The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-07
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LOSS OF VISUAL ACUTENESA.



II 10 interesting to compare tho visual
Aouteneas Of the normal eye before and
after the efecs Of some purely physical
cause that may be within the realm Of
either nature or civilization. Taking q
few instances Of each for illustration,
will cite from nature first It IL we'll
known that severe illness greatly impairs
the acuteness Of vision Of an otherwise
strong eye. Almost the first thing con-
valescent will do is to call for . book or
newspaper to while away the tedium of
the sickroom. Unless warned not to try
his eyes too much, he 10 apt, through for.
getfulness, to overtask bis acoommodative
powers or injure the already weakened
cilfary muscle. When the rest Of his body
RECEIVERS It's normal strength, the eye con.
tinues weak. After straining the eyes
more in the vain hope that his sight will
improve the person, If he is wise, will con.
suit experienced help. II otherwise, be
will pick up the first pair Of spectacles
available, regardless Of whether they
should be too strong or too weak for his
eyes. Should he finally 60 to an optlcian,
tho lattn will often ind IL difficult to ct
glasses satisfactorily.
OoAAuS AAUeuIuA C1uSc9 bIb0b 0uOCu 0y6S aI6 |
wind, dust, light and heat when excessive |
Eyes otherwise good enough become weak
under such conditions. The weakness
may be due 10 an error Of refraction, and
under most conditions the accommodative
power of the eye Is. strong enough to over
come the error. But under such atmos.
pherio or climatic conditions as have
mentioned the accommodation is lessened,
and the eye cannot find relief except by
the use Of glasses They should generally
be convex.
Having mentioned those losses of visual
souteness due to natural causes, next in
order are causes produced by civilization.
At the outset will say that II the patient
were to change his occupation and take
plenty Of fresh air and exercise the opti-
clans service might never be needed, but
these "ifs' are in the way and are not to
be got rid Of by the average individual.
Take boy from the country, bring him
to town and place him at clerical work,
writing perhaps all day and into the night;
put him behind q counter and let him
stand all day with one hour free out Of 10
or more, or let him sit at workbench,
trade that keeps his eyes fixed
steadily hour after hour 10 or 10 inches In
front Of him. Take this same youth with
hitherto good eyes and bid him use them
lay In and day out reading for profess
non, or let him occupy his time In dim ,
y lighted room or bend over desk be- ,
Meath artificial light all the time I might
90 on giving instance after instance with
,ut particularising any calling a. more
harmful than others to the eyes.
Is It q wonder that the children Of this
generation are wearing glasses along with ,
heir grandsires9 Old age Is no longer the
'eason for wearing glasses. In nine cases
tut of ten the young man needs convex
ylass to assist his overtaxed eyes in fulfill
ng their duties.
In addition to these causes of weakened
'ision 1t is hardly necessary to mention I
he common evils of tcA1cco and alcoholic !
timulants. Again, hV the strong consti- T
ution of boy cannot save his eyes from d
heir thousand and one uses, how can frali =
women escape9 The ever increasing army I,
I women workers in shops and offices and J.
he new avenues Of employment opening q
0 them swell the number Of spectacle
It has been my purpose to point
ut that it is not the serious and very
lain errors Of refraction that cause the b
lost of an opticians patronage, and he II
,ust often attribute the loss Of visual d
cuteness to other oauses.-Jewelers' &
1eekly. :.