The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-09-13
SOUND VISION RARE.
ONLY ONE PERSON IN FIVE STANDS
THE SCIENTIFIC TEST.
Why So Many Wear Glasses Results of
Parental Carelessness = Humanity In
debted to tho Progress of tho Art of the
Oculist-The Oculist's Answer.

Ocullst-The Oculist's Answer.
"Thcro is probably no one subject por-
tanning to the human body less understood
than tho eye" said DR.. Dufour, physician
In charge of the eye department. of the
eastern dispcnsary, and it seems to BIO
less understood how necessary 1t is to seek
advice carly from n skilled oculist when
tho eyes need attention. AS to perfect
vision, it is rare especially among those
who live in largo cities. Investigations
which 1 have mado, as well as those of
other oculists, have proved this fact-that
only one-flfth, or about 90 por cent, Of Dyes
examined had perfect vision. Notice tho
number of persons you meet wearing
glasses. They aro not old people On tho
contrary, they arc young, many Of them
children. You will be convinced by this
that moro persons have defective vision
than you supposed, and that perfect eye
sight is tho exception and not tho rule.
Neglect Of the eyes In infancy or ut an
early ago is often tho cause Of bad eye
sight. They arc more sensitive to light at
that timc than Mt II mature age. Children
arc often taken out of doors with their lit
tic faces unprotected from the bright sun
light or arc allowed ut night to stare at
the gas or lamplight for hours This is
all wrong. Tho child's eyes should be
protected from tho glaro of light of any
kind. Should this be neglected, an I'm
pairment of the vision may result.
'Thero Is n disease of the eyes incident
TO the first week of infancy which has
caused u large per cent of blindness 1t is
very insidious in its approach. Most moth
ers suppose tho baby has only taken cold
md often postpone consulting an oculist
until great and often irrcparable injury
has been done. This is disease That COM
menccS us an inflammation of the mucu-
GUS membrane TINT lines the cyclids, and
unless checked will attack the cornca and
partially or totally destroy vision.
"Childrcns eyes arc often impaired by Il
lark schoolrooIn, where they arc compelled
to strain them in using them also from
studying by artificial light. Tho position
OF the head while using tho eyes has an
effect upon them. The dependent position
while leaning forward to read, together
with tho constant straining, will produce
ncarsightedncss, which will increase as
the child advances i'll his'or her studies
and keeps apaco in tho higher education of
universities and colleges. Ncarsightcdncss
may be prevented by avoiding too long
and close uso of tho eyes for near work
and proper arrangement of our school
as to illumination and the arrangements
of tho desks and seats.
Tho position for reading or studying
should be an erect one, and tho light al
lowed to fall on the book from over tho
left shoulder. Children that have defect
Two vision will learn that by squirting
docking cross cycdD they can improve it.
They will net squint constantly at first,
but only when looking at near objects.
Sometimes when looking ut distance this
is called periodic squint, and mostly oo
ours in children about the fourth or fiff
year, when they arc learning to SPELL etc.
This condition can often DO corrected by
the adjustment OF proper glasses for each
individual case. If this is not DONE the
vision in that eye will become permanent.
ly impaired Another very annoying con-
dition is diplopia double vision) ono OBJ
Ject seeming as two, and is caused by weak.
ness of one of tho muscles of the eyes The
inconvenience and consequent troubles
arising from this condition can DO correct
ed by wearing proper glasses. They dc
not cure tho insuilicicncy of tho muscles,
but change the rays of light rs they enter
tho eye and merge the two images into
one. Often n surgical operation is neccs
anrv to effect n cure.
This condition Is sometimes caused by
paralysis of one or more of the eye mus
Giles from brain trouble. Abnormal vision
has great influence upon the general
health, and in nervous affections is very
great. Persons who have suffered for year.
with headaches have been cured of them
and their health improved by proper treat
ment of their eyes. The nervous system
Is kept under constant strain by tho con
slant efforts of the eye muscles endeavor
ing to secure perfect vision General char
actor and disposition nre also affected by
imperfect eycsight, as it produces irrita
DllltV Of tnmnpr and ~ nl nd off
causes unplcasantncSs among acqunint
anccs and friends from the inability tc
recognize thcm on the thoroughfarcs, this
failure of recognition being construed rs
an aifront. y story is told of q very be
ncvolent man who was quite ncarsightcd
and who offended many of his friends by
not speaking to them when he met then
on tho street, and until the real cause wa:
known there existed considerable i'll feel
Ing about it. He often spoke to persons
he did not know and once bowed very DO
litely to n COW.
In reply to your question, Why do
many persons wear glasscs?' 1 would say
that in the first place tho use and applica
ton of the different kinds of glasses is bot
ter understood now than formerly, tho
diseases aro better understood and necessa
rily better treated, SO that fewer person.
loso their eycsight. Tho many labor say
ing machines, such rs the sewing machine
typewriter, etc, tho increased amount OF
reading and literary work done, together
with tho decrease of illiteracy, the uso OF
artificial light, all tend to overtax the eyes
and produce eye strain. To prevent this
the eyes must be assisted in tho grcai
amount of work they have to perform,
which Is done by the adjustment of proper
glasses.
Humanity in general has much to h
thankful for, and one of the boons foi
which We should express the most thank.