THE MIND BEHIND THE EYE

The mind behind the normal eye does this unconsciously. It spots an object and guesses over and over again what that object might be until, by trial and error, the truth, aided by the memory of things formerly seen, meets the eye. Then the thought comes, Why of course, it is a man. It couldn't look like any thing else; strange that I didn't see him in the first place!

The mind behind the subnormal eye does not do this; it does not think it could even dare to do so. It has the mistaken feeling that the eye, by itself, must bring all pictures to the mind which sits back languidly and, unaiding, waits, The. nearsighted person has an idea that it would not be seeing but guessing to use the memory or imagination as an aide to vision, that it would be cheating in a way. Instead, he strains his poor eyes to see far away, using muscles to try to force vision. This never succeeds and, if attempted, cuts down the vision. Instead of sending his poor eyes out alone in the hope of identifying an object to bring back to his mind, he should send his mind out and speculate as to what that object looks like, as the normal eye would speculate, and let vision come in. He should give way and accept the image as it presents itself, then the mind can analyse and interpret. He may think he sees a letter "C" but his mind waits listlessly until his struggling eyes either manage to clear the let, or give it up. He should say, "I see something roundish, a "C" or an "0" or a Then the mind, aided by the eye, would figure it out. It is this struggle to reach for distance that causes short sight. Consequently, if we wish to rid the eyes of their trouble, we 'must stop the habit of straining, and vision will be there.

There is encouragement in the fact that strain is not a. constant thing. There are times when we strain lessand vision immediately improves, vision is cut down. Any near-sighted person who occasionally goes without his spectacles has had the experience of the distant view suddenly opening with a clarity equal to that given by the glasses. This is a glimpse of normal or better than normal sight which will probably be short in duration at first, since the old habit of trying to see immediately sets in. But these transient tastes of the vision enjoyed by the normal eyesight encourage the near-sighted person to develop sufficient relaxation to maintain this normal functioning.

Psychologists agree that fear causes muscular contraction. The two oblique muscles that encircle the eye to make it long are tightened in the myopic eye. These obliques will loosen and cooperate with the opposing muscles, the recti, only when the eyes and mind are relaxed; hence, good vision consists of good habits of relaxed-looking. Good habits can be instilled only by drills in correct use of the.eyes so that they will, behave normally and without conscious attention. Dr. John Dewey tells us that when routine drill completes the habit of eye-mind co-ordination until it taxies place of itself, it will then be vision.

Myopic eyes have such a fear of distance that they lose interest in seeing far, allowing the world to close in about them. This mental inattention is a bad habit. Such eyes must be taught again to think far, to be interested in the out there which is the first step in freeing them of strain.

One near-sighted girl complained, But I can't see across the room! I asked, What can't you see? You see the wall, its height and width. You see the door opening and the windows with their Venetian blinds.

Now what else is there? Look and tell me. When commanded to analyse, she described the oil painting on the wall, the subject of the picture, the bookcase, vase and- ornaments on top of it, the lamp, the chair, the desk and finally, the desk set, pen; pencil and ruler that lay on the blotter. It was explained to her that it was not her eyes that were at fault but her mind for failing to use the eyes advantageously. This same pupil walked through a familiar room into which had been put a new, bright green upholstered furniture set. The old furniture had been brown and drab. The contrast was quite arresting to anyone accustomed to the room. I asked, Did you like the new green -furniture as you passed? Oh, has it wine? she asked in surprise. She had walked right by without noticing the change. The davenport and two massive chairs were large enough for any near-sighted eye to see. This girl simply had not looked. Thus, myopic people go through life, their minds failing, to look.

Eyestrain is a very subtle, thing; you & not know when or how you permit it or you would refrain. After the strain is made, the damage is done, for eyestrain saps the system of go per cent of its nerve force. Even glasses do not relieve the tension or loosen the eye muscles which still hold tightly. The glasses merely do the work which the muscles of accommodation: should do. Once that tension is released and, that imprisoned vitality is restored for normal use, one's power, endurance and vitality increase tremendously.