The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-08-04
EYES PENALTY
Of H|CHSPEED LIFE,
OPT0METRISTS TOLD
State Convention Here Hears
Muscular Treatment May
Not Retire Glasses

WuoCOAd1 tAC0t1LICI1t VI UIlS CyCS
holds out little hope for supplanting
glasses as a regulator of defective Wis
ion. the state convention of the North
Dakota association of Optometrists
was told by one of the authorities of
the profession, DR.. Herbert N. Smith,
Of Sioux Falls. today.
The convention Is meeting in room
705, Patterson hotel. It opened at 10
o'clock this morning, presided over by
DR.. l.. c.. Power. Minot. president.
Secretary A. 8. Anderson, Fessenden,
reported registration of about so.
In opening the convention, Presi-
dent Power spoke on the prevalence
OF near-sightedness among school
children. Five children out of every
100 will suffer that affliction unneces-
sarily this year. he said.
Not Born Near Sighted
Children" he said, ARE not born
near-sighted, they are not the victims
Of badly formed eyes. The tremen-
dous strain put on the eyes by our
modern civilization, with intermilable
print and machines causes many eyes
to become near sighted.
Modern corrective optometry by its
research into the causes of this and
other visual problems of childhood,
has found the method of preventing
this tremendous handicap. The alarm
ing phase of the problem Is that near
s~ightedness is on the increase.
Parents and family physicians
should be warned that, at the very
first manifestation of near-sighted-
ness. an immediate examination of
the child's eyes should be made by an
optometrist. This Is not q simple test,
but a careful determination Of the en-
tire condition Of the eyes.
IF this early examination Is made,
thousands OF children who fail and
who drop out Of school, can be made
successful students. II the child Is
failing In school, look first to hi
eyes, because the demand of modern
education Is so great on the eyes that
II any defect is there, the child vii
be hopelessly handicapped"
Trying to Shelve Eye Glasses
Another review and analysis of the
problem of defective vision was made
by DR.. Herbert N. Smith, the Siouz
Falls authority on optometrics. He
stressed high-speed life as the cause
Of our bodily ills. Taking up the
matter Of transportation speed, hi
said that I'VE approach each other al
a rate of 100 miles an hour, while oul
ancestors had to move at a speed Of
about five or six miles an hour. Dan.
ger of collision on the street is al
least one-thousandfold to the danger
Of 1900, and the adjustability of the
eyes, a well as quick Interpretation
Of the relation of speed, Is absolutely
necessary If we are to have a chance
Of dying a natural DEATH"
DR.. Smith was asked: us 1t possible
for this science Of optometry to DE-
away with glasses entirely by giving
muscle treatments?"
Replying, he said he did not think
1t possible, but that research depart.
nent of the American Optometrit
association is working on this prob.
lem and hopes to be able to show
greater results In this branch Of the
optometric service.
Eyes Should Get School Care
The speaker advocated introduction
into the schools of at least an hour
q week of stereoscopic exercises ir
class rooms and the examination o.
all school children's eyes by experts.
Defective eyesight need not NEAR
that a patients eyes may bother him
said DR.. Smith. 1t may be reflected
In headaches, stomach trouble ane
nervous exertion, therefore, the de-
feet should be corrected.
Moving pictures do not bring al
eye strain, said DR.. Smith, providet
the eyes are properly corrected. TIT
fact that more people today are wear
ing glasses is due to the fact that tn
people Of 1920 are better educated Il
the use Of glasses. Eighty-five pei
cent Of our education Is attained b!
the medium Of eyesight. he added.
DR.. Smith Is a graduate of the Uni
versity Of South Dakota and Of North
ern Illinois College Of Optometry. HI
is president of the South Dakota as
ISOLATION OF Optometrists and also L
president of the Mid West States
| Optometric conference-composed o
the states Of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas
| South Dakota, Missouri and Colorado
The following committees wer
named by President Power
Nominations-Dr. r. P. Merritt
Kenmare; DR.. Charles p. Elliott, Val
ley City; DR.. r. e. Bonham. Bis
marck.
Auditing-Dr. Lyle Benson, Minot
DR.. p. E. johnson. Abercrombie; On
| William Henning, Fargo.