THE EYES ARE SENSITIVE 



249 



and is more restful to the eye. Every light in the home, work- 

 shop, and factory should be shaded because it is hard to see 

 objects which are near too bright an illumination. The head- 

 lights of an approaching 

 automobile illuminate the 

 street, but they also blind 

 us so that we cannot prop- 

 erly see the street. An 

 unprotected lamp or elec- 

 tric bulb injures the eye 

 in at least two ways : it 

 puts upon it the strain of 

 rejecting too strong a di- 

 rect light, and the strain of 

 seeing poorly illuminated 

 objects (Fig. 120). 



In a large room it is 

 better to have several small 

 lights than one large one. 

 Several small lights do not 

 consume any more gas or electricity than one large one. In 

 rooms where definite objects must be clearly seen, separate 

 lights should be placed over the objects. In a large kitchen, 

 for example, there should be a light over the sink, and a 

 light near the stove. It is not necessary that these should 

 be used at the same time. During the cooking the range 

 light should be used, during dishwashing, the sink light should 

 be used. 



The eyes are sensitive. The eyes are very much more sensi- 

 tive than many people realize. Persons have been tempo- 

 rarily blinded by gazing at the sun without dark glasses; 

 electric operators have sometimes lost their sight for days be- 

 cause of strong electric flashes; men who examine lights rest 



FIG. 1 20. A cause of eye injury. 



