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Popular Articles on Ophthalmology
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY Published
Monthly
by the Ophthalmic
Publishing
Company
EDITORIAL STAFF LAWRENCE T. POST, Editor
H. ROMMEL HILDRETH
WILLIAM H. CRISP, Consulting Editor
F. PARK LEWIS
EDWARD JACKSON, Consulting Editor
C. S. O'BRIEN
640 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis
824 Metropolitan Building, Saint Louis
530 Metropolitan Building, Denver
454 Franklin Street, Buffalo
Republic Building, Denver
HANS BARKAN
Stanford University Hospital, San Francisco
The State University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City
WILLIAM L. BENEDICT
M. URIBE TRONCOSO
GRADY E. CLAY
DERRICK VAIL
FREDERICK C CORDES
F. E. WOODRUFF
500 West End Avenue, New York
The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
441 Vine Street, Cincinnati
Medical Arts Building, Atlanta
824 Metropolitan Building, Saint Louis EMMA S. Buss, Manuscript Editor 6820 Delmar Boulevard, Saint Louis
384 Post Street, San Francisco
HARRY S. GRADLE
58 East Washington Street, Chicago Directors:
LAWRENCE T. POST, President, WILLIAM L. BENEDICT, Vice-President, F. E.
WOODRUFF, Secretary and Treasurer, EDWARD JACKSON, WILLIAM H. CRISP, HARRY S. GRADLE.
Address original papers, other scientific communications including correspondence, also books for review and reports of society proceedings to Dr. Lawrence T. Post, 640 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis. Exchange copies of medical journals should be sent to Dr. William H. Crisp, 530 Metropolitan Building, Denver. Subscriptions, applications for single copies, notices of change of address, and communications with reference to advertising should be addressed to the Manager of Subscriptions and Advertiseing, 640 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis. Copy of advertisements must be sent to the manager by the fifteenth of the month preceding its appearance. Author's proofs should be corrected and returned within forty-eight hours to the Manuscript Editor. Twenty-five reprints of each article will be supplied to the author without charge. Addi tional reprints may be obtained from the printer, the George Banta Publishing Company, 450-458 Ahnaip Street, Meriasha, Wisconsin, if ordered at the time proofs are returned. But reprints to contain colored plates must be ordered when the article is accepted.
POPULAR ARTICLES ON OPHTHALMOLOGY
and, although it is h a r d always to a p preciate the point of view of laymen, it I n the December 18, 1939, issue of Life, would appear to be informative to them. on page 28 a n d t h e succeeding pages, An ophthalmologist would probably not there appeared a good article on " T h e have presented it in just t h e form in eye," profusely illustrated. T h e subject which it is shown equally, because it matter a n d pictures a r e presented par stresses the unusual a n d tends to pass over ticularly to create interest in the topic the less dramatic but equally important under discussion. T h e y follow t h e usual ocular facts. F o r example, there is a beau method of current magazines in selecting tiful illustration of a cloudy cornea, and the dramatic, because the essential factor next to it a cornea with a corneal t r a n s from the magazine point of view is read plant in situ, presumably to show what ability, a n d in this particular publication might be done in such a case b y surgery, but t h e limitations of this operation a r e photography is the primary lure. T h e script includes some of t h e anat not mentioned. O n the same page is a n ex omy a n d physiology of t h e eye, t h e sub cellent illustration of conical cornea. O n e stance of which is essentially correct, whole sheet is devoted to colored illustra333
334
EDITORIALS
tions of the Ishihara plates and an ex planation of them. No mention is made of other tests for color blindness. A large picture of an eye, said to be illuminated from a slitlamp, appears dra matically, but there is nothing in the il lustration to indicate that the source of light was a slitlamp. A young lady is por trayed with various types of frames to show how they may not detract from but enhance the appearance. It is question able whether the illustrator has proved his point, but to suggest that this is pos sible may help overcome some of the prejudice of those who should wear glasses but do not do so because they fear that their good looks will be handi capped. Photographs in and out of focus illustrate the appearance of objects to ob servers who have certain eye defects.
