New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-17
INCREASED USE OF SPECTACLES.
EYES ARE MADE WEAK FROM EXCEs-
SIVE LIGHT AND HEAT.
SEVERE SICKNESS GREATLY IMPAiRs THE SIGHT
AND coNYALEscENTs SHOULD NEVER

SEVERE SICKNESS GREATLY IMPAIRs THE SIGHT
AND coxvALEscENTs SHOULD NEVER
BIZ ALLOWED 70 READ
The following statement by physician in THE
Albany Press gives some OF the causes OF the
prevalence OF weak and impaired eyesight:
1t Is interesting to compare the visual acuteness
OF the normal eye before and after the erect o.
realm OF either nature or civilization. Taxing
Few instances OF each for illustration, ! VIII cite
from pature first. Il is well known tnat severe
sickness greatly impairs the acuteness OF vision vision
OF otherwise strong eye Almost the hrst thing
newspaper to while away the tedium OF the SICK
room Unless %arneG not to try ms 70 eyes i9a his
accOmmOdatlve power or injure the already weak
Tn%S g afh the he eye yesI M
After strainng the eyes more in the. yam nope
gp' i Ha SEt' x 6c i oRerW5
pick up the first pair Of spectacies availape, re- e.
Too weak for his eyes should he finally 80 TO an
optcian the latter will often find 1t difhcuit 10 III
other natural causes that affect eyes are WIND,
dust, light and heat. wnen excessive hyes oonst
tons The weakness may he due 10 an error OF
rcfraction and under most conditions me accom-
modatiye power Of the eye j. strong enough 20
overcome the error But under such atmospheric
or climatic conditions as have mentioned ne "a &c,
commoda ton IS lessened and the eye cannot ma
relief except by the use OF glasses They shouid
Having mentioned those losses OF visual acute
ness due 10 natural causes next In order are causes
produced by civilization. At the outset VIII say
that If tho patient were TO change his occupation
and take plenty Of fresh air and exercise the op-
ticlan's service might never be needed but these
Ifs" are In the way and are not TO he got ria OF
by the average individual -, . $500
Take a boy from the country, bring MN 10 Town
and pIacp him ~ clerical work-wrlting, perhaps
all days and into the night. Put him behind the
counter and let him stand all day win one nour
free out Of twelve more or let him sly ~ a
work bench following trade that keeps ms eyes
Fixed steadily hour after hour, twelve or eighteen
inches I'm front Of him. Take this same youth WIN
hitherto good eyes and bid him use them DAY IN
and day out reading ior profession. or let MN
Orcupv his time IN a dlmlv lightly room, or oend
over a desk beneath artificial light all the tme
| might go on giving instance after Instance, WIN,
out particularzing any calling as more harmrui
than others to the eyes. .,-
l. II a wonder that the children OF this generation
ore wearing glasses along with their granlslres'
old GO Is no longer the reason FOR wearing glasses
I'm nine Of the young man needs II
convex glass 10 assist his overtaxed eyes In follow
ing their duties In addition 70 these causes OF
p-aa korod vision Il Is hardly necessary 70 menon
the common evils Of tobacco and alcoholic stlInu-
lants Again If the strong constitution or n Doy
cannot save HE eyes from their thousand and one
uses how can frail women escape? The ever-ln,
creas,rg army ~ women workers In shops ana
o'icps and The new avenues Of employment opening
20 them swell tho number o. spectacle wearers' IL
has been nv purpose 70 point out mat IL ~ NOT Ine
serious and very plain errors OF refractlon INA.
GAUGE the most ot an opticians patronage. ana ne
must often attribute the loss OF visual acuteness
70 Ofh