The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-08
TO CARE FOR THE EYES
AN OCULIST ExPLODES SOME TIME
WORN THEORIES ABOUT THEM.
Eyes May BE Adapted to Varying Con
ditions without Injury-SimpIe
Remedies to Apply.

New York Sum.
THE eyes shouldn't be coddled," said the
distinguished oculist. Possibly the theory
was not wholly disinterested. Oculists must
live.
"One's eyes are intended to meet ones
usual requirements" he continued. IF
they will not do it, it is because something
is wrong with them. Right that wrong by
glasses that produce normal visual condi-
tons. Then go ahead. OF course, there are
some forms Of work and Of folly that are
particularly disastrous to the eyes, but the
eyes of a healthy persons will stand any
abuse that doesn't pass reason.
Take this matter Of reading on the cars.
1t is a trihe hard on the eyes, but 1T ought
not to make one trouble. If it does, 1t is
because the person needs glasses; and, in
his place, 1 would get proper glasses and
go on with my reading. Then, If my eyes
still troubled me, L would know there was
something seriously out Of order in them or
in my general health, and 1 would look
into the matter thoroughly.
"Unwillingness to wear glasses is at the
root of more eye trouble than any other
one thing. That is why women suffer more
with their eyes than men do. Their vanity
prevents their adopting the obvious remedy
for the trouble until the need becomes too
urgent TO be set aside. The ordinary man
hates the inconvenience or glasses, but
doesn't agonize because they are not be-
coming.
I've wondered a good deal about this
question Of glasses. L don't know that L
believe it worth while to go to a good ocu-
list and pay his fee, unless one is sure the
trouble is a serious one. 1t is all a matter
Of dollars and cents. If a man is rich, let
him go TO the best oculist he can find and
increase his chances of satisfactory glasses
to the maximum; but, personally, ii money
were an object to me, I'd gamble on my
chances of getting what l needed at a good
opticians shop. The chance would be good.
L suppose it is bad policy TO advance the
theory, but, as a matter Of fact, most peo-
pie can get the glasses they need without
consulting an oculist, who, by virtue OF eX-
perience and ability, has the right TO charge
a whopping fee. AT any rate the scale Of
chance ~JustifeS the experiment. II 1t does
not succeed, here are We standing ready to
do the work and charge for it.
COMMON SENSE NECESSARY.
Naturally, one must exercise common
sense in the use of ones eyes. When 1 say
don't coddle Them 1 don't mean that one
must put them to absolutely irrational
straip. I've had patients who ruined their
eyes for life by trying to watch an eclipse
without smoked glass, and I've seen search
| light men who looked at the light until
NANJ 0aAAS@ $3.50 NS NANt
but reading, writing, theater-going and all
that sort of thing ought not to strain
normal eyes or eyes properly specialized.
There are a lot of traditions about caring
for the eyes that ought to be scattered TO
the four winds. They were exploded long
ago. but the public clings to them, and we
professional men might as well tilt against
windmillS as against a time-hOnored belief.
l suppose that TO the end Of time a mother
will believe she is doing the wise thing for
her student son by putting him IN a COM
| nqr1ffVplV dark room with a shade over his
eyes and the light from a shaded lamp fall
ing across his left shoulder upon the pages
of his book. That's the real thing for stu
Il know grown-up and intelligent men
who pride themselves upon doing their
reading or studying in that fashion. That
theory is dead-dead as Pharaoh, but the
public hasn't buried it.
Every oculist to-day knows that the
glare of light on the book contrasted with
the shade of the room and its other objects
is harmful to the eyes. If the reader lifts
his eyes even for a second from the page
he gives his ocular nerves a wrench and
strain. If one reads in the evening one
should do it in a room well lighted through
out. The lights should be high above ones
head, entirely out of ocular range unless
one should choose to look Up at them. The
more the quantity and perVasiveneSs OF
the artificial light is like daylight the better
for the eyes. I'm not advising the glare
of a dairy kitchen. but an even. clear all
pervading light by which one can read
without having an extra light to fall direct
" upon the book. There are your modern
ideal conditions for reading and study, but
il isn't always possible TO have such light,
and If il were people wouldn't give up their
shades and student lamps.
"Theater and opera try the eyes for the
same reason that the ordinary reading
light does. The lights are turned down in
the auditorium and concentrated on the
stage, and the eyes are constantly called
upon TO adjust themselves 10 rapid change
from dark 10 light. The only way 10 miti-
gate the evil is 10 avoid looking at anything
at all in the darkened house. while the cur
tain Is up; not even at the companion sit
ting beside one. Consulting the programme
in the gloom and then turning ones eyes
back 10 the brilliant stage is hard on any
eyes. Strong eyes should stand it, but
there's no use in imposing upon even a
willing worker.
WORRY HURTS THE EYES.
Worry Will affect the eyes as quickly as
anything in the world. People often come
TO me and tell me they have injured then
eyes by crying a great deal. That Is al
nonsense. Nothing serious ever happens
l 10 the avaS from mare CRYING: but the