It might be well, if this article on the eye proves popular, to suggest to the editors that at a later date an equally dramatic story and one which might do much good could be written on the sub ject of glaucoma. There indeed publicity is needed. Lawrence T. Post. T H E BIFOCAL AGE
Sooner or later, the great majority of us need or will need bifocal glasses. If we do not learn to use them, we shall be deprived of one of the most important conveniences of modern life. Unless myopic, the sexagenarian or septuagena rian—even the quinquagenarian—without bifocals is constantly reminded of the fact that his eyes are no longer young. With bifocals, he remains for the most On the whole, the article has undoubt part unconscious of his ocular senescence. edly accomplished a good purpose in calling attention to the eye in an interestBefore he himself reaches the bifocal • ing manner and making its function a little age it is difficult for an ophthalmologist clearer to the average reader. It will to appreciate the conditions under which give him also an insight into what the his presbyopic prescriptions are worn. ophthalmologist and the optician are at Too frequently his basic instruction in tempting to do for the patient. this phase of his work has been limited A point of importance is that the ar to a rather crude means of estimating ticle is in no sense controversial. The the amount of plus sphere which at question of ophthalmologist or op various ages is to be added to the distant correction. He seldom has a very realistic tometrist is not even mentioned. There is obviously a field for this kind conception of the reactions produced in of story, and the editors should be ap his patients by the height, as well as the plauded for having published it. To help spherical strength, of the near segment. educate the public on such a subject is Probably most ophthalmologists who a service the value of which no one can have themselves reached the years of question. One of the dangers lies in the presbyopia have found good cause to misunderstanding of even a simplified revise some of their earlier ideas on the presentation of technical matters. A more subject. direct and sequential handling might give Too often overlooked is the fact that a clearer idea of the subject and can be presbyopia cannot safely be estimated in used profitably in such popular-scientific mere accordance with the patient's age. magazines as Hygeia, but to find a place Cases of presbyopia arising before the in popular literature the colorful aspect age of thirty years are occasionally met, at some sacrifice of fundamental facts is and presbyopia by the age of forty is undoubtedly essential. not extremely uncommon. The only way
Monthly
by the Ophthalmic
Publishing
Company
EDITORIAL STAFF LAWRENCE T. POST, Editor
H. ROMMEL HILDRETH
WILLIAM H. CRISP, Consulting Editor
F. PARK LEWIS
EDWARD JACKSON, Consulting Editor
C. S. O'BRIEN
640 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis
824 Metropolitan Building, Saint Louis
530 Metropolitan Building, Denver
454 Franklin Street, Buffalo
Republic Building, Denver
HANS BARKAN
Stanford University Hospital, San Francisco
The State University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City
WILLIAM L. BENEDICT
M. URIBE TRONCOSO
GRADY E. CLAY
DERRICK VAIL
FREDERICK C CORDES
F. E. WOODRUFF
500 West End Avenue, New York
The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
441 Vine Street, Cincinnati
Medical Arts Building, Atlanta
824 Metropolitan Building, Saint Louis EMMA S. Buss, Manuscript Editor 6820 Delmar Boulevard, Saint Louis
384 Post Street, San Francisco
HARRY S. GRADLE
58 East Washington Street, Chicago Directors:
LAWRENCE T. POST, President, WILLIAM L. BENEDICT, Vice-President, F. E.
WOODRUFF, Secretary and Treasurer, EDWARD JACKSON, WILLIAM H. CRISP, HARRY S. GRADLE.
Address original papers, other scientific communications including correspondence, also books for review and reports of society proceedings to Dr. Lawrence T. Post, 640 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis. Exchange copies of medical journals should be sent to Dr. William H. Crisp, 530 Metropolitan Building, Denver. Subscriptions, applications for single copies, notices of change of address, and communications with reference to advertising should be addressed to the Manager of Subscriptions and Advertiseing, 640 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis. Copy of advertisements must be sent to the manager by the fifteenth of the month preceding its appearance. Author's proofs should be corrected and returned within forty-eight hours to the Manuscript Editor. Twenty-five reprints of each article will be supplied to the author without charge. Addi tional reprints may be obtained from the printer, the George Banta Publishing Company, 450-458 Ahnaip Street, Meriasha, Wisconsin, if ordered at the time proofs are returned. But reprints to contain colored plates must be ordered when the article is accepted.
