Connecticut western news., 1886-10-20
THE EYESIGHT.
An OculiSt Tells Some Facts
 About His Trade.

An OculiSt Tells Some FactS
 About His Trade.
 How Glass Eyes are Worn by Some People
 and Eye Glasses by Others
 A tray fitted with little velvet-lined compartments, out of which stares glass eye, is one of the objects in the window of store on Pennsylvania ave- nue. It is surrounded by spectaclcs and eye glasses of various kinds and other articles sold by opticians. In idle the store hanging around the walls are many little screens or hangers having on them letters of different size, from the huge type used on circus bills down to the most minute type known to the printer.
 "Oh, yes," sad the optician, whet the Star reporter entered the store and asked about the glass eyes, 1T sell great many. In fact, control the trade here. Never saw Q person with an artificial cyc9 Well, there are thousand people in this city wearing them. I could take you along Pennsylvania avenue now and show you fifty persons with them, and you would never suspect it. We keep a large stock. Still one might keep a thousand on hand, and that would rep resent a great deal of money at $15 apiece, and some one might come in and not be able to find in the whole thousand an eye that would match his sound eye" !"
 'sWhat are they made of2" asked the reporter.
 ''That is secret which have not dis covered myself," said the optician. 'I have tried to melt the eyes made now with blow-pipe and could not do it. The glass eyes that used to be sold could be melted. They are covered over with an enamel that is very durable"
 Here tho optican took a glass eye from the case and clapped it over one of his own eyes, to show how it worked. The eye was delicately veined, just like the natural optic.
 'It causes momentary pain when it is inserted for the first time," said the optician. 'It does not move at first. It is like a new shoe, which has to be- come fitted to the foot. In few days, however, it becomes we'll fitted in the socket and will turn and move just as the sound eye docs, following all its motions, unless the wearer turns his real eye far out of the natural lines of vision. Some persons will wear the same eye three months, ~othcrs for ten years. A stonecutter CT bricklayer or a person who works in dust is apt to wear out an eye sooner than other people. The fine dust cuts the enamel. Yes person looks much better with an artificial eye than with disfigured eye-socket. It is per sonal vanity that makes some get them, but others wear them for comfort. We sell more in winter than at other seasons. It protects the sensible parts of the eye. Most people who wear them take them out at night and place them in water and at the same time wash out the eye socket. You cannot tell an artificial eye from real one if it is properly fitted.
 ''How do you test cye-sight2" in. quired the reporter, looking around al tho assortment of printed letters that adorned the walls.
 ''That is something I have been learn ing for 30 years," said the optician witf a smile. "To tell you all in a few words would be impossible. It is something that comes by practical experience. Ono may have theoretical knowledge, but h' must have practical experience also When man comes in to get pair O. glasses you will watch him very closely see how he looks about him, and ge some idea of the defects of his visior from that. Then it IS necessary to knov what his habits of reading are, whethe he reads in the morning or at night, ant other circumstances that might affect tn case. Yes, many people delay getting glasses and suffer by it. They thinl they can save themselves from glasses just as man at the beginning of winte will go without an overcoat, just to ac custom himself to the cold. He catches bad cold, and then he wants to wca two or three overcoats. If a person get proper glasses they will never do hin any injury" .-s. -...
 "Some people have two pairs-on for reading, one for the street," sug gested the reporter.
 "They have pair for short distance and another for seeing at longer dis tances," said the optician. "Such case are generally those of persons who hay delayed too long Tn getting glasses. w make glasses for such people, that ar divided, the upper part being for lon distances and the lower part for read na It is pride that keeps some people fro1 wearing glasses. They dislike to ae knowledge any infrmity. Sometime you will see such a person holding bool or paper in very strange positions, so a to enable them to read with some ease Many people who use glasses seem t try and keep it a secret. They put thel in their pocket and only use them whe they are alone. There is great deal ( mechanical skill required in providin aid to the eyesight. When there is any thing wrong behind the eye, any di case or disorder of the optic nerve, tn;