Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-04-10
OUR EYES CAN'T
STAND THE PACE
Alarming Amount of Harm Done
to Them by Auto Speeding
and Moving Pictures
COMPLAINT IS CALLED PlCTURITlS
Headache and Nervousness Attributed
to the Ocular Strain of Watching
Succession Of Quickly Changing
Scenes.

According to observers there Is a
new eye complaint developing in
New York City, says the Sun, which
for want of better name Is called
picturitis. 1t is result of the popu-
larity Of moving picture entertain
ments.
Thousands of men, women and chill
dren now patronize the moving pic
ture shows which offer half an hours
entertainment for nickel. Some
visit two or three different shows in
an hour or an hour and half in
darkened room looking intently at
the jumping, rapidly shifting pictures
on the screen.
The light on these pictures is un-
even, and frequently sharp flashes of
light fall on the retina. The effect on
the eye is the same as watching
dow of a rapidly moving express train
or from flying automobile, which is
known to be very trying on the eye
because of the rapid changes on mus
cular accommodation demanded.
To many watching these moving
pictures causes discomfort. A few
minutes of it gives them sensation
of eye strain and nervous headache.
Others feel the effect of the strain
afterward and do not attribute their
sensations to the entertainment.
One physician in speaking of the
records of recent physical examina-
tions of men who wished to do gym
nastic work said he had observed a
number of cases of eye strain and
of nervousness which seemed to be
due to some eye trouble.
"In a number of cases." said he,
"the condition could be traced direct
ly to the fact that the subject owned
an automobile and was fond of driving
at high speed. In many other cases,
the majority in fact, the men never
used automobiles and their only travel
was in the elevated or subway trains.
Some of them were fond of moving
pictures.
"On talking with them about it
discovered that the trouble was direct
ly due to this cause. 1t is certainly
the only plausible explanation.
81 am not in position to state that
moving pictures are harmful in all
cases, as l have not collected suffi-
cient data to form definite conclu-
sions. l can say, however, that the
strain on the eye from speeding in an
automobile does lead to nervous de-
rangements and a lowered physical
tone.
"This is due partly to the constant
strain and responsibility people driv-
ing at high speed are under. But
much of it is due to eye strain COM
ing from watching fences and trees
and nearby objects fitting by at a
rate of fifty or sixty miles an hour.
"The rapid rate at which moving
pictures jigg!e before the eyes, cou-
pied with the fact that the light must
necessarily be less than that of day
dight and the nearness of the pictures
to the spectator, produces condition
even worse for the eye than speeding
at a seventy mile clip IN a car.
Certainly such conditions are not
normal ones for the eye. OF course
when we come to that the extensive
use of artificial illumination, reading
at night and using the eyes after
dark in intricate processes are not
natural. Primitive man did his work
by daylight, and slept at night And
probably to the fact that at night ne
had no electric lights and no finely
printed newspapers and books to
read was due the other fact that he
could see much better in the dark
than the average city man of to-day.
AS 1t is the countryman Of to-day can
get around far better without light at
night than the city man.
"This moving picture habit, which
subjects the eyes to high power illumi.
nation broken into instants of alter
mating light and shade. certainly can
not be restful or beneficial to the
eyes. Personally | find any long view
of these pictures very uncomfortable,
and know of many who complain
that they produce unpleasant ocular
sensations"