Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
CARE OF THE EYES.
Cleanliness Requires That They Be
Washed DailV


Don't be careless of the eyes during
cold weather. Battle them frequently.
Protect them from both wind and dust,
particularly the latter, which I believe
causes most of the infamed eyeballs and
swollen lids that now SO prevalent"
says DR.. George Houston Bell prominent
occulist.
IF the simple preventions that may be
employed to guard the eyes against sore
ness were understood 1 feel certain that
every would adopt them, especially
women who will stop at nothing to cure
inflammation and redness of the eyeballs
that is SO disfguring while 1t lasts.
"To women who are not compelled to go
out of doors daily 1 would suggest that the
easiest way for them to avoid any injury
from dust would be to stay in the house
until whirlwinds of fine dirt do not fill the
air. A shopping trip a call or even thea
ter engagement had better be postponed
unless a carriage can be called to ones
door or car stopped in front of ones
home.
IF it is necessary to go out when the
air is full of dust-as with so many thou
sand working women in the city, want to
advise them to take all possible precau
tons and, for their own comfort, to
member these don'ts:
Don't keep the eyes open when passing
through a cloud of dust. If it is not posi-
BILE to shut the lids. then turn the back or
side of the head so that the particles will
not fly directly into the eyes; or, if in
crowd, where there would be danger In
closing the eyes, place the hand, a paper
or some guard few inches from the op-
tics to shield them and to keep out the
dirt.
''Don't rub the eyes after going through
a cloud of dust, for this action has a ten
dency to irritate the eyeball by working
fine pieces of metal, dirt, etc, into the COR
nea. If particles in the eyes cause dis
fnrt or nd at
water that constantly bathes the eyeballs
have a chance to wash out the foreign
matter.
eff after several minutes the substance
is not dislodged, have druggist take out
the dirt with a fine camers hair brush,
wash out the eye with a saturate solution
of boric acid, which is a soothing antisep-
tic that will help to clear away any red
ness of the eyeball that usually follows
the irritation caused when dirt sticks to
the cornea If boric acid is not to be had,
use salt water.
EITHER the acid or water may be drop
ped into the eye from a spoon, but the best
plan to give the eyeball a thorough wash
out is to use regulation eyeglass that
fits tightly over the lids and makes posi-
BILE complete bath.
For those who have had no experience
with the use of an eyeglass 1 want to say
that it should be about three-quarters full
before it Is placed directly over the eye
with the lids closed. The head must be
thrown back when the glass is turned up
side down and then the lids opened and
the eyebau rolled around. This operation
should last but a few seconds and will
ordinarily bring immediate relief.
whether or not there are particles Of
dirt, etc, the eyeballs that cause pain,
/ think it advisable to wash out the eyes,
especially on windy days, after coming
into a house office, for then the gritty
specks will be cleaned away, the eyes left
fresh and bright looking and there be
no danger of infection from germs con-
tanned in the dust Use a solution of boric
acid for these washings, and if convenient
an eyeglass.
81 wish I could make women, and men,
too, understand that it is quite as essential
to wash out the eyes when they are full
of dirt as 1t is to cleanse the hands when
they soiled, for if l could l know much
of the trouble that often becomes chronic
and results in the use Of glasses would be
avoided and eyeglass and a bottle of
boric acid would be considered as essen
tial to physical cleanliness as is soap.
Every one. for hygienic reasons, should
wash out the eyes with 5 per cent solu-
ton Of boric acid each morning and every
night before retiring, for this bath not only
ceanses them, but soothes and allays
slight Inflammation caused from cold or
from strong winds and incidentally
strengthens the eyeballs.
when necessary to take long walks or
drives in the face Of, high winds. 1 think
the best and safest plan is to wear
smoked or green glasses that will break
the force of the wind before it reaches the
sensitive eyeballs. These glasses may not
be becoming, but 1 know of many cases
suffering from inflammation"