New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
COMNON DEFECTS OF VISION.
INCREASE OF NEARsIGHTEDNEss


INCREASE OF NEARSIGHTEDNESS
TALK WITH DIR. NOYEs-DIsEAsEs OF THE EYE
RESULTING FROM NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FOR
SCHOOLS.
The increase of nearsightedness in this coun
try the subject OF conversation recently between
Dr. Henry d. NOyes, the Oculist aud TRIBUNE re-
porter. DR.. Noyes attributed the presence OF myopia
among children largely to the faulty construction of The
schoorooms and the length of school hours which made
study home necessary. He also mentioned interesting
facts in Cgard diseases of the eye which may be con-
traced by persons who are extremely nearsghted.
"MyOpa has increased among children" said Dr.
NOyes, with the increase OF studies and OF study hours
1t is the custom at the present day to make the
school largely place for recitation and sometimes
exclusively So oblgcs children to prepare their
lessons home. often using the evening hours for that
purpose. There has been. it would increase IN
the number Of nearslghtcd persons few individuals
are born nCarsghted hut the vast majority become near
sighted between the ages OF seven ana hlte'h
years, and this condition will usually increase
up to twenty and twenty-five years OF age
and, certain ca7es. 10 iatcr p'rIod'
TIE eye grows GIFTED by becoming stretched or
dstendcd at back part whereby et7 LONGER optic
axis certain Increase III The length OF the optic axis
means myopa calling for glass thirty inches focus
This signifies that the pcr'on instead of beng able 10
look with dstiuctncss to an Indefinite disance-nancy
TO the hozcn-has hls distinct vSlon bounded al thirty
inches distant. Ills thing for persons Obliged 10
use concavc glass eight inches in focus not to have in
consequence Of the thinning Of the back part Of the eye
an impairment Of the integrity hcahUlncss OF the
membranes around the optic nerve Wien they come To
the use OF glasses inches IN focus the cyr-hI being
stretched only onctwclfth OF an inch, they are almost
certain have serious disease Of the membranes at
icy-lks substance ca.c! the vitrcou- Luor, which ms
up tho principal portion % tn Interior o. the cyr -
~ NOR ttU
the great dcgrccs-that Is. above a tchlrch
focuS-'o have great GIhci!iy IN Inc t"n",,
bear at upon near objects rs IN reading or writing
degrees Of ncarsgh rduc,s In The stronger degrees
CERTAIN diseased conditions are prone to arise namely
that shrcis and particles get the vrrou- humor ~
objects Of various forms noatIg Tore the sight
cataract i common rcsnlt OF the higher kinda ~ near
sghtrdness toward mdlc life ami The nerve membrane
Of the eve, the rcna, IS also liable IN meet with
dcplorab'c accident In that II may he pulled nom iis
place and fluid ntrudc behind H. can,nE what T. known
IA detachment OF the rctina The eh't 81 mis- Is To-
destroy the sight entirely over 50 mu;n of me ird OF
vision colresponds To the cI"nt 81 the detachment
Such condition i' not recovered from III more tian
per cont Of The cs'er There may occur also erosion
or absorption Of portions OF The In'lnhrhuce called the
chOrsid, which Is the membrane ;urnShlnS me blood
vessels most Of the Interior OF tho eye and whose
impairment damages the vision
- Among people who work much on c'OsG ol ircts
myopia continues to increase after twenty-five. hut IA
usually arrested they are In good hcIlth Ihos" who
qre the help OF glasses Tor reading NJ 10 MY or my
i've. Y cir distant VISION however, does not grow
nav arrive say ~ sixty. when Their distant sight be-
comes good while work they must u,c magnify
me- glass VIII n s9cn timer When R' tG"y may have to
weak convex glass FOR reading aId weak coneaye
classes ior distance while those who gla.s 81
j-inch focus will always he Obliged - use cOncaVe
glasses for distance ana may use another nut wrasrr
their eycs have little WORKING power"
d" should children usc giassc- T.
