Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-06-12
PROTECT THE EYES.
Practical Advice for Those Who Disregard
the Organs of Sight.


To take great care Of the eyes should
be one of our foremost duties. Very
many eyes might have been saved if the
owners had only know how to care for
them. A blind man is charge upon
the community at large. He is not
producer, as rule, but consumer.
The money annually spent in the
United States for the support of the
blind is sufficient to pay the interest on
the public debt. "Pity the blindr' Pity
we may, perhaps, for we can not al
ways help. We must also condemn;
and whom shall we blame? Not the
poor unfortunates themselves, but the
ignorance of many parents and nurses;
for they, in many instances, are the re-
sponsible ones
The eyes of the newborn child are
extremely delicate and very sensitive
to irritants. Mothers and nurses should
be exceedingly careful to avoid expos.
ing the eyes of their charges to the
light Nature is aware of this and us.
ually ushers in the newcomer at night.
They should also be very careful when
washing the infants, for matters from
the body may get into the eyes and
there set up an Inflammation which, at
this age, frequently results in entire
loss of vision. One-half of all the blind
become so through this cause.
Children under seven years of age
have eyes which are too imperfect to
admit of close application. If used at
this age they are very apt to give way
under the strain, becoming longer and
hence short-sighted or, if there be any
inherited trouble, it is readily develop
ed. If only for this reason children
under the eighth year should not be set
to their books, and if sent to any school
this should be kindergarten.
The normal adult eye in a healthy
person can stand an immense amount
of work if properly used but many
eyes are normal; some are too long,
some too short, and in others some part
Of the complex machinery is out of
gear. The old eye becomes worn with
use and is not fitted for fine work; the
media transparent in the adult, are
clouded, and degeneration shows in
every structure.
School-room desks should be of suffi-
cient height so that the pupils will not
have to bend over their tasks. In read
ing or writing, in either the standing or
the sitting posture, the head and body
should be erect The act of bending
constricts the veins of the neck, hinder
ing the return of blood from the head,
thus increasing intra-ocular pressure.
This is one of the most common causes
of myopia, or short-sight. Teach the
children to read and to write without
leaning on their desks. Bend the tree
while it is young, and when it is old all
the kings horses can not straighten it.
The book should be held not less than
ten inches from the eyes. If it be
noticed that pupil habitually holds his
work closer, the fact should be reported
to the parents, who should take the
child to an oculist.
The light should come from one side,
preferably the left. There should be
no windows in the wall Of the school
room that the students face. That end
should be blackboard. Pupils should
face the desk when writing, holding
the paper with the edges parallel to the
edges of the desk-top. Many systems
of writing teach the false position of
having one side of the body nearer the
desk than the other. In such position
the eyes and body soon become tired.
ha chn hn fnl in
drawing and other close work. The
best plan is to work continuously ten
minutes or so and to look up from book
or task at some distant object for a mo-
ment, then continue the work. The
eyes are rested, the thoughts concen-
trated and the mind reviews what has
been done. Thus more work can be ac-
complished without fatigue. Engrav-
ers, who follow this method, save their
eyes; while others who do not, are in
variably affected, sooner or later, by
their fine work.
At home or in office few more ad-
monitions are needed;
Don't work by twilight or by flick
ering light. The rapidly diminishing
light between sunset and dusk is most
fatal to the eyes. Fine needlework, es-
pecially colored embroidery, should be
pursued only in good light.
Don't read lying down, as then there
is too much blood pressure in the eyes
, and the external muscles become NOR 9
readily tired.
Don't read in direct sunlight, as the
| glare is direct irritant to the retina.
In reading by artificial light, the back
J should always be turned to the source
, of illumination, allowing the light to
pass over the shoulders. When work
ing by artificial illumination, the light
!, should either be high enough to permit
shading of the eyes by the brows, else
an opaque screen, or, better STILL a
translucent shade should cut off the
, glare of the light from the eyes, and
r vet permit illumination of the work.
, The light of an oil lamp is, as rule,
{ better than that furnished by the aver.
age corporation gas-burner; and We,
T the latter may be greatly improved by
attaching one form of the incandescent
: wire apparatus that are now on the
market.
. BY following these suggestions many
; congenital defects will never assert
, themselves, and many others will never
, be acquired. No time should ever be
| thought other than wisely employed
, which is given over to the care. of the
l eyes. The eye is not only the light
y house to the soul, but it is undoubtedly
the most valuable member of the hu
man body, and except none. 1t there
fore behooves us to exercise every pos
sible precaution for its preservation
and no words are too strong to serve al
warning to those who wrongfully us,
or abuse the eye.-Dr. II. V. Wurde
mann IN I adiac' Hn,na Iourpal