FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY 
Public Health Service 
HEALTH INFORMATION SERIES NO. 64 
care 
of 
the 
eyes CARE OF THE EYES 
Nature has taken great pains to protect your 
eyes. They are set in bone sockets. The eyelids 
and other soft parts serve as cushions. A sensitive 
cornea covers the visible parts. Tears are provided 
to wash away some irritations. But, in spite of 
these defenses, your eyes can be damaged if you 
neglect or abuse them. 
HAVE YOUR EYES EXAMINED REGULARLY 
Some eye diseases seldom cause pain or reduce 
vision until they are well advanced. That is why 
it is important to include an eye examination with 
your regular, annual physical examination. If you 
have the typical symptoms of eyestrain—headaches, 
irritability, tiring easily, doing less or poorer work 
than usual, or having accidents because of misjudg- 
ment of your eyes—you should have your eyes 
tested immediately. 
CHOOSING A SPECIALIST 
In selecting an eye specialist, it is necessary that 
you understand the difference in these occupations: 
An OCULIST or OPHTHALMOLOGIST is a 
physician—an M. D.—who specializes in defects 
and diseases of the eye and in eye surgery. 
An OPTOMETRIST, a nonmedical practitioner, 
measures eye errors without drugs and attempts to 
correct them with glasses, prisms, and exercise only. 
An OPTICIAN grinds lenses, fits them into 
frames, and adjusts the frames to the wearer. 
No one should try to correct suspected eye de- 
fects with glasses already made up and displayed on 
store counters. Wrong lenses can seriously harm 
your eyes. 
Eyes usually need an adjustment period to adapt 
to the changes which new glasses make in the size, 
clarity, or position of objects. CARE FOR YOUR EYES 
CLEANLINESS is a first essential in good care 
of normal eyes. If you get dust or dirt in your eyes 
and cannot remove it with clean water and an eye 
cup, see your doctor. Ulcers on the cornea, which 
can destroy sight, are sometimes caused by dust. 
GOOD READING HABITS enable one to use 
eyes to best advantage, help prevent eye strain and 
varying degrees of nervous exhaustion. Use a read- 
ing light, 80 to 100 watts, preferably placed about 
three feet back of you and to one side of the printed 
page. Hold reading matter 16 to 18 inches away, 
below the level of your eyes. Avoid shadows as 
well as glare. Do not read while riding in trains, 
cars, or other moving vehicles as this puts an extra 
strain on your eyes. Children should be taught 
good reading habits early. They should be dis- 
couraged from reading while lying on the floor, 
as this brings the print too close to their eyes. 
PROTECT AN INFANT’S EYES from long 
exposure to direct light, either sun or artificial. A 
baby quickly learns to wear goggles during sun- 
baths, or corrective glasses for marked visual de- 
fects. Keep playthings with points and sharp 
edges away from babies. 
SAFEGUARD A CHILD’S SIGHT by having 
his eyes examined before he enters school. They 
should be rechecked often by the eye specialist, as 
minor visual faults may go unnoticed until a child 
is older. Adolescents, spending increasingly longer 
night study periods, need particular care and fre- 
quent re-examination of their eyes. The general 
bodily health of children at any age is important 
to their eyes. 
FAILING VISION IN MIDDLE AGE may be 
the first symptom of a serious body disorder. In 
addition to regular eye tests, middle-aged persons 
also should have thorough physical examinations 
every year, or more often if the doctor advises. INDUSTRIAL WORKERS’ EYES, if unpro- 
tected, may be harmed by strong chemicals splash- 
ing, particles thrown by chipping or grinding tools, 
or electrical arc flashes. Machinery should be prop- 
erly designed and guarded, and workers should 
wear goggles and shields on hazardous jobs. 
THINGS TO REMEMBER 
Teach children EARLY to keep dirty fingers and 
other objects away from their eyes. 
To rest your eyes from continued close work, 
close them for a minute, or look off at a distance. 
If chemicals get in your eyes, wash them out 
IMMEDIATELY with PLENTY of clean water. 
THEN see the doctor. 
See your doctor when you cannot easily remove 
dust or cinders, or when eyes are red and inflamed 
and there has been no undue strain or lack of sleep 
to account for the irritation. 
Don’t wait for something to go wrong before 
you become concerned about your eyes. HAVE 
YOUR DOCTOR CHECK YOUR EYES REGU- 
LARLY. 
1948 
FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY 
Public Health Service 
Washington 25, D. C. 
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