GLASSES

Pupils with near-sighted vision often ask, should I take my glasses off immediately and never put them on, again?" The answer is. "No". Do not throw away your glasses until your vision is sufficient to see without them. You would not walk up to a cripple who wanted walking lessons and seize or throw away his crutch. You would first teach him to use his limbs and build his endurance to the point where he could stand and walk without aid. Then he would no longer feel the need of the crutch. So it is with glasses; as the vision builds, there will be frequent occasions when you will not feel the need of your glasses. We must wean the eyes from their crutches gradually as the vision increases. As your vision builds up and the glasses you are wearing feel too powerful, you may have to consult your doctor as to the advisability of a weaker prescription.

Near-sighted eyes see well at the, close point. It is no task for such eyes to read even small print if the book is held close enough. Reading at the close point with myopic lenses, ground for distant vision, is comparable to reading a book with opera glasses. Try reading with the naked eye instead. As the vision builds for distance, you will find that you gradually move the book to a more normally distant position.

WARNING: Do not risk driving your car without your glasses, until you are absolutely sure of your vision without them. Remember, until you have attained visual acuity, the eyes are not only dull of perception but sluggish of movement. In traffic, things happen in a split second and it would be criminal folly to risk an accident by driving half blind. While near-sighted eyes are strengthening, they can refer to the strong glasses for something beyond reach just as a sea captain picks up his binoculars for vision beyond the power of normal eyes. Use judgment; take no chances and do not strain. There are many places and conditions where there is no mental pressure and a near-sighted eye can safely use its own power, as, for example, dressing in the morning, eating breakfast, riding as a passenger, etc. This builds visual acuity. Be on the alert for all these opportunities. The eye loves its freedom.