"wncn 1t appears that children in achool' have
ncar.ishleiuc's requiring coucve 30 they should
always wear glasses Tor blackboard and map exercise.
when they reach deSrc" amounting {" ii inches.
aud sometimes To ets degree, hey should wear glasses
for reading well n for distance on the stree" and the
hollis good for al stronger cas- MANY n"arsigh
ed people having weak eye mnscca require weaker
g,asses for reading than for distance Others need PMS
outer cdge and sometimes wee versa For some "f these
persons operations the muscles of tho c ncr"s
sy e ,I oRtr Many who have Ills muscular dni
cutY uI'r from headache aud have pain IN their eyes
ported tnIt oul 81 iOuGO children IN Germany
whose eyes we're examined nearly per cent were
i tSe 2 o3 ,''' sen"i chdrcn whom be- exam.
centagc Is not lnsh III THIS co"ntry Several hundrd
tnc and it WIS found that myop W." not SO ,acn,
III Am"rca IN Germany. Children III Amrica 90 not
20 10 school ~ early ani taking the populaon large
Their health is better Scar-shicdncss rarely higgins
with adults. II has been "tlrtd Ia brgn. however. IL
rxy years 81 age and then be connected carlrs
THIS distinction must he made 10 defining my0pa. II n
TO lie assumed that tho person WHO holds objects
close 20 his eye. necessarily myOpc Almost any Diud
OF detective sight Will 0blIec INN Ia de- tt. and hap
Iens AT some y, orc hold book very their
faces who have extremely fai cnrd stead Of elongated
eyes These need convex glasses - rs"n~ recover from
Inyopia ~ the moderate degrees of The diseasc Tbs
comes about by nttchlg IN the 'ns ~ ihr ~" ~ic
dmiushcs he focal length Of ihe rl" but leases the
optic unchanged. cry ifc means nd,ur-,fr and
orcnpat ION over boz X, neW.paucrs ana Wiifr and
cOnscq Ieny there Is m"rt myopl III me city th,n
the Those who I'VE In city nr,aly have css
vigorous health than c0uniry-ipks, tlrr tissues
softer. aud consequently Their Dyes are softer also"
" l. not Tho cJns dction OF school bindings dcfcc-
tivcl"
be prac Ice ~ arranging scho,l-roorq with desk,
40 low THAT ci dren arr forced TO stoup. az with
the stool and dcsl. tn be great
gravcd map, MI favorable 10 the development 81
Dearsig htcducss. The direction from winch The hsht
comes IL Important The body should cat shadow |
on The table aud should never face glazing light. The
position sbOnd he within about ten feet ~ Wndrw IL
practicable, the light coming from and slanting
the shoulder. preferably the lcf especially m
writing II such position cannot be- obtan,d ligh
FROM above which does not east shadow may Answer
the ulrposp II has been shown thai
mole frequcJt among chllrcn whose place IL study ia
remote iIin tie wuIOw. II ~ highly important that
chdren should not hc permit 10 read with heads
bowed down or In crouC!IcI posture wan book ON |
their laps. Tie AVERAGE correct distance between book
and eyes fourteen lnchr' There should nothing
Children who have IIrbittht prOpensitcs 10 read
shond be completed To quit Their booSs for |
to glasses 10 Obj am correct ideas tie world
ab jut them and have interest in things beyond their
defective range OF vision nearsghted cnIld without
glasrc' becomes contracted IN bis ideas and Indifferent
TO almost everything but books lie Is ndisposed TO |
play, and Ia apt to grow up feeble health with his
nature warped; with exaggerated notions OF his own |
ipJrIancc he takes little interest Ia his c'lOwcreaures
around hlm"
'rhe apparent increase Of nearsghtedness" said DIR
her OF persons who wear Rlasses now The
snumbcr few This erises In part from the
perfect means of examination now In use the bet
recognition OF the true OF glasses and fuller
understanding OF the defects for which glasses are
required"
INTERESTS or AMATEUR O1RCUEV