The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-15
NEAR SIGHTED PEOPLE.
| A Broadway Optician Explains tho Causes
mn HeD,edie% Of Nyopia.

"In no other city in the world can he
found 50 many people afflicted with my
opia or near sightedncss as right here IN
New York. " said Broadway optican
few DAYS since. More than half the
population OF our big town are so ar
ilcted. and the number of persons who
wear spectaclea or eyeglasses Is astonlsh-
lincly large, rs is evinced by an examine
ton of the faces of the crowds which
surge along Broadway. The number of
sufferers from myopia is. | am sorry to
fsay. aunuauy Increasing, ana not few
of these are from our schools and col.
iege4.'
10 what do YOU attribute the preva-
!eace Of this partial blindness querled
the writer,
lear sightedness arises from a num-
Der Of causes. chief among which are
reading in the dusk OF the evening. or
/ faticuing the eyes IN trying TO read 10y
aid of a bad artificial illumination; read
ing while in a lying position, or with the
head thrust too far forward, the perusing
s Of b{urred ON sioventy printed boots, or
matter printed in very small type. All
these and many other things conduce to
/ gradual decrease in the power of vision,
aud Il tao greatly persisted IN will finally
end in the total destruction Of the sight.
Tho principal cause OF the prevalence
of short sightedness (among our business
men at leasD. is the pernicions habit So
} LARGELY indnlged ii Of reading newspa-
pcr3 Thie riding in the surface cars or
omnlbuses. The jolung or swaying mo-
] ton of the car or bus causes an unsteadl-
moss Of hand. which makes the type ap-
bear blurred and uncertain. The steadler,
easy motion Of the cars on the elevated
roads has done much toward the presor-
{ yaton 81 the eyestght Of those VITO find
that they must read while On route and
who patronize the aerial mode of
/ transit
"Ndc0 docs oHe boc0I8e conscious OF
failing visual powerl" was asked.
zone FIRST Bogus Ia discover that he IS
/ losing his kocnncss OF vision when the
.;gDs ajOpe the streets and distant ob-
/ iccis are not easily disceruble without a
conscious effort, accompanied toy pain
| ful 9irainmg and extension OF the pupil
/ When ono is convinced that his eycsiSht
/ is Ealing him me should not delay Inc
mont before consulting AN oculist."
is not near sightedness sometimes
hcrohtaryt"
{ Il bchcVc hereditary induoncc to he
/ of great effect in causing short sight. |
have known large families whose mem
ler-, from the Youngest to the oldest,
we're a0Icted Wild weak eres az toe
/ short range Of vision Ihe.sight can Dee
preserved and prevented from growing
poorer only by the Use OF proper glasses
! "a lbe prDper time. \ dangerous mis-
/ take. too often made. Is that OF wearing
elas-os which are either too weak or
what is Worse, too strong for the require
meut OF the eve.
Continuing the optician remarked that
/ "Pro5byopia or SO called FAR sighted
ness, suporvenes earlier with those who
are constantly at work than with other
persons, and rs soon Is &c does convex
+ clJs-es should toe at once resorted To-,
/ without which the muscle OF accommo-
| danon would h. fatigued TO no purpose.
At frst tdeV shoaM h. HSed Tor working
| i'm the evening. after the fatigue Of the
/ day, bat a long sighted person should
only use spcctaces for looking at near
objects, not at far ones.
Speaking of spcc>acles and eyeglasses,
| the opiician further remarked that but
fe~ lenses were made IN the United
states, and those only Of the poorest
quality. said ne: .Ihe best lenses are
/ imported i'm rough state from France,
| and cut and polished after arrival in tins
country. Glasses ate numbered from I'VE
( 80 Gfty; those below No. . arc worn only
bv persons undergoing treatment for
cataract or other ocular diseases. As
/ tigmatism Is one OF these. AstigmatlSm
( Is an abnormal development Of sight
mower i'm one of the eyes, with CORES
/ nondng weakness of vision Ia the Other.
/ IL is often mistaken for myopia, and 50
trea1e1 b. ignorant men who pose a.
ophthalmOlOgists or, moro properly
speaking. not oculsts at all.
I'm conclusion | will only say that "a
man can part with a leg, arm or other
member Ut his body and eventually be
come accustomed to his loss, and may, ii
hc be Of a philosophical turn of mind,
manage to suck much nectar from MES
Gower, cut the loss Of SIGHT unfiS a man
alike for pleasure and for duty and re!
moves forever the ore thing needtul TO
tine most complete and fullest enjoyment
Of hi5 existence. Ii there IS one thing
more than another which would strive
TO impress on the minds Of Young people
IL is the advice, Take care OF your
eyes.