By Second-opinion Dr. Raphaelson:
CAUSES FOR FAILURE
The failure of our vision specialists to make any headway in the
prevention of
myopia is mainly due to the following reasons:
1. Failure to recognize that the restful and relaxed posture for the
far-and-near mechanism of our natural hyper-sighted eyes is a
star¬gazing
posture. The adjustment of our eyes for nearer seeing is a one-way
bending
adjustment.
2. Failure to recognize that our modern near-vision environment keeps
the
far-and-near mechanism of our eyes, nearly always, in a bent posture
and, like
other parts of the body, our eyes need an occasional stretching.
3. Failure to recognize that prolonged near-seeing, especially
inten¬sive
near-seeing, is unnatural for other than near-sighted eyes.
4. Failure to recognize that fatigue from over-use of our eyes in near-
seeing
may affect other parts of our body before it will affect our eyes.
(Just as fast
running may make one pant for breath long before it may affect the
legs.)
5. There is too much reliance and miscalculation about the effect and
merits of
mydriatics (atropine drops for vision examination) on the far-and-near
mechanism
of our eyes.
6. Too much blame is given to astigmatism for the abnormal con¬dition
of our
eyes and too much credit is given to cylinders for correcting it.
7. There is over-emphasis on the part played by the muscles outside
the eye balls (muscles of direction) on far-and-near seeing.
8. Too much emphasis is put on phorias and ductions (muscles of
direction
balances) and the use of prisms inside and outside the examination
room.
9. Failure to notice that most of our hyper-sighted (hyperopic)
young children use their eyes, in prolonged near-seeing, at a distance
of from
two inches to seven inches from the work to the eyes, instead of from
seven
inches to fourteen inches, as is assumed by our vision specialists.
10. Our vision specialists are victims of great fallacies, inherited
from olden
times, about vision and its relation to spectacles and health.
============
On Dec 1, 7:21*am, Lelouch Lamperouge <misa...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> [...]
>
> * * * * ——
> * * * * Better Eyesight in North Bergen
> * * * * By M. F. Husted
> * * * * Superintendent Public Schools of North Bergen, N. J.
> * * * * ——
> * * "Better Eyesight" takes great pleasure in presenting to its
> readers this remarkable report of the results attained in the schools
> of North Bergen by the use of the Snellen test card. It is an extract
> from the fourteenth annual report of Superintendent Husted.
> * * * * ——
> * * Early in October, 1919, under the direction of our school nurse,
> Miss Marion McNamara, a Snellen test of the eyes of all our pupils was
> made. A novel health experiment was begun, a campaign for "Better
> Eyesight." In June a second test was made in order to verify the value
> and progress in this phase of health work. The June test shows
> marvelous, practical, successful results. Only the skepticism of
> principals, teachers and pupils, and the lack of faithfulness in
> carrying out its conditions, prevented the wonderful results achieved
> from paralleling those of an Arabian Night's story.
> * * A Snellen test card was placed permanently in the class rooms. The
> children were directed to read the smallest letters they could see
> from their seats at least once every day, with both eyes together and
> with each eye separately, the other being covered with the palm of the
> hand in such a way as to avoid pressure on the eyeball. Those whose
> vision was defective were encouraged to read it more frequently, and
> in fact needed no encouragement to do so after they found that the
> practice helped them to see the blackboard, and stopped the headaches,
> or other discomfort, previously resulting from the use of their eyes.
> * * In 1911 and 1912 the same system was introduced into some of the
> schools of New York City [1] with an attendance of about ten thousand
> children. Many of the teachers neglected to use the cards, being
> unable to believe that such a simple method and one so entirely at
> variance with previous teaching on the subject, could accomplish the
> desired results. Others kept the cards in a closet except when they
> were needed for the daily eye drill, lest the children should memorize
> them. Thus they not only put an unnecessary burden upon themselves,
> but did what they could to defeat the purpose of the system, which is
> to give the children daily exercise in distant vision with a familiar
> object as the point of fixation. A considerable number, however, used
> the system intelligently and persistently, and in less than a year
> were able to present reports showing that of three thousand children
> with imperfect sight over one thousand had obtained normal vision by
> its means.
> * * The following summary shows the remarkable results of the
> experiment. The first grades are omitted because of the difficulty in
> making accurate tests.
> * * Schools—No. Tested—Grades II to VIII No. Below 20/20 Normal
> Standard—No. Absent 2nd Test—No. Below Improved—Percent Improved
> * * Grant: 72—36—0—30—83.3
> * * Robert Fulton: 359—112—11—76—75.2
> * * Franklin: 341—103—17—53—61.6
> * * Lincoln: 388—169—21—103—69.4
> * * Hamilton: 211—78—12—48—72.7
> * * Jefferson: 526—216—33—109—59.5
> * * Washington: 353—184—11—107—63.4
> * * Horace Mann: 335—96—5—66—72.5
> * * McKinley: 144—75—17—55—94.8
> * * Totals: 2729—1049—127—647—70.1
> * * This is a remarkable demonstration of the priceless values of this
> method of treatment. That 647 or 70.1% of 922 pupils below normal
> (20/20) should have been improved in eyesight is a truly marvelous
> showing. The record of the McKinley school with 94.8% efficiency in
> improvement is suggestive of what a very faithful and systematic
> application of these health principles may accomplish.
> * * Not only does this work place no additional burden upon the
> teachers, but, by improving the eyesight, health, disposition and
> mentality of their pupils, it greatly lightens their labors.
> * * [1] Bates: Myopia Prevention by Teachers, N. Y. Med. Jour., Aug.
> 30, 1913.
> ——
> School Number
> Better Eyesight
> A monthly magazine devoted to the prevention and cure of imperfect
> sight without glasses
> Vol. V - August, 1921 - No. 2
> Copyright, 1921, by the Central Fixation Publishing Company
> Editor—W. H. Bates, M.D.
> Publisher—Central Fixation Publishing Co.
> Doctors are needed all over the world to cure people without glasses
> $2.00 per year, 20 cents per copy
> 300 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y.
> ——
>
> [...]
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