Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-05
TEETH AND EYESTRAIN
By H. Addington Bruce

FRS L. S. presented a most difficult
MI case of ,eyestrain. 1t was a serious
80 - case, too, in the completely of its asso"
ciated symptoms.
Not only did Mrs. L. S. suffer from the
common eyestrain troubles of pain in the eyes,
headaches, vertigo and chronic indigestion,
but she was afflicted with rheumatic aches
and pains, ringing in the ears, palpitation OF
the heart, and constant feelings of fatigue
Nor did the best efforts of the eye specialist
she consulted bring her real relief. In some
degree the various glasses he prescribed less
ened the intensity of her symptoms, but al"
ways these became aggravated when she at
tempted to use her eyes for close work.
At first the specialist feared that the fault
lay with himself, in making errors of refrac-
ton, hence prescribing unsuitable glasses.
Careful testing ruled out this possibility.
Then it occurred to him that the eyestrain it.
SELF as well as his patients fatiguability and
varied aches and pains, might be due to- some
unsuspected focus of infection in the nose,
throat, SinuSes, or teeth.
Nose throat, and sinuses were relieved Of
blame by a nose and throat specialist. Mrs.
L. S S dentist likewise insisted that her teeth
were uniformly healthy, including two upper
CANNES to which a bridge had been anchored.
Not wholly satisfied, the eye specialist asked
the dentist to remove this bridge for 1nvest1-
gative purposes. The dentist refusing Mrs.
IL. D.
into the root canals of the two CANNES, found
them badly Assessed Their removal was
followed by a prompt cessation of the eye
strain and it's attendant symptoms. Nor have
they returned.
Such, in non-technical language, is the story
told more technically by DR.. w. w. Kahn, of
Detroit, in a recent issue of the Journal of
the American Medical Association. And it is
only one of a number of stories told by him,
all instancing from his personal observation
eyestrain dependent on dental disease.
Most frequently, it would appear, when
eyestrain is thus caused, the fault lies with
painless dental assesses, detection of which
usually is possible through X-ray photogra-
ply. But sometimes pressure from misplaced
teeth is responsible, in the case of man
of tfirty-fve.
He, too, had all the classical symptoms of
eyestrain, and in addition was troubled with
tremor of the hands and eyes, excessive sweat
ing, and an annoying flushing of the face.
Once he had broken down nervously, taking
sanatorium treatment, which benefited him
only while he remained in the sanatorium.
To DR.. Kahn he insisted that his teeth gave
him no trouble and were perfectly sound.
X-ray examination verified their soundness.
But it also showed an interrupted and impact
ed tooth in the left lower jaw Removal of
this tooth had as sequel entire restoration 10
health.
Of course, only small proportion of eyre
strain is due to disease of the teeth. But il
is important to bear in mind that some pros
portion is thus caused. Also it is important
to know that, the other hand, as Dr. Kahn
himself is quick to add, some proportion of
dental trouble is in its turn due to eyestrain.
Of this more again.