Improve your eyes at home E-Book

R. Brooks Simpkins

• Herausgeber: David De Angelis
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

There is not any mystery about the eyes when you are told something about them. I have endeavoured to write this little book in a manner resembling a fireside chat. There are not any diagrams, and neither are there any technical terms other than to call some parts of the eyes by their actual names. It has not been easy to portray rather complicated knowledge in simple words—but I hope that my readers will find my descriptions easy to read, and helpful also. In those days, after enjoying normally good sight as a boy, I had become very shortsighted - and intensely disliked having to wear glasses.

Gradually over the years the urge developed to investigate the true reason for my having to do so - and I recalled that when, as an early teenager, I rebelled against the decision of an eminent ophthalmic surgeon to prescribe my first pair of glasses, he generously admitted to me that much was not yet known about the eyes. The urge to become an independent research worker grew, and eventually became so strong that I cast all else aside to respond to its beckoning. My authority for writing what I have written in the pages that follow is not supported by conventional diplomas of qualification—but instead it is provided by more than thirty years' experience employing new approaches to affections of the eyes, and defective vision, and applying advanced methods of remedial treatment to the eyes of children, and men and women of all ages.

Leseprobe

Improve your eyes at home

BY

R. BROOKS SIMPKINS

© R. BROOKS SIMPKINS, 1968

1st Digital edition 2016 by David De Angelis

CONTENTS

Prelude

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

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PRELUDE

There is not any mystery about the eyes—when you are told something about them.

I have endeavoured to write this little book in a manner resembling a fireside chat. There are not any diagrams, and neither are there any technical terms other than to call some parts of the eyes by their actual names. It has not been easy to portray rather complicated knowledge in simple words—but I hope that my readers will find my descriptions easy to read, and helpful also.

I am not a doctor because in my youth the financial position did not enable me to become one—despite medicine in the family. Instead, for many years I had to content myself with another profession—of which I became a fully qualified member.

In those days, after enjoying normally good sight as a boy, I had become very shortsighted—and intensely disliked having to wear glasses. Gradually over the years the urge developed to investigate the true reason for my having to do so—and I recalled that when, as an early teenager, I rebelled against the decision of an eminent ophthalmic surgeon to prescribe my first pair of glasses, he generously admitted to me that much was not yet known about the eyes.

The urge to become an independent research worker grew, and eventually became so strong that I cast all else aside to respond to its beckoning.

My authority for writing what I have written in the pages that follow is not supported by conventional diplomas of qualification—but instead it is provided by more than thirty years' experience employing new approaches to affections of the eyes, and defective vision, and applying advanced methods of remedial treatment to the eyes of children, and men and women of all ages.

R. BROOKS SIMPKINS

Eastbourne, Sussex, England.

ONE

Our eyes are only the size of a halfpenny. The diameter of this small coin is one inch. The length of the normal eye from back to front is 24 millimetres—which equal an inch. Actually human eyes are perfect colour television aerials—that is all! Eyes do not see. As aerials they collect, simultaneously and with inconceivable rapidity, umpteen wavelengths of light. These wavelengths are transmitted by the eyes to two `television screens' in the brain on either side of the back of the head. These two screens are called the visual centres of the brain.

Light is `indirect' electricity—it is diffuse. Direct electricity is the energy which comes from the power station to provide light and warmth, work the vacuum cleaner, and also our television sets. Indirect electricity is also energy. Daylight is made up of seven different wavebands of this energy working together—and called the visible rays of solar radiation. These wavebands when separated from each other are `seen' as the colours of the rainbow—red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, blue and violet. The different wavelengths within each waveband produce varying shades of each of the seven colours. Their wavelengths are measured in ten-millionth parts of a millimetre Angstrom Units. Though so very minute, they resemble rippling waves on the surface of water. The length of a wave is the distance, however small, between the crests of two waves, as one wave follows another.

Light travels at the rate of i 86,000 miles per second —and so does the electricity from the mains supply, which is brought to our homes by a cable. When it is dark, during the hours of a black night, we cannot see because light energy from the sun is not reaching our eyes—but when this energy is reflected by the moon we can see, to some extent, in the moonlight. The sun, in simple terms, is a flaming gaseous mass.

The flame from a burning candle, or an ordinary oil lamp, emits light energy. We can see, at least a little, in firelight—and at the same time feel the warmth from the fire. The `difference' between warmth and light is merely different wavelengths of energy. Candle flames