THE EYES 241 



tinually changes the position of the book or paper, 

 making frequent change in accommodation necessary. 

 One should at least be particular to read only good 

 print at such a time. 



An erect position of the body is best for close work. 

 When we read in a stooping position, the circulation 

 of blood in the eye is interfered with and vision is 

 made more difficult. For the same reasons we should 

 be careful not to let what we are reading lie flat on 

 the table or desk but should always hold it up toward 

 the level of the eyes. This is a very important caution 

 to keep in mind. One has but to compare the ease 

 of reading in the two positions to realize how very 

 much harder it is for the eyes when the book or paper 

 lies on the desk. Short-sightedness and other disorders 

 may be started by neglecting to be careful in these 

 respects. 



The habit of reading while lying down, especially 

 by artificial light, may be the cause of much serious 

 eye trouble, for in this position the muscles are 

 given far more difficult work than they would nor- 

 mally have. We should also be very careful not to 

 use our eyes for close work when, because of illness, 

 the rest of the body is in a weak condition. It is not 

 reasonable to expect the muscles of the eye to be strong 

 at a time when the other muscles of the body are 

 weak. For a similar reason, delicate children should 

 not begin to attend school until they grow strong, 

 because the muscles of the eye, like the rest of the 



