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105
and Lome study in these cases at any rate while the child is
young, is usually attended with bad results. I might add
that the percentage of Myopic cases among our children is
comparatively low, and I believe this is to some extent the
result of the care taken during the school regime.
Squint.
30 of the children examined were observed to have a
squint. 17 of these were in the senior departments and 13
in the infants'. Of the former, the majority had been treated
at some time or other with correcting glasses, but of the 13
infants only eight wore glasses. In nearly all of the cases
the sight of the squinting eye was very defective, and in
some there was hardly any acuity of vision at all. Squint is
a defect which requires early treatment and subsequent care
on the part of those looking after the child. The rather
unfavourable results now obtained in the treatment of squint,
even when the spectacles (which are nearly always necessary) are
supplied, are in a large measure due to the fact that in existing
circumstances proper supervision is hardly possible. When
the services of a school oculist are available, I anticipate that
the question of squint will receive special attention, and his
services should be available for those children who are suffering
from this defect, but who are not yet old enough to attend
school. Delay in treating a squint is the greatest obstacle
to a successful result, and the earlier treatment is begun the
better. All cases of squint should have properly supervised
exercises under the control of the teacher and oculist.
Provision of Spectacles.
Of the 110 cases of serious visual defect 42 (=about 38
per cent.) were found wearing spectacles, not all of which
had been properly prescribed by a skilled oculist. Of the 13
cases of squint among the infants, 8 were found wearing
spectacles. Of the remaining 73 cases notified to the parents
as requiring treatment 58 obtained it.