The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-27
The Care OF the Eyes.

According to DR.. r. b. Carter, a dis.
tinguished English specialist, most o,
the blindness in civilized communities is
due to ignorance and negligence. In :
valuable work on the eyesight lust ia,
sued DIR. Carter holds that but a small
percentage of defective vision is due tc
natural causes. Of PERSONS generally
supposed to have been "born blind" he
states that probably 80 out of every 1OO
bring with them into the world ewes as
good and as useful as those of their neipi,
bors." The causes Of blindness in infants
are more frequently to be found in care.
iessness and ignorance than IL ell pos-
sible Injuries and diseases put together
and are chiefly due TO the, neglect OF
proper precautions rs 30 light, cleanli.
ness and temperature, The eyes of in
fants are not more sensitive to light, but
owingto the imperfect development OF
the bones of the skull and to Other def.
ciencies they are not protected as are the
eyes of older children and of adults.
Great caro- is therefore necessary to pre-
vent their vision from being impaired OF
totally destroyed by sudden or constant
exposure to n dazzling light. Impure
air, cold draughts and sudden changes to
9 lower temperature also have q disas-
tsons effect.
Later oninlife, nyopia or short.sighted-
ness, that ;aost annoying and unnecesss.
ry form Cf visual failure. is produced
most frequently through ignorance as to
the Importance of saving the eyes. Per-
sons ofstropg, healthy Right are tempted
to use or, rather abuse their eyes without
refefeneeto TIE future, and tho conse.
quence is that in q very few ,ars they
ara distressed to find that b ~ can no
longer distinguish objects ut q little dis.
tance, and that much offtha life. the
color and the charm Of a landscape, as
we'll as the individuality of faces and
forms, Is wholly lest to them. In this
connection the significant feet is cited
;issti IS i; sc alarming increase or de-
.velopment Of Observation-Disclosures during
sch0ol-life, and that it is largely due to
presentable causes. Badly-lighted
schools, with improperly constructed
desks and seate for children form, ac.
Icording to DR.. Carter, .'s great ma.
chinery for the development of "myo.
pia. Badly printed books. the fuse OF
Pato ahl imperfect sii1h an I;tie TIitsTEe, e;
gother with che causes already men
TONED, combine 60 mako the escape of
some school. children from ehort.sighted-
ness little letrs SSari marvellous. The
INJURY OF the eyes IN adults III ofton due
to insufficient or excessive light, the want
or misuse of spectacleS, impnrity oftheair,
too prolonged and uninterrupted use OF
the eyes, sudden exposure to intense
light, and other causes which may readi-
~ be avoided wisli a little care and dis.
cretion. The increGsing attention which
is being directed 20 the care of the eyes
by the admonitions of specialists and the
diiiusion Of wider knowledge on the SUBJ
ject will probably result in great and
permanent good. Certainly IL q reform
can be effected in the appliances of our
schools alone, with e view of preventing
shost-sigh ghted9esa. the discussion viii
have accomplished vast ard noEss benef-
ciai regults. ssF.s :,