POPULAR ARTICLES ON OPHTHALMOLOGY
and, although it is h a r d always to a p preciate the point of view of laymen, it I n the December 18, 1939, issue of Life, would appear to be informative to them. on page 28 a n d t h e succeeding pages, An ophthalmologist would probably not there appeared a good article on " T h e have presented it in just t h e form in eye," profusely illustrated. T h e subject which it is shown equally, because it matter a n d pictures a r e presented par stresses the unusual a n d tends to pass over ticularly to create interest in the topic the less dramatic but equally important under discussion. T h e y follow t h e usual ocular facts. F o r example, there is a beau method of current magazines in selecting tiful illustration of a cloudy cornea, and the dramatic, because the essential factor next to it a cornea with a corneal t r a n s from the magazine point of view is read plant in situ, presumably to show what ability, a n d in this particular publication might be done in such a case b y surgery, but t h e limitations of this operation a r e photography is the primary lure. T h e script includes some of t h e anat not mentioned. O n the same page is a n ex omy a n d physiology of t h e eye, t h e sub cellent illustration of conical cornea. O n e stance of which is essentially correct, whole sheet is devoted to colored illustra333
334
EDITORIALS
tions of the Ishihara plates and an ex planation of them. No mention is made of other tests for color blindness. A large picture of an eye, said to be illuminated from a slitlamp, appears dra matically, but there is nothing in the il lustration to indicate that the source of light was a slitlamp. A young lady is por trayed with various types of frames to show how they may not detract from but enhance the appearance. It is question able whether the illustrator has proved his point, but to suggest that this is pos sible may help overcome some of the prejudice of those who should wear glasses but do not do so because they fear that their good looks will be handi capped. Photographs in and out of focus illustrate the appearance of objects to ob servers who have certain eye defects.
It might be well, if this article on the eye proves popular, to suggest to the editors that at a later date an equally dramatic story and one which might do much good could be written on the sub ject of glaucoma. There indeed publicity is needed. Lawrence T. Post. T H E BIFOCAL AGE
Sooner or later, the great majority of us need or will need bifocal glasses. If we do not learn to use them, we shall be deprived of one of the most important conveniences of modern life. Unless myopic, the sexagenarian or septuagena rian—even the quinquagenarian—without bifocals is constantly reminded of the fact that his eyes are no longer young. With bifocals, he remains for the most On the whole, the article has undoubt part unconscious of his ocular senescence. edly accomplished a good purpose in calling attention to the eye in an interestBefore he himself reaches the bifocal • ing manner and making its function a little age it is difficult for an ophthalmologist clearer to the average reader. It will to appreciate the conditions under which give him also an insight into what the his presbyopic prescriptions are worn. ophthalmologist and the optician are at Too frequently his basic instruction in tempting to do for the patient. this phase of his work has been limited A point of importance is that the ar to a rather crude means of estimating ticle is in no sense controversial. The the amount of plus sphere which at question of ophthalmologist or op various ages is to be added to the distant correction. He seldom has a very realistic tometrist is not even mentioned. There is obviously a field for this kind conception of the reactions produced in of story, and the editors should be ap his patients by the height, as well as the plauded for having published it. To help spherical strength, of the near segment. educate the public on such a subject is Probably most ophthalmologists who a service the value of which no one can have themselves reached the years of question. One of the dangers lies in the presbyopia have found good cause to misunderstanding of even a simplified revise some of their earlier ideas on the presentation of technical matters. A more subject. direct and sequential handling might give Too often overlooked is the fact that a clearer idea of the subject and can be presbyopia cannot safely be estimated in used profitably in such popular-scientific mere accordance with the patient's age. magazines as Hygeia, but to find a place Cases of presbyopia arising before the in popular literature the colorful aspect age of thirty years are occasionally met, at some sacrifice of fundamental facts is and presbyopia by the age of forty is undoubtedly essential. not extremely uncommon. The only way