The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-19
shaded Glasses.

There is an old saying, and true one, that
proffered services are odous, yet notwith-
standing the verify of the adage we will ven-
ture to suggest word upon the subject head
ing this article. with the wish only that it may
aid some one in his efforts to relieve an in
convenience which, If neglected, may prove
serious injury. Those requiring shade for
the protection of the eyes should be gov
erned by the opinion of competent opticiap,
when one can be found, but If thrown upon
their own resources in the selection of proper
glasses, the following rules should be strictly
observed: The color of the glasses used should
be very light shade Of gray or smoke color, or
slightly blush tinge, SO that objects seen
through them may have the appearance of
hazy or cloudy day. Should the eyes be so
weak and intolerant of light that this shade is
not sufficient aid to comfortable feeling it indi-
Gates shat there is existing more serious trouble
than mere intolerance of light, and the in
dividual should at once consult a physician.
The glasses should be large, covering the whole
eye, and nearly round, that is, the vertical d.
ameter should nearly correspond with the lat
eral, thereby giving larger surface for the
eyes TO move round in without receiving any
outside light. The objection to most of the
glasses now in use is the nsrrowness of the
vertical diameter.
The glass should bs fat. Those known as the
Coquie made on a curve should only be used
under the direction of physician or optician,
and should be worn only when the wearer is
quiet serving as rest for the eyes. The OBJ
lection to these glasses arises from the unequal
distribution of the rays of light The curve
creates double focus which distorts objects
no. in tbs direct line of vision, as thrown on
the chamber of the eye when looking directly
forward, go that oblique rays are pictured
there either from below or above the direc. axis
of vision, result which occurs when the .indi-
vidual wearing these glasses is in motion, and
which imperceptiby but surely is cause of
much subsequent injury to the eyes.
The question will arise: When are shaded
glasses needed? Whenever there is exposure
to the SUMS rays, either upon the snow or in
very bright summer days, and especially when
one is living near the seaside, exposed to the
CLEAN Of the sun upon the sand, the shaded
glasses are almost indispensable, or when per-
sons are exposed to any considerable amount of
artificial light, such as is seen in theatres, con-
cert rooms and the like. So confident are we
Of the Importance of guarding this weakness
10 the eyes, that we feel and know that much
serious trouble may be arrested by little care
full attention to this matter, and alarming and
averted or greatly mitigated. The constant
exposure Of the inhabitants of Egypt to the
white sands Of that country, in great degree,
is the cause of much of the serious aft ction of
the eyes of that people, and SO marked is it that
the disease is well known to all physicians
as Egyptian Ophthalmia, and is equally well
dreaded. This same trouble was manifested,
but not to so marked degree, in our soldiers
during their encampment on Ship Island, and
the surgeons had much trouble with very many
OF the troops, who were almost. wholly untitled
for duty by the effect of the sunlight upon the
sand of that island 1t is hardly necessary to
caution any one with respect to what are known
as spectacle vendors They are so many
mountebanks preying upon the credulity Of the
people. and there revenue is in proportion to
the number of eyes they have destroyed in their
utter ignorance of subject they profess to un-
delsiand We do not wish to be understood in
this last caution as referring to any educated,
thorough and skilled optician, whose skill s as
necessary to the oculist as the oculist's knowl-
edge of the eye is necessary to proper appreci-
alton of the subject under consideration. but
we say without hesitation that many there are
dabblIpg in this subject ss though it were only
a matter of dicker as between buyer aud seller.
q. H. G.