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The preponderance of very bad vision (6/60 or worse) among the girls is marked. It is
generally almost entirely due to spasm of the accommodation in these cases. It was also shown
that there is an association between defective visual acuity and retarded position in the school, the
group of children who are older than the average age of their standard presenting a considerable
excess of visual defect when compared with the younger group.
The general conclusions regarding visual acuity were summed as follows:—
1. The percentage with normal vision increases with every year of age and standard, from the
First reaching 80 per cent. in Standard VII.
2. A constant number of about 10 per cent. have bad vision (V. 6/18 or worse.). This remains
about a constant proportion through school life.
3. The greater part of the defective vision is due to slight defect, which gives imperfect but fair
vision, due probably to both mental and ocular conditions, and of the greatest importance educationally
in the first half of school life.
4. Very bad visual acuity (6/36 or worse) due to accident, disease, and probably also to spasm
and myopia, is met in a small proportion, increasing regularly from 1.5 per cent. in Standard I. to
3.5 per cent. in Standard Ex-VII.
After the experience of the first year the method of vision testing was altered. The teachers
test the children, both eyes being used simultaneously, and now a column in the attendance register
has the visual acuity of each child as determined by the teacher entered up. A list of all children
showing any defect in vision should be hung up in each classroom, and a list is sent in to the office
of all children having vision of 6/18 or worse, above Standard V. 6/12 or worse. The oculists
examine these children and give cards of advice to be taken home.
Standard I. Standard II. Standard III. Standard IV.
Boys. Girls. Mixed. Boys. Girls. Mixed. Boys. Girls. Mixed. Boys. Girls. Mixed.
No. on register 13,493 14,552 4,759 22,085 22,403 7,566 23,235 22,646 5,523 21,269 21,620 4,848
No. returned de- 1,241 1,423 455 1,711 2,296 646 1,688 2,302 348 1,486 1,984 389
fective by teacher
No. returned de- 888 1,030 313 1,326 1,674 478 1,338 1,736 274 1,154 1,545 299
factive by oculist
Cards given ... 839 958 270 1,256 1,618 444 1,305 1,582 273 1,099 1,412 266
Standard V. Standard VI. Standard VII. and Over.
Boys. Girls. Mixed. Boys. Girls. Mixed. Boys. Girls. Mixed.
Totals.
No. on register 18,186 17,657 3,600 13,341 12,748 2,845 10,347 10,225 2,878 275,826
No. returned de- 2,232 2,880 486 1,459 1,970 338 1,096 1,196 307 27,933
fective by teacher
No. returned de- 1,474 2,069 338 1,073 1,308 234 651 750 215 20,167
fective by oculist
Gards given 1,437 1,884 269 923 1,189 174 561 619 158 18,536
Taking the children in the standards, an average of 10 per cent, have vision which is bad
(V. 6/18 or less) when tested under the ordinary conditions of life.
When it is attempted to follow up this 10 per cent., one finds that a minority receive any
further treatment, but unless carefully distributed through the year this minority cause great trouble
at the hospitals.
Children going to hospitals by themselves are rightly refused treatment.
Parents refuse to lose work, a half a day or more, for a hospital visit, and each case requires two
or even three visits.
A considerable proportion of the hospital work is thrown away by the parents refusing to
spend the money necessary for glasses.
No child's eyes can be said to be satisfactorily examined unless the refraction is determined
whilst the eye is under the influence of a mydriatic. This is work which we have considered to fall