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81
out what is known as a subjective test, and after this has been
made the glasses are ordered.
"One has to explain this, as the figure 927 re-examinations
includes these children on whom one has made a subjective test.
In order that these cases may be kept separate from the others I
have introduced a new method of tabulating them in which
there is a separate column for each.
"Of the new cases 343 were seen at the Mattock Lane Health
Centre and 283 at the Ravenor Park Health Centre, and of the
old cases, 462 at the former and 465 at the latter.
"The following tables show the relative numbers of the
different ocular defects seen at the two centres.
"During the year 746 cases had glasses prescribed, and in
143 cases no spectacles were ordered. This last figure is largely
made up by hypermetropic children whose eyes become normal
as they grow older.
"The question as to how often a child's eyes should be examined
very largely depends on the type of refractive error found, and
one cannot lay down a general rule for all children. Thus, in a
case of simple hypermetropia it is not necessary for an examination
to be made more than once a year. With hypermetropic astigmatism
every 9 to 12 months would be about right. With myopia
it is necessary to see the child more frequently, at least every six
months, but this depends on the type of case and the rate at which
the myopia is increasing. Again, with many squint cases it is
necessary to see them frequently, perhaps as often as every 4 to 6
weeks, especially if one is occluding the better eye. Thus it will
be seen that there is a great variation in the interval advisable
between one examination and another in different children, and
only the ophthalmic surgeon is in a position to advise just what
this interval should be. For this reason, after examining any
child I put down on the card when I want to see the case again ;
this is noted by the nurse in charge, and the child is sent for at
the proper time
"With regard to the treatment of progressive myopes, I have
made a list of those cases who, according to the recommendations
of the Committee on Partially Sighted Children, would qualify
for admission to a special school. The two most important of
these recommendations are: