The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-11-24
The Wearing OF Glasses by Young
People.

Association.
1t is apparent that more children
are wearing glasses than used to be
the case, and the question frequently
occurs as to the cause of this state
of AFFAIRS Are children having too
heavy demands made on them, or are
glasses heing ordered when there is
no necessity for them. 1t is un-
doubtedly the fact that the average
child NOV days has more Sch pol
work than formerly, and among all
classesgthe eyes OF the child are be-
ing used for near work to a greater
eNteutsthan was the case u gen'rs-
tion Hgo@ During the growing pc
riod of' the child; the seuter envelope
or suppor,ing tissue OF the eyebah,
does not attain its fun degree o.
firmness~and hardness, and any
strain on the focusing muscles has
tendency TO make the eycbali
stretch, This stretching of the eye
ball is realty the condition which Is
commonly known as near-sighted
ness and is caused i'm 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 occurs from
strain, and in the great majority Of
cases can be prevented or at least
kept down to low degrees. II re
quires no special kaowledge to ap-
preciate the fact that tissue when
etretched is weaker than
before F and 49,. 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 attafns us'fun
growth" and the tissues have a
chance to become hard and firm.
hence. it, is5 SuritisrTAe seri otfU Bf
growth that damage t>othe'cy Is
most apt to occur. If the stretchine
of the eyeball goes beyond a cectan
point, the delicate nerve tissues in
side 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 rem
Cdied, 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 near-sightedreps
runs in families, and this, while
partly true, is really an unfortunate
misconceptions. Certain fam,,es
have softer tissues in the eye than
others, and their eyes stretch more
easily to certain degree of strain
This should only make such people
more cautious to avoid strain and
does not by any means imply that IL
Is necessary for such children 20 be
near-sighted. The cause of This
strain in the young child is astigmat-
ism. There are other contributing
causes, such as too short eyebau
poor general health, which makes
the tissues weaker and less resista,t
and also the disposition of the child
some children preferring to sit ard
read all day rather than to go out
ana exercise in the open air. An
these questions must receive proper
attention If near-sightedness is to he
prevented, but that astigmatism is
the principal cause is vel! known.
rms word is becoming rathe- f.
mibar, and yet it's meaning /, cnu.
stantly misunderstood. Manv neo-
Pc suppose that asst gmatisln means
oinerence in the two eyes, which
Is entirely wrong. " is an irrreu-
laTIty of the front part or I'm, nyc
"herc the ores should be sym nt-
real ILt are not. This irrekIl1rity
or inequality of the curves makee oh
Jects appear blurred Certain lines
In the objects looked at seem fa, rIv
dlstlnct while certain others ora
blurred, and this causes the eve m
make strong muscular efforts I,
overcome the blur and get perfect
ly clear image. The strain brouobt
about to correct the astipma+i,
image leads to stiffness and cramns
or the muscles with headaches ana
In severe cases to an actual stretch
ing of the eyebal The surest way
to stop the ever-increasine dangers