St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-01-08
An Answer to Various Inquiries Re-
garding the Eyes.

whilst their fathers, mothers, and grand
parents did not.
There are three answers to this query;
First, the art of discovering the eye de.
fects and visual defects, and the correc-
ton or neutralizing of these defects with
properly focused lenses, is of recent
origin.
Second, in these days of cheap books
and periodicals, coupled with our pre-
sent educational facilities, when the very
poorest of our children may learn to read
and have all the reading matter that it
is possible to find time to read.
Third, the rushing of students in our
educational institutions has caused the
| present generation to use their eyes more
and at work which causes greater strain
on the mechanism ofthe eye, than any gen.
Grafton since the world was organized.
Our tore-parents had eye defects, but
suffered on through life without relief,
and how often we have heard the older,
uneducated ones say they could not go to
school and acquire an education on ac-
count OF weak eyes. If these unfortunate
ones were struggling against such disad-
vantages today they would be advised to
see an eye specialist who would relieve
these defects with properly adjusted len
SEES, thus removing grave handicap and
give them equal advantages with the more
fortunate ones, who were not so afflicted
So often people came to our Offices
with their children, who have been sent
home from school on account of their
having defective eyes, feeling that it is a
needless expense, and hardship imposed
upon them, and that it is only within of
the teacher or the school principal, not
realizing that their children are suffering
from any eye defects. This is so, from the
fact that the parents are used to the
manifestations as exhibited by the child
from eye troubles or retroactive error, due
to improperly formed eye balls or re-
fractive media in the eye
These manifestations are squirting,
trowning, holding things near to the eyes,
turning the head to one side and looking
obliquely at objects. redness of the mar
gins OF the lids, watering of the eyes af-
ter reading, constant winking and blink
ing of the eyes, complaints of constant
headache, or too frequent headaches to be
caused by any but some function which
is constantly performed. There are
many other symptoms, but those who
suffer will have one or more of those
symptoms already named. and whilst
many of these may be present, but are
seen so often and constantly by the par
ent that they do not notice them, how
ever, the school authorities, knowing the
great disadvantages to the student and
the amount of harm which may come
from eye strain, look out for these mani
testations and insist on their correction.
These eye defects keep the students
back, and are a great disadvantage,
making school life distasteful to them,
whereas it might be pleasure. A lack
of education is a hindrance all the DAYS
of their lives, and in these DAYS of keen
competition, when it is practically a sur
vival of the tittiest in any vocation in
life, from the highest down to the com.
monest kind of mechanical labor it
stands us in hand if we have the real
good OF our children at heart, to be sure
that they have every faculty in the best
possible condition, and that all irritating
are removed if at all possible.
In some states the school authorities
make it compulsory on the parent to
have their children carefully examined for
any defect which might be present and
would be hindrance TO the child, and in (
sist that all defects possible be amend |
ed before the student can enter school. |
This is not because the parents haven't I
the best interest of their children at
heart, or because parents are too Pc
NITROUS to stand the expense but be- /
cause the parents are so familiar with /
the actions of their children that they do I
not realize that they may be suffering /
from any defects. Every child should l
carry a certificate with them when enter /
ing school, attesting their soundness, or
out their weakness, physically, /
so that the school authorities may be
properly guided when they are assigned
to classes.
Visual defects and defects OF hearing
are the greatest drawbacks to students.
and those should be especially looked
after, for how can a child with defective
eyes or ears be expected to hold his
own with more fortunate school-mates.
Or how is it possible for h m to get the
hull benefits of our great educational svs-
tenn without the use of all faculties.
The children OF today, who during the
next generation must rule the earth, bear
their mothers and fathers burdens,
maintain their high standing of citizen
ship, and carry out and extend civiliza-
ton to all the earth should have all the
advantages it is possible for science to
procure for them, A good primary edu-
,ation is one of the best preparations for
good, useful, and happy lives, and with
out this they would be placed at dis
advantage all the days of their lives, and
It's aconceded fact that toda your prisons,
asylums and epiletic institutions con-
tain many inmates who would be lead
ng useful happy lives if their eyes and
ears had been perfect, so they could have
attended school without suffering pain
and humiliation, but having these defects,
school was distasteful and they evaded
t and tell into pernicous habits, which
nave led to their present state Not only
This, but many of the terrible diseases
which impair health, cause premature
1eath, and destroy vision, might be
avoided If the eyes were properly attend
ID to. Even though vision is perfect it is
10 sign that the eye does not need glasses.
rs the most nerve draining defects are
ound IN eyes which transmit a perfect
mage along the optic nerves and tracts
% the brain.
A. S. HAsKINs.
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