Chapter XIII: Care of the Eye and Ear

[Sidenote: The loss of sight]

Sight is one of the greatest blessings we have. Think how dreadful it is to be blind. If you take care of your eyes, there is no reason why you should be blind; but if you do not take care of your eyes, there is a possibility that you may lose your sight. Most of the blind people in the world became blind because their eyes were not given proper care, and most of this lack of care happened when these people were babies.

[Sidenote: How germs get into the eyes]

Many of the diseases that affect the eyes are catching. They are not carried through the air, but are transmitted by the use of a towel or handkerchief used by someone who had the disease. Never use the towel or handkerchief that another has used.

Germs may be rubbed into the eyes. Keep your hands away from your eyes. Your hands may have disease germs on them, and when you rub your eyes you may put the disease germs into them.

[Sidenote: How eyes are overworked]

Many boys and girls ruin their eyes by making them do too much work. They do this by reading in a poor light, by reading where the light strikes into the eyes, or by reading in a bad position, as when in bed or lying down. When you are reading, drawing, or doing any work with the eyes, always have the best light possible, which means that the light should fall on your book or work over your left shoulder. If you are only reading, it does not make much difference which shoulder the light comes over, provided it comes from behind. If you are writing or drawing, and the light comes over your right shoulder, it makes the shadow of your hand fall just where you want to see.

Another way of working your eyes too much is by trying to see when the eyes are not focused right. Sometimes people are said to be near-sighted, because they cannot see very well at a distance. This is due to the fact that the eyeball is too long, so that the lens does not cause the rays of light to focus on the retina. Some people are called far-sighted. This means that they can see well at a distance, but that it is hard for them to see things close to them. Far-sighted children can usually see things near by, but they do this by making the muscle that rules the lens of the eye work too hard.

[Sidenote: Method of testing the eyes]

Probably your teacher has a test chart and can tell you whether your eyes are properly focused. If your eyes are not focused right, that is, if you cannot see the line of letters marked =20= when you are twenty feet from this chart, there is something wrong with your eyes. In that case, you are not only injuring them by trying to study, but you are hurting the whole body by overworking a part of it. If you cannot see the letters on the test card clearly at a distance of twenty feet, ask your father to send you to a specialist who will fit you with the proper glasses or will treat your eyes so that you can see well.

[Sidenote: How to test the hearing]

Sometimes children are backward in their school work because they cannot hear well. Your teacher can test your hearing by holding a watch near your ear. If you cannot hear a watch tick when it is held six feet from your ear, ask your father to take you to your doctor, that he may treat your ears.

[Sidenote: How to care for the ears]

If your hearing is perfect, the best way to take care of the ears is to let them alone. Never try to dig into the canal that leads to the middle ear. The ears must of course be washed to keep them clean, but in washing the ear you should not touch the delicate canal leading to the drum. A great specialist once said, "Never put anything smaller than your elbow into your ear," to which another great specialist added, "And wrap a towel around your elbow." Never try to dig the wax out of your ears; it belongs in your ears; it is there for a purpose, so let it alone. If it becomes hardened, you cannot get it out and will only injure your ears in trying to do so. An ear spoon is a dangerous thing.

=Questions.= 1. State the chief cause of loss of sight. 2. How
can you keep germs out of your eyes? 3. Name three ways by which
you may overwork the eyes. 4. Tell how to take care of the ears.

=Remember.= 1. Overworking the eyes is as injurious as
overworking the stomach. 2. Keep your hands away from your eyes;
germs on your hands may get into your eyes and cause them to
become sore. 3. You overwork your eyes when you try to read or
write in a poor light or in a bad position, as when lying down.
4. You overwork your eyes when you try to study with eyes that
are not properly focused. 5. Keep your fingers out of your ears.
6. Take care of your ears by letting them alone.