The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-05-31
The Eyes.

Trouble with the eyes is becoming
very common among our pupils in ad-
vanced classes. The normal eve is ca
Pab!e OF an almost infinite variety of
uses. 1t can see near and far with
equal facility, but like any other or
gan, if used almost exclusively in one
direction, its loses its range of ability.
Hence, if kept too constantly OH the
printed page, the range OF vision is i'm
paired, and it may become near sight
ed 10y much reading of fine print.
II. W. Williams, M. D., in the Janu-
airy number of the Atlantic says: Zone
of the first rules laid down by a teach
er to his pupils should be not to keep
their eyes fixed upon their books
Apart from the probable injury to the
eye itself, by too close application, l
am satisfied that lessons, especially
those requiring thought, cannot be as
we'll committed to memory when the
eyes are fixed upon the page, as if they
are permitted to wander, The eyes
must, Of course, look at the book often
and long enough to take in the idea,
but If they are too steadily kept there,
the Perceptive power seems to occupy
itself with the visible objects,to an ex-
tent which is unfavorable to other
mental processes. A distinguished en-
graver once said to me, II know now
how to make face think" And he
explained that the secret lay in giving
certain expression to the eyes by
causing their axes to have very slight
divergence from each other, This cor
responds with my observation, and
this position of thought is exactly the
opposite of that assumed by the eyes
when looking at book.
When the optic nerve has become
representative to light, a good candle
is great relief. Of course, it will not
make the room bright as gas or kero-
seue, but it will furnish light enough
for reading, and the soft light will be
much less trying to the eye.
Twilight is very grateful to the eye
if we rest in it, but very trying if we
read or sew in the transition stage
from day to night, or night to day
The use ofartiticial light at early morn.
ing is very bad for the eyes, much more
so than at evening. To 60 from sound
sleep and deep darkness into the ligh,
of gas, especially for study OF piano
practice, is very injurious.
j The study of any foreign language is
much more trying to the eye than the
reading of ones own. Tho words lacl
the familiar look, and hence they are
not so easily recognized. The search,
ing for words in the dictionary is par,
ticularly hard for the eye, aud if tn,
alphabet be dissimilar to ours it is still
more trying. Hence those who hav,
weak eyes, and those who don't wan
to have them, should avoid piano prac
tice and lexicons by artificial light, es
pecially at early morning. Thos'
whose eyes are in any degree sensitive
, will accomplish more iu the week o
month to study only by daylight, an,
during the evening avoid gas and Civ
J themselves up to plain knitting an,
, cheerful conversation for deep study
) close thought even, if the eye is no
used, tends to determine the blood t.
the head, and makes the eyes worse
it be infiamed or painful. Embroide
ry, or even any kind of worsted work
is bad, as bright colors affect sensitiy
eyes very seriously.
Reading from moving page is ais
; trying to the eyes. Many persons VIII
have travelled much, tell me they hav
permanently impaired their sight b
reading on the cars. Young ladie
: who go out to walk with q book chea
themselves in two ways. The exel
else they get is not good for anythin.
and the moving page and the brightt
light than within doors, Injuries til
eye. To make bodily exercise profit;
. BILE the brain must rest from books an
send it's nervous and circulatory fore
) into the muscular system Herald {
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