1916] on Eyesight and the War 701 



But perhaps to-day the most common causes of premature senility 

 are care, worry and anxiety, and overwork. 



This awful War has hastened the onset of presbyopia, and rapidly 

 increased the defect in those already presbyopic, throughout Europe. 

 The constant strain and anxiety has sapped our nerve energy, and 

 we are all more or less prematurely older. A great writer once said, 

 referring to the universal unrest caused in Europe by the first 

 Napoleon, " The lives of millions were affected by it, the secret hope 

 of thousands undermined by it. It disturbed the sleep of half the 

 world, and made men old before their time." These remarks can 

 more than ever be applied now. 



Bearing in mind that the eye seems to be the first index of this 

 premature senility, the presence of premature presbyopia is a danger 

 signal that something is wrong. We cannot remove the anxiety and 

 the worry, only Peace can do that ; but we can, and we should, try to 

 conserve all the nerve energy left to us. 



The physician or the surgeon should treat the intestinal toxsemia. 



We should prevent eyestrain by saving our eyes, by not hesi- 

 tating to take to glasses for reading, even if we have not reached the 

 average age. 



In the treatment of presbyopia a great deal has been accom- 

 plished in recent years by improvements in the optician's art. 

 Bi-focal lenses, correcting distant and reading sight in the same 

 glass, are most valuable helps in removing eyestrain in all cases except 

 simple presbyopes. If we correct all our refractive errors in tivo 

 separate glasses we do not change them when we should, and we thus 

 cause strain. To my mind it is impossible to exaggerate the value of 

 these glasses. They come to us at a time when the conservation of 

 nerve energy is more than ever imperative. We have lost the 

 recuperative power and the elasticity of youth. Responsibihties, and 

 with them cares and anxieties, have been increased, and we have not 

 yet reached the callousness of old age ! 



Finally, in doing our best to alleviate the strain and worry of this 

 War, we can save ourselves and those around us considerably by not 

 anticipating trouble, and by taking care *' not to burden to-day's 

 strength with to-morrow's loads." 



[R.C] 



