Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-10-13
THE EYESIGHT.
An Oculist Tells Some Facts
About His Trade.
How Glass Eyes are Worn by Some People
and Eye Glasses by Others

glass eye, is one of the objects in the
window Of a store on Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. 1t is surrounded by spectaclcs and
eye glasses of various kinds and other
articles sold by opticians. In'idc the
store hanging around the walls arc 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.
ooh, yes" said the optician, whct
the Star reporter entered the store and
asked about the glass eyes, ~ sell great
many. In fact, control the trade here.
Never saw person with an artificial
eyc9 Well, there arc thousand people
in this city wearing them. l 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 SIS
apiece, and some one might come in and
not be able to find in the whole thousand
qn eye that would match his sound eye"
"What are they made of" asked the
reporter.
"That is a secret which Ihave not dis.
covered myself" said the optician. 81
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
m enamel that is very durable"
Here the optician took glass eye
from the case and clappcd it over one of
his own eyes, to show how it worked.
The eye was delicatcly veined, just like
The natural optic.
'It causes momentary pain when it is
inserted for the first time" said the
optician. ut does not move at first.
1t is like new shoe, which has to be.
come fitted to the foot. In few days,
however, it becomes well fitted in the
socket and will turn and move just as
the sound eye does, following all its
motions, unless the wcarer turns his real
eye far out of the natural lines OF vision.
Some persons will wear the same eye
three months, Others for ten years. A
stonecutter Or bricklaycr or 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 distigurcd cyc-sockct. 1t is per.
sonal vanity that makes some get them,
but others wear them for comfort. We
sell more in winter than at other seasons.
1t 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-sightW in.
quired the reporter, looking around at
the assortment of printed letters that
adorned the walls.
"That is something I have been learn.
ing for 80 years." said the optician with
a smile. "To tell you all in few words
would be impossible. 1t is something
that comes by practical experience. One
may have theoretical Knowledge, but he
must have plactica! experience also.
When man comes in to get pair of
glasses you will watch him very closely,
see how he looks about him, and get
some idea of the defects of his vision
from that. Then it Is necessary to know
what his habits of reading are, whether
he reads in the morning or at night, and
other circumstances that might affect the
case. Yes, many people delay getting
glasses and suffer by it. They think
they can save themselves from glasses
just as man at the beginning of winter
will go without an ovcrcoat, Just to ac-
custom himself to the cold. He catches q
bad cold, and then he wants to wear
two or three ovcrcoats. If a person gets
proper glasses they will never do him
my injury"
"Somc people have two pairs-one
for reading, one for the street." sug-
gested the reporter.
"Thcy have pair for short distances
and another for seeing at longer dis.
tances," said the optcian. "Such cases
are generally those of persons who have
delayed too long In getting glasses. We
make glasses for such people, that arc
divided, the upper part being for long
distances and the lower part for read ng.
1t is pride that keeps some people from
wearing glasses. They dislike to ac-
knowlclyc any iniirmity. Sometimes
you will sec such person holding book
or paper in very strange positions, SO as
to enable them to read with some ease.
Many people who use glasses seem to
try and keep it a secret. They put them
in their pocket and only use them when
they are alone. There is great deal OF
mechanical skill required in providing
aid to the eyesight. When there is any
thing wrong behind the eye, any dis
case or disorder of the optic nerve, that
is professional matter for the oculist,
but the appliances for aiding vision arc
mechanical and require mechanical
knowledge, and oculjsts as rule have
none of that Washington Star.
A scientist says-your scientist is al,
,ro,,, e,r;nr, eon,othipr that oonh oJul,