THE EYE AND THE SENSE OF SIGHT 119 



164. Care of the Eye. More than some other organs, 

 the eye depends for its healthy condition upon the gen- 

 eral health of the system. If that is impaired, the eye 

 is often weakened and liable to disease. The children of 

 the poor, who are ill-nourished and inadequately clothed, 

 oftener suffer from sore eyes and defective vision than 

 do those in better circumstances. Living in filthy sur- 

 roundings or rubbing the eyes with dirty hands often 

 provokes diseases of the eyes and eyelids. Some forms of 

 general disease measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever, for ex- 

 ample are apt to leave the eyes for some time in a 

 sensitive condition and in need of special care. Many 

 eyes, even those of young children, are abnormal in re- 

 spect to focalization, and the defect is often unsuspected 

 until a child has endured much inconvenience or even 

 suffering. Hence it is well for the eyes of every child 

 to be examined by a competent oculist, and to have any 

 defects corrected by suitable glasses. Children in school 

 often suffer from severe headaches and appear dull at 

 their studies simply because of easily remedied defects of 

 vision. 



165. Very strong light should never be allowed to enter 

 the eye directly. When reading, sewing, writing, etc., 

 one should sit so that the light will fall upon the work 

 from the left side without shining into the eyes. But 

 one should not read or write with direct sunlight falling 

 upon the paper. Lamps should be provided with shades 

 to shield the eyes, and the light should be steady, for a 

 flickering light is exceedingly trying to the eye. 



Too faint a light also strains the eye. One should not 

 read or work by twilight, or by any light too dim to per- 

 mit the book or work to be clearly seen at about eighteen 

 inches from the eyes. Eyes may be made nearsighted 



