West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-09-15
on CHOOSING spECrACLUS.

To many, perhaps to most persons,
the notion Of having sooner or later
to wesr spectaces is not an altogeth
er agreeable Que. Tbereasou ofthis
dislike (remarks a writer in CAsselps
Family Nag zinel may possibly be
found 10 a certain extent in oonsid-
erations OF personal vanity, but much
more, II is 10 be hoped IN a not al
together Inexcusab ignoranc OF the
toll value OF spectScles as means
both OF increasing and preserving
vision, Any one at all acquainted
with the structure OF the human eve
knows that spectacIes are uscally an
absolute necessity 10 all pessons with
healthy eyes once they have reached
the age of lolty-Gve or fifty Some
times, indeed, persons ophoally OLD
that is, over fifty y-fYs or sixty, have
been heard TO boast that they can
read and write Just as we'll as ever,
aud have never worn glasses Ia their
lives" aud the suppressed inference
Is that. therefore, their eyes must be
extraordinarily good, aud they them
selves more than usually hale end
hearty for their ryears. The truth is,
however, that such persons are, aud
always have oeen, more or less short
sighted. j tested Tor distant vision
their sight would be found consider
ably below the average stand ard, aud
In TACT, wha: they gain in one respect
they lose IN another. IL cannot,
therefore, be too distinctly insisted
upon that the use OF glasses Is not
sign OF either falling strength or fail
ing sight. As every indIvidua! in
creases in years, his body uudergoes
certain changes. The hair, for in
stance, turns gray; the skin becomes
more or less Aiccid and wIinkled the
muscles waste, while, in sympathy
with these changes, the eye, too, un-
dergoes a gradual and imperceptible
change. This change amounts, TO
put 1t in the simplest way, to a .oss
Of elasticity. THIS Ios3 Of elasticity
car, moreover, be proved 10 have
been IN progress, 20 to say, from the
moment Of birth, aud it will continue
up TO The last year OF the longest
life. Tas practical result Of the is
that sms' objects alter a certain age
can no 10 nc-r be perceived 80 com
tortab.y aLj cleary for that i7 after
all most Important Poin', at short
distances AZ they used to be. ANN
tsnt can probably see distinctly any
thing held at two inches from it's
eyes, whereas a man OF fifty could
not look continuously at the same
object II muck nearer than eight or
ten inches. IL is 70 nsutralizs the
effects Of this perfectly healthy phya-
biological change that s2ectacles are
most frequently required. The con-
dit;on Of sight indeed by the above
change ls known as "preabyopia" or
"o!d signt'' Fortunately, however
for mankind in general this condl-
tion can very readily be reme1ied and
vision, indeed, rendered just az good
ss ever for al practical purposes by
the use Of proper glasses. 10 such
cases spe yiac.es are a source Of the
greatest comfort. They clear hazy
ou,liees, hey brighten co'ors, and
they restore vision in moment TO
what 1t has been ten or twelve years
belo.e. T1ey are at ooce d necessity
aud 4 luxury beyond comparison.
Hence, 30 one who is not either in
ordiuateIy vain, or IN waat laok-
iag 10 knowledge, viii defer .heir
use a single day or hour after he feels
be requires them.