Evening star., 1897-01-30

eolors before the vision injuries the sight,
and that the love of color. which Is re-
sponSiDle for all the charming harmonies
of hues aLd Chromatic effects that prevail
in the homes of the rich, is a positive evil
when considered from the point of view of
the oculist as it is in no small measure
answerabIe for many obscure eye troubles.
The investigation into the objectionable
properties of colors, which Will work such
a change in interior decorations and which
oculists believe will save many peoples
sight. started in an accidental way. Two
members of a family high in the social life
of New York went to a specialist to con-
suit him about their eyes, which were CIV
ing them much troube-why. neither they
nor he seemed able to determine. Calling
on them at their homes one evening, he ex-
claimed almost Immediately on entering the
sitting room. Il know now what is the mat
ter with your eyeS-too much yellow"
Bright terra Gotta and yellow ruled in
the decorations. ana of the three lamps
used, TWO were of highly polished and high
ly rejecting brass, and the center table
lamp sent very yellow fame through one
of the golden ''fshscale'' globes. White
porcelain shades were ordered Immediately
for the lamps
The reason for the injurious effect Is ex-
planned in the fact that sunlight, which Is
the natural light, is white. With such light
no special effort of the optic nerve is re-
qured and all parts of the eye do their
work normally. But when a colored light
Is placed before the eyes the organs OF
sight have more work to do than before.
They have to adjust themselves to catch
the changed vibrations which give forth
other radiations than the normal white
light. The more Intense these colors and
the greater their variety, the more Is the
strain upon the eyes Just as II takes some
time for the eye to use its normal vision
after gazing at a firework display, in the
same way the light through colored shade
is now believed to a limitel degree to affec;
the eye.
The lavish use Of colors in the home, par
ticularly in the rooms where people read
write or sew is. therefore, strongly depre-
Gated All those charming shades Of green
yellow. red. pink. or blue, which make \
room look so inviting and appeal so keenly
to The artistic senses, though they may give
pleasure to the eyes that liok upon them
are strain upon the sight. They may bt
used at times to decorate conservatory OF
ball room. but white shades at all times
best for study. parlor music room. Ii
boudoir or nursery the colored lamp shade:
will also be vigorously tabooed by those
who are careful of their eyesight.
A metropolitan optician whose clientele
IS chiefly among the fashionable set Is one
Of the foremost workers against the use OF
colored lights. Speaking to the writer upor
;nis subject a few days ago. he said:
"Of course, if l were TO openly oppose rec
lamp shades and rainbow decorations,
would Immediately become unpopular will
some of my best customers. This revOlu
tlOD must. IN my opinion, De brought aDOu
gradually and by Individual effort. AL op
ticians and oculists feel the same way
Otherwise we would be accused of trying
to help our business along. whereas. in tn
end. we will decrease II.
There is not the slightest question, how
ever, that the multi-colored decoration
and the use of opalescent globes and shade
for incandesoent lamps have caused man
men and women to believe their sight wa
falling, when all that needed to re
move the trouble was the substitution o
white. semi-opaque shades. Yellow and tn
hue known golden are two tints pecu
Harry hard on the eyes and the numerou
gradations of rose and pink are equal
trying. Green when used as the color 70
lamp shade Is not to be commended an
more than blue. The nearer white the ngh
Is in rooms where eyes are employed 1
reading. writing, a similar occupation
the less is the natural use Of them tan
pered with.