The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-14
A TALK ABOUT EYES.
Domestic Tests for Near,Sightedness-Tho
Ills to Which the Eyes Are Subject.

Isn't it true doctor, inquired Journal re-
porter of the welknown oculist DR. j. l..
Thompson, that more children have defective
eyesght than is generally supposed
Undoubtedly replied Dr. Thompson but
there are simple tests to discover or disprove the
suspected defect First. test the child's vision
across fifteen or twenty foot room aud see
whether its sight is up to the normal standard
This cannot be done with letters the size of news
paper reading, but take letters that are very dis
tnct Test one eye at a time, and if the vision
is not up to that which is normal find out what
is the cause of this. If near-sightedness exists
one should be very careful not to use too strong
glasses, for if the ones are chosen which enable
the child to see well at distance and he uses
these also for reading, much harm will be done
Remember, that instead of being a strong eye
and one which will get better as age advances, a
near-sighted eye is a very weak eye and the ten
dency is for that weakness to increase"
The reporter here murmu1ed that he had often
heard that near-sighted eyes grew better as they
grew older
That's popular fallacy,7 said the Doctor
another thing a child often holds his BOOK
close, and the eye appears to be near-signted
when it is just the opposite, but, OWNS. 70 a
spasmodic action of the focusing apparatus, it
Stimulates near-sightedness Often it is the case
that persons wear near sighted glasses. because
they can see with them better at q distance,
simply because of this spasmodic action The
result is they often become actually near-sighted
through the use Of glasses. If one has near
sightedness in high degree two pairs of glasses
are necessary, one tor close and one for distance
the weaker for reading, and vice versa.
DO not" continued the Doctor "alow a child
to read soon after diphtheria other debilitat-
ing sickness. If you notice child while going
10 school wlnklng the eyes frequently and hard,
remember that is result of debility and eye
strain, and that if it is suffered to continue for
many weeks it will eventually become con
hrmed habit which amount of scolding will
break up. If, on the contrary, you take such
child out of school, and tone up the system it
will very soon be restored to health and the
spasms will cease.
when it is noticed that childs eyes begin
to cross while looking at close objects you can
occasionally help it by giving weak convex spec
tacles, but If these do not overcome the ten
dency IN a few months operation should be
made. If the operation is deferred too long The
eye becomes weak from disease, aud though it
be made straight the sight will remain bad
If, on the other hand, an operation is made be-
fore year has elapsed, not only is the eye
Strengthened, but the sight is also improved.
Infants and young children, especially those
of a scrofulous constitution, and where father or
mother has had relatives to die of consump-
tion, are very often affected with an inflammation
which looks like bliSters the edge of the dark
part of the eye; or in other cases little white
Spots on the dark part of the eye, and to such
the light is intoerabe, especially IN the morn
ing They are seen to bury their faces in the
pillow and dread to be taken where there is the
faintest ray of light; especially is this the case
in very warm weather In such cases great care
in diet is necessary. Pies, cakes, candies nuts
and all such trash should be avoided while milk,
eggs, fresh meats, bread and butter, and every
thing wholesome should be given. When the
weather is very hot change from n low fiat to
greater altitude and cooler climate often does
wonders When this seems to fail an occasional
cathartic of rnubarb and soda helps greatly
Sore eyes often come from taking cold, from
sitting in draft on damp days, riding in the
cars, etc One, or both eyes become very red,
feel as though sand was in them. the lids stick
together at night. A person so afflicted shouldn't
do, as is so frequently done goand put irritants.
such as saltwater, sulphate of zinc, sugar of
lead or Thompsons eye-water into them, but
should use, instead, hot lamentations of poppy
heads, chamomile. or even hot rainwater several
times during the day, for ten or fifteen minutes
at time, and little innocent salve, such as
cold cream, vaseline, simple cerate to the
edge of the lids at night Then rest, if possible.
1t should be known that rest and time are all
that are needed. Many an eye has got well
under the irritant treatment condemn, but it
has been in spite of the bad treatment
IF, while riding in the ears, one gets a cinder
in the eye, do not rub it and thereby scratch it
more, but take hold of tine upper lid and while
you roll the eyes down to your feet, pull the iii
forward away from the eye a few times and it
will generally De worked out If it still re
MAINS have a fellow-traveler, or engineer,
or fireman they are expert in these
matters) to gently turn the upper lid, when.
III ninety six cases out of one hundred, they will
remove it from the middle Of the lower inner
edge of the upper lid with the corner of hand
kerchief. If you wound your eye with a sharp
instrument, use ice-cold congresses until you
can see doctor, remembering that cold for in
juries and hot for other iuhammations are
usually best, with occasional exception.
Don't forget that a wound which has des-
troyed one eye often causes symptomatic des-
truction of the other, even twenty years after
wards in some cases, and in as short time as
six weeks in others. Look with suspicion on a
blind eye, if there is an abnormal or constant
grumbling pain in it, and remember that the re
moval of the blind eye sets at rest all sympa-
thetic danger in the other. If the sympathetic
Inflammation has already been set up, nothing
short of a miracle will save the second eye. In
deed, il is heartrending to think Of the many
who have paid no heed to this advice and who,
as a consequence, are now totally blind.
BE very careful about neuralgia in the eye,
especially if you are over forty five years old.
If with the neuralgia your sight is dim you
have noticed rainbow rings round u lamp, go to
q physician who will treat you for gaucoma,
one of the most durable of diseases if taken
early, but one which totally destroys the eye by
hardening the globe if it is suffered to run on.
Cataract often runs side by side with glaucoma.
In cataract you have no pain, no hardening of
the ball. In simple cataract you wait until the
eye becomes blind and then the cataract can be
removed, but if you have glaucoma with it and
wait, it remains blind forever in spite of any
operation.
IAN physicians desire to do everything in
their power to prevent disease and suffering
said the Doctor in conclusion ''and though the
treatment of the ills of their fellows is the
means by which they live, still, like the funeral
director have no doubt they would be glad
could their services DO wholly dispensed with