Nevertheless we must begin with a warning against too much light. For some years before the was we were advised to have good lighting, better lighting, and still more light to preserve the eyes. The companies responsible for these campaigns of lighting used many slogans to encourage us, such as “better light, better sight”. etc.
An office with soft, well-distributed lighting is a joy to work in, and if artificial light is good it is not more detrimental to the vision than daylight. Are we satisfied with good lighting? No! Because our minds are disturbed by these glaring notices advising more light.
Everyone knows that a strong light bleaches the colour out of a living thing, such as flower. Therefore, it will be easy to explain why too much light is bad for the eyes. The pigmented or protected layer which we have at the back of our sight organs is there to absorb light and colour, but if given too much light if becomes exhausted and is unable to fulfil its purpose.
The eyelids are shutters to protect these sensitive centres, but without the knowledge of self-protection we not use the lids and in consequence the eye becomes weakness and vision begins greatly to deteriorate. The impaired sight is so slight at first as to be unnoticed by the patient, but this makes it all the more insidious. Too much light is not only detrimental to this vital centre of the eye, but it is also detrimental because it makes the eye lazy.
Every part of the human mechanism needs exercise, stimulus, work. If for a period we do not use our brain seriously it becomes sluggish, ideas are elusive, reasoning powers are stunted, just as our legs become flabby after a period of enforced rest. So with the eyes if they are not given full powers of compensation under the many varied circumstances and difficulties with which they have to contend.
Many glaring examples of this lack of compensation have come to our notice of late in the form of pampering the eyes with a better lighting system and dark glasses resorted to during the first bright days of spring, but now we are faced with anew problem, that of dim lighting in offices and homes, and a complete black-out in the streets.
We are gratified to learn that there are many who believe that present conditions can be overcome. Several interesting reference to these conditions have been made in our daily papers recently. A strong campaign must be set afoot at once if sufferers are to be cured, or even those with strong visual powers to be protected against themselves.
The more you peer, the more you make an effort to see, the darker the world appears and objects are quite undiscernible, but if you close your eyes for a second, open them, and repeat this for a minute or two, object around you gradually begin to take form and after a few minutes of continues rest in this way you can notice the forms becoming clearer.
Practise this. What you do see when the eyes are rested is clear. There is not light to aid the vision; the eyes only see what it is possible for them to discern.
Before riding a bicycle, driving a car, or going into the dark streets, give your eyes time to adjust themselves to the darkness. While riding or driving, only concern yourself with what is immediately necessary. It is necessary for you to keep as near to the pavement as possible, to keep out of the way of other vehicles. Do not look too far ahead, only be concerned with your immediate surroundings, within reason, such as three of four yards. Do not try to ride or drive too quickly; remember that we all have to slow down, even pedestrians, if not for our own sakes, for the sake of others.
The black-out and the difficulties caused by poor lighting is making thousands of people realize there is necessity to preserve vision and to avoid unnecessary strain.
When you have gained more confidence and greater comfort in the darkness, you will have taught yourself a lot which should be applied in the daylight, under good conditions. Do not expect to ride a bicycle or drive a car at night in perfect comfort to start with, but if you will stand in the street for a minutes or two and let the eyes become accustomed to the darkness before starting your ride, drive or walk, you will be greatly benefited.
I have been keenly interested to note that villagers in our rural countryside appear to preserve their sight to a very old age, and on some occasions I have seen them sitting outside their cottage doors reading the papers in the waning light.
Two years ago I spent a holiday in Cornwall, and being interested in people and their customs in different parts of the country, I made it my business to get into conversation with some of the villagers. On one occasion I was talking to a native of Port Isaac, a delightful remote and rural fishing college. She had lived in this tiny fishing village all her life, and her parents and grandparents before her. The longest journey she had ever taken was to Bodmin to see her married daughter, who, I gathered, lived a small modern house in that little town.
She obviously did not approve of town life, or its modern conveniences; she could not bear the electric light, for instance. When I spoke of its advantages she declared that her eyes were never so well when she came back from visiting her daughter. She had been used to lamplight all her life, and still preferred the old-fashioned single burner lamps, which she had been accustomed to since childhood and which she uses to this day. Here is an example of natural living: a woman of sixty-six who has never worn glasses.
The following are further examples of eyestrain and the cures which have been effected:.
miss. I.G., of St. john;s Wood. This patient, 35 years of age, came to us in July 1939 looking very tired, and much older than her years. She was suffering from severe headaches, which were of long standing, and she had every appearance of having worked under great physical strain. After careful examination of the patient, the physical trouble was found to be entirely due to eyestrain.
She was then taught how to avoid this strain by using her eyes properly. This was done by teaching the patient to change her focus frequently by looking into the distance, and then at a near point; she was advised to repeat this two or three times, then to close the eyes for a moment or two. Changing the focus in this way prevents the eyes from becoming stiff, and also avoids the dreadful habit of staring which most people fall into.
She was also told to splash her eyes with warm and cold water and given a gentle neck exercise.
This very brief and simple treatment had a wonderful effect on the patient. In a few days she had lost all appearance of strain, the headaches were cured, and she remained perfectly well until the outbreak of war; when black-out conditions were imposed she found a great tendency to revert to her old habits of straining and came again for help. She was given the exact advise which is contained in the earlier part of this article. Two days later she telephoned to say that it was little short of miraculous.
The advice had “worked”. On questioning her we discovered that she had gone into a corner of the tube station where she could be safe and unobserved, and had quietly and gently pout into operation the advice which had been given her. She found that she could see a longer distance, that objects were more easily defined, and that the sense of tension which had been so strong had gone.
This patient assured us that her of the black-out had quite vanished.
Miss F. J., earls Court, London. This lady was recommended by and old patient. She is 44 years of age, and had worn glasses for 35 years. For some months past she had complained of a black latticework falling between her eyes and the object, followed by what she described as a black-out and giddiness, and an empty feeling in the head. This condition lasted sometimes for an hour, sometimes all day. She could find no caused for the condition; she had had her glasses change several times, also advice from various doctors.
She lived in fear of these attacks and her life was very unhappy one. While the condition lasted she was completely incapacitated for her work or for any social activities. She drove a motor car a good deal, but always complained of eyestrain and could never drive by night. She came to us on april 12th, 1939. On June 28th her only complaint was she could not see the A.A. Book in the car; but for this her eyes were quite comfortable, the dreadful condition already described was completely cured.
She was given further advice on the application of the principles and told to come again in three moths. On September 9th, 1939, she was able to read with an A.R.P. shaded lamp without glasses. The report was, no headaches, not discomfort of any sort; she had assisted with the evacuation of mothers and children during the first week of the war, driving in the black-out every night with no difficulty whatever.
Mrs. S., Surrey. Age 58. This patient had worn glasses for 14 years, during which time she had become more and more dependent upon them. Before consulting us she had various kinds of glasses for her different requirements. She was unable to stand any light, and it was quite impossible for her to drive a car at night; in fact, she disliked waking in country lanes, even near her home, at night owing to the strain and fear she felt in the darkness. Her inability to stand light and her discomfort in the darkness was due to the consistent use of tinted glasses.
