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263
There is no doubt that school work does lead to a breakdown
of normal vision in a fairly high proportion of school children.
This may be due to inherently weak accommodation, or to the
overtaxing of accommodation by incorrect postures when reading
and writing. The tendency of children, unless corrected, is to sit
with their eyes too close to the paper when writing or reading and
the influence of incorrect posture is considerable in the aggravation
of mild myopia.
The following Table was compiled from the findings at routine
medical inspections, so as to try to ascertain the amount of visual
defect in the particular children examined in the various schools.
It relates only to those children who were referred from routine
medical inspections for treatment or observation and who were
consequently thought to be in need of spectacles.

Note.— Where a dash is placed, children were examined, but no visual defects were found.
The true meaning of this Table will not be apparent until the
findings for 10 years are summarised In this time an Entrant
group will have passed through the whole school period.