because of the popularity and familiarity of his visor, Geordi would wear the same pair all throughout the series and after in the follow-up movie Star Trek Generations.

"It served its purpose. Geordi’s visor is iconic. You know exactly what you’re looking at when you see it. The idea that young people, male and female, put headbands over their eyes and play Geordi La Forge, is proof positive that it is an iconic image."

LeVar Burton finally had his fill of impairing his vision for the role when the second TNG film, Star Trek First Contact began production.

"I was done. I was tired of having my eyes covered and was really insistent. We found a way, as I always knew we could, to shrink that technology into an ocular implant."

From then on Geordi La Forge's sight was through a smaller ocular aid that had the appearance of contact lenses. While the visor is a cool and memorable look, being able to actually see on set does sound like the most preferable approach.

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