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82
proportion of Hypermetropia to Myopia has still further increased.
In regard to early Myopia we carried out a little research at
the Routine Medical Inspection. 108 children who read 6/6 with
each eye unaided were asked to read again with a + 1.0 dioptre
spherical lens. 41 failed to read 6/9. Of this number, after examination
under atropine at a later date, seven were found to need
glasses. Most of these were low grades of mixed astigmatism and
belonged to the 12—13 age group. Only one was aged 8. As the
extra time taken for the preliminary examination with the + 1.0
dioptre spherical lens interfered with the routine inspection considerably
it was not considered worth while continuing the experiment.
More especially as all children with less than 6/9 are
sent for examination under atropine as a routine. The details of this
investigation are as follows :—
No. of children examined 26 Aged 8-9 7
Aged 12-13 19
Hypermetropia
Hypermetropic Astigmatism 8
Myopia
Myopia Astigmatism 5 Aged8 1. Aged 12. .4.
Mixed Astigmatism (4 of the 5 above).
Emmetropes (Normal) 10
Emmetropes who may be developing
myopia and need watching 3
Given glasses (one case already had
glasses) 7
All the errors were less than one Dioptre—except one of
hypermetropia with astigmatism.
In thinking over the year's work, it occurs to me that the
course of action in the case of myopia and high and moderate hypermetropia
is clear. But with low hypermetropia and low astigmatism
"vertical" much is yet in doubt. Children often present
themselves with a history of vague headaches, occasional styes,
perhaps red eyes while reading, very often these symptoms have
disappeared in the interval between school inspection and attendance
at the clinic. On examination many of them prove to be
practically emmetropic; perhaps a dioptre or half a dioptre of
hypermetropia. Considering the large reserve of accommodation
these children possess it seems quite unreasonable to attribute their
symptoms to this low degree of hypermetropia, and I think I
follow general practice in not giving these children glasses unless
symptoms persist or recur. Of course, many of these cases are
suffering from disease or defects elsewhere, but after allowing for
these there still remain a great number whose symptoms recur, and I