The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-10-09
WEARING GLASSES BY YOUNG
PEOPLE,

WEARING GLASSES BY YOUNG
PEOPLE.
It 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 being ordered when there is
no necessity for them. 1t is undoubt-
eddy 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 greater extent than
was the case generation ago Dur
ing the growing period OF the child,
the outer envelope, or supporting It's
sue of the eyeball. does not attain it's
full degree of firmness and harness,
and any strain on the focusing
muscles has a tend'ency to make the
eyeban 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. Observation-Disclosures always occurs
from strain, and in the great majority
OF cases can be prevented, or at least
kept down to low degrees. 1t requires
no special knowledge to appreciate the
fact that tissue when stretched is
weaker than before and is likely to
go on stretching. and this is the dam
ger in near-sighted eyes. Such eyes
are apt to stretch and grow worse
until the child attains its full growth,
and the tissues have a chance to be-
come hard and firm, hence, it is dur
ing the period of growth that damage
to the eyes is most apt to occur. II
the stretching of the eyeball goes be-
yond 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
hack to its normal size In very high
may result There is a current be-
lief that near-sightednes runs in fam
flies. and this. while partly true, IS
really an unfortunate misconception.
Certain families have softer tissues in
the eve than others, and their eyes
stretch more easily to certain de-
gree of strain. This shoulG only make
such people more cautious to avoid
strain and does not by any means
imply that it is necessary for suc,l
children to be near-sighted. The
cause of this strain in the young child
is astigmatism. There are other con.
tributing causes. such as a too short
cyebalI. poor general health, which
makes the tissues weaker and less
resistant. and also the disposition OF
the child, some children preferring to
sit and read all Gay rather than to go
out and exercise in the open air. All
these questions must receive proper
if near-sightedness is to be
prevented, but that astfgmatism Is
the principal cause is well-know,I
This word is becoming rather familiar,
and yet its meaning is constantly mis-.
understood. Many people suppose
that astigmatism means differences
in the two eyes, which is entirely
wrong 1t is an irregularity OF the
front part OF the eye where the curves
7hould be symmetrical but are not.
This irregularity or inequality OF the
curves makes objects appear blurreo
Certain lines in the objects looked a,
seem fairly distinct while certain 9TH
ers are blurred, and this causes the
eye to make strong muscular efforts
to overcome the blur and get per.
fectly clear image. The strain brough.
about to correct the astigmatic image
leads TO stiffness and cramps Of the
muscles with heada ches, and in Sc
we're cases to an actual stretching o,
the eyeball The surest wav to stop
the ever-increasing dangers of near.
sightedness is to correct astigmatisu
oy means Of properly fitting glasse.
during the growing period Recently
statistics show that in accordance
with this method of treatment near
sightedness is becoming less. Many
children are Obliged to wear glasses
when reading or during the period Of
greatest strain, and if the astigmatism
is of small amount, they can freuuen.-
" lay aside the glasses when they
have attained their full growth. The
greatest amount of strain is during
reading or sewing. or any use OF the