Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-09-03
CHILDREN'S EYES SHOULD BE
GIVEN CAREFUL ATTENTION BY,
PARENTS AND SCHOOL TEACHER
Slightest Defects Should Be Remeded by
Proper, Glasses Before They Become Seri-
Gus; Many Physical Disorders Originate in
Poor Eyesight; Test Eyes Often.


ition Of the desks.
I Errors of refraction are exceed
Iingly common, and if not corrected
are the cause of headache, nervous
mess, reflex or referred pains, indi-
gestion, as well as a great variety
Iof symptoms. Vision defects
are a great handicap to the
mental and physical development
of a child. 1t has been shown that
the unnatural strain of accommo-
dating the eyes to close work leads
to myopia or nearsightedness in a
large proportion of growing chill
dren. Thus the percentage of
| shortsightedness increases marked
| ~ from the primary classes through
the grammar grades, and is highest
in the high school.
Eyes should be tested frequently
land any errors corrected. Many
families make this a yearly practice.
if they habitually hold the head too
near the bOOk-less than twelve to
fourteen inches-or if they fire.
quently complain of headache, es-
pecially at the close of school
hours.
Squint or commonly called cross
eye is a condition in which one eye
or both deviates from the normal
position, this may be only temper
AIRY or a fixed defect, and is due
TO an irregularity in the balance of
the action of the different sets of
muscles that move the eye ball, in
other words, one set of muscles are
stronger than the opposing set and
the stronger set pulls the eye out
of line towards that side. Squint
can very frequently be relieved by
the timely and correct fitting of
glasses, depending a great deal on
how soon the defect Is noted and
treatment started.
The following symptoms also in
dictate trouble with the eyes, VIZ:
scOwling, and wrinkling of the
forehead when reading or writing,
watery eyes, inflamed lids, witch
ing of the face, inattention or slow
ness in book studies in a child
otherwise bright.
The conditions that are especially |
hard on the eyes are dim light, i'm |
DIOptI lC VI NIOlOllp sinai "a nv
and prolonged focusing at close |
range The best type for books |
should not be too small and should |
always be clear cut. The charac-
ters should be simple, the ink black
and printed on a paper with a mat,
surface that is free
from gloss. Paper of a grayish
tone, is to be avoided. Children
should be taught that it is advisable L
while reading or for any other
close focusing of the eyes to oc-
,asionally look away from the
book or work, so as to relieve the
.ension of accommodation and
the tendency to short
;ightedness.
The presence of a cinder or any
'oreign substance in an eye should
never be neglected. These little
substances frequently
become imbedded in the tissue of
he eye ball or lids and when rough
y removed leave small cuts or
Ibrasions which may become in
ected in the same way as a cut or
cratch on the hands or face. Many
are walki:.g around today
With little white spots on their
,upils, these are nothing more than
he scars resulting from the heal
ng of small ulcers very often
ause by infection entering an in
ignificant abrasion.
We often speak Of q simple con-
unctivitis or just common sore'
yes. A lot of us have thought for
ears that sore eyes are nothing to
yorry about, they all get well in a
eW weeks. Quite true, it is one OF
he many infectious diseases that
as little or no mortality, but 1t is
disease that can leave long
rain of vision defects. The earn
lg power of a young man or Wo-
ian is sometimes materially af-
ected if he or she is absolutely de-
endable on the use of eye glasses.
radically all of the infectious dis
asses of the eyes are preventable.
he danger of rubbing the eyes with
irty fingers, the use of common
lwels and handkerchiefs should -
e preached and emphasized. The
eglect to have any inflammation
{ the eye or lids attended to is
lfe and sure chance of future WIS., !
N defects.
Children who develop sore eyes
1ould be promptly isolated from
hers, until all acute symptoms
ave passed.
We all have to come to glasses
,oner or later in life, why not help
our vision and make this an event
old age.