Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-08-14
ShOrt.sIghtedness.


DIR. LTEBREIoH, whose ingenious state
ments in regard TO the confusion of colors
in Turner's later paintings excited so
much attention, has Just put forth some
much-needed warnings on the subject of
ort-sightedness in school children.
This skillful ophthalmic surgeon finds
that myopia, or hort-sightedness, is far
more common among British children at
school than Il was formerly. 1t is almost
invariably developed during school life;
very rarely before or after that period.
The question, of course at once arises;
"Does this defect arise naturally at that
period of the child's life, or does the
school life cause the defect" Statistical
investigation proves the latter to be the
case, and that the percentage of short
sighted children is greater in school where
the arrangements are unfavorable 10 the
eyes. Shortness of sight is it is true,
often hereditary, but it is not believed
that children are born shortsighted.
They begin life with prcdisposition to
this defect, and, if unfavorable condi-
tions exist in childhood, they readily fall
into it, We believe, too, it is exceedingly
rare to meet with short-sighted Indian,
whether old or young. There seems, in
deed, an advantage in -sightedness
with advancing years, but 1t is only under
a slight degree of 1t. Any extreme con-
dition of myopia at once weakens the
eyes and the general power of vision,
whether the person be old or young. The
ordinary far-sightedness which appears
about the age of forty-five is purely
healthy and normal popularity, and indi-
Gates no weakness of the eye.
Short-sightedness in high degree, on
the other hand, is caused by changes in
the anatomical condition of the eyes, and
is highly threatening. 1t also induces a
habit of STOPPING, which affects the whole
structure and health of the child Dr.
Liebreich finds the cause of this increas-
ing defect in the sight of English chill
dren, as well as the growing weakness of
eyes of school children, in the bad ar
rangements for lighting school-rooms and
in the defective position of the desks or
seats. Short-sightedness, as is well
known, is produced by the lengthening of
the antero-posterior axis of the eye. This
lengthenlng originates under the adapt
ing machinery of the eye, according to
the increased or diminished tension we
apply, as the object is near or remote.
In childhood the adapting apparatus pos
sesses great power of accommodation.
eff this power is made use of for
adapting the eye continuously to much
shorter distance than would be required
that is to say, if, in reading or writing,
the eyes, instead of at twelve to fifteen
inches are kept at four to six inches from
the book, the sclerotic, that is the mem
brane which keeps the globe of the eye
in its shape, giving way by degrees to the
pressure, gradually extends to its poste-
rior portion. Thus the shape of the eye
becomes oval, and the retina is somewhat
removed from the cornea and the lens.
The retina then only receives the images
of near objects; distant objects appear
underlined and can only be seen by the
aid of concave glasses whose negative
focus corresponds with the degree of
hort-sightedness."
Or,
"If the muscles of the eye are not
strong enough to resist such tension for
any length of time, one of the eyes is left
to itself, and while one eye is being di-
rected on the object the other deviates
outwardly, receives false images, and its
vision becomes indistinct- amblyopic
Or perhaps the muscles resist these diff
culties for time, become weary, and
thus is produced the diminution of en-.
durance"
How can these evils be prevented:
The simple rules of this ophthalmic au.
thority are that the light must be suffi.
ciently strong and fall on the table from
the left-hand side and as far as possible
from above. The children ought to sit
straight and not have the book nearer tC
the eye than ten inches at the least; the
book should be raised twenty degrees fol
writing and about forty degrees for read
ing. These rules the doctor believes to
be violated in almost every public school
in England We do not think this could
be said of our public schools The Amer
ican rooms, being generally rectangular
are usually lighted from the sides, and
at night are illuminated by jets or re-
Electors from above. But now and then
we have here what is such a fruitful
source of myopia in England the light
shining right in the faces of the children,
dazzling their eyes, and causing them to
turn the axis of the eye in unfavorable
directions, and thus inducing weakness
of vision.
1t is undoubtedly an advantage in
American school-houses that we have
not been obliged to take old and pictur-
esque buildings which had narrow and
poor windows, but can build at once
what is most suitable for the children.
A rectilinear structure, with large, high
windows on the sides, is, without doubt,
though not INTELLECTUALLY picturesque,
the best for school-house. Where our
schOOl-rOoms are most defective is in
night-lighting. Our gas is so poor that
even when best placed the jets give a
wretched light. If, in addition, the light
be diffused by ground-glass globes
placed high up the illumination on the
scholars desk is exceedingly faint. The
best plan is to have ret1ectors above,
throwing a strong light downward. The
. light in our public reading-rooms (such
AS that of the Mercantile Library is
miserable, and in many private houses is
frightful source of shortness of sight
in children.-N. Y. Times.