Eye Glasses

A most important source of eyestrain is in our eyes themselves. A large number of us are nearsighted, farsighted, or astigmatic. These conditions are caused by the shape of the eyeball. It may be formed in such a way that the lens focuses well on nearby objects but not on those at a distance, or vice versa; or it may be "squeezed" out of shape so that things look slightly distorted to the astigmatic eye no matter how hard the focusing muscles work. Strabismus (also called cross-eyes and squint) is caused by an imbalance of the muscles of the eyes. Babies are apt to be cross-eyed, but they should begin to lose this tendency by the time they are three months old. Don't put off consulting a doctor if your child is cross-eyed. His vision may be impaired unless he is treated. Sometimes a fairly simple surgical operation is necessary.

Fortunately, nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are readily corrected by wearing the proper eye glasses. It is essential for these conditions to be corrected, not only to prevent eyestrain but to keep them from getting worse. If, for example, one eye is normal and the other is not, the good one will do all the work, which is bad for the one that is not being used. Even if your eyes have always been perfect, they tend to change as you get older, and they are then unable to adjust to anything close at band. That is why you should have your eyes examined as soon as you find yourself holding things off at a distance in order to see them, or notice that you cannot see as well as you used to in a poor light. Always have an eye doctor examine your eyes and prescribe the proper lenses. In some places you can still buy eye glasses over the counter. Think about how much your eyes mean to you, and resist this temptation to economize!

I must confess it is difficult for me to understand why so many people object to wearing glasses. It is true that they are an expense and a bit of a nuisance, but what a joy it is to see properly, Fortunately, glasses have become so "glamorized- that resistance to them is disappearing.

For actresses and others in special occupations who would find ordinary glasses a real handicap, contact lenses which fit directly over the eyeball are a boon. However, they are expensive, are not always easy to insert, and can usually be tolerated for only limited periods. These new types of "invisible eye glasses" are constantly being improved. Your eye doctor can advise about their suitability for you.

It is most unwise to try to avoid wearing glasses by spending hours on various systems of exercises which have not as yet been scientifically proved effective. Exercising the eyes can help under some circumstances; and in themselves, the exercises usually don't do any harm. Their main danger lies in the fact that they may be used when poor vision is due to some eye disease such as glaucoma, or in the fact that people who use the exercises fail to go to an ophthalmologist who might, in his examination, discover some illness that first reveals itself in the eyes. "Pop-eyes" for example-that is, eyes that are prominent and staring-may mean an overactive thyroid gland which, unless corrected, may lead to serious damage of the heart. Isn't it wise to see an eye specialist who has spent four years at medical school and five more in postgraduate training? The specialist will really know if you need corrective exercises or glasses