The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-10-08
ARE CHILDREN GOING BLIND?

The following is gathered from the
American Medical Journals and will be
found of general interest to parents
and teachers:
1t is apparent that more children are
wearing glasses than used to be the
case, and the question frequently oc-
ours as to the cause of this state OF
affairs. Are children having too heavy
demands made on them, or are glasses
being ordered when there is no neces-
sity for them. It is undoubtedly the
fact that the average child nowadays
has more schoolwork than formerly,
and among all classes the eyes of the
child are being used for near work to
a greater extent than was the case a
generation ago. During the growing
period of the child, the outer envelope,
or supporting tissue of the eyeball,
does not attain its full degree OF firm
ness and hardness, and any strain on
the focusing muscles has tendency
to make the eyeball stretch. This
stretching of the eyeball is really the
condition which is commonly known
as near-sightedness, and is caused in
most instances by strain in reading.
Many people believe that child may
be born near-sighted, but this is not
the case. Near-sightedness always oc-
ours from strain, and in the great ma
jority of cases can be prevented, or at
least kept down to low degree. 1t re-
quires no special knowledge to ap-
preciate the fact that tissue when
stretched is weaker than before and
is likely to go on stretching, and this
is the danger in near-sighted eyes.
Such eyes are apt to stretch and grow
worse until the child attains its full
growth, and the tissues have chance
to become hard and firm, hence, it is
during the period of growth that dam
age to the eyes is most apt to occur
If the stretching of the eyeball goes
beyond certain point the delicate
nerve tissues inside the eye are apt to
become stretched to an extent which
they cannot stand, and tears and
breaks occur in them with damage to
the sight. These breaks cannot be
remedied, nor for that matter can the
eye when it is once stretched come
back to its normal size. In very high
degrees of stretching, even blindness
may result. There is a current belief
that nearsightedness runs in families,
and this, while partly true, is really
an unfortunate misconception. Certain
families have softer tissues in the eye
than others, and their eyes stretch
more easily to a certain degree Of
strain. This should only make such
people more cautious to avoid strain
and does not by any means imply that
it is necessary for such children to be
near-sighted The cause of this strain
in the young child is astigmatism.
There are other contributing causes,
such as too short eyeball poor
WI oh, %so
sues weaker and less resistant, and
also the disposition of the child, some
children preferring to sit and read all
day rather than go out and exercise in
the open air. All these questions must
receive proper attention if nearsig/t-
edness is to be prevented, but that as.
tigmatism is the principal cause is
well-known. This word is becoming
rather familiar, and yet its meaning is
constantly misunderstood. Many PEG
pie suppose that astigmatism means
a difference in the two eyes, which is
entirely wrong. 1t is an irregularity
of the front part of the eye where the
curves should be symmetrically but
are not. This irregularity or Unequal
ity of the curves makes objects appear
blurred. Certain lines in the objects
looked at seem fairly distinct while
CERTAIN others are blurred. and this
causes the eye to make strong muscu
lar efforts to overcome the blur ant
get perfectly clear image. The
strain brought about to correct the as
tigmatic image leads to stiffness ant
cramps of the muscles with headaches
and in severe cases to an actua
stretching of the eyeball. The sures
way to stop the ever-increasing dan
gers Of near-sightedness is to corerc
astigmatism by means of properly fit
ting glasses during the growing period
Recently statistics show that in &C
cordance with this method of treat
ment, near-sightedness is becomin!
less. Many children are obliged t,
wear glasses when reading or durin,
the period of greatest strain, and i
the astigmatism Is Of small amount
they can frequently lay aside tn
ole raaa xuhoo &hoxz hauo a44ainna 4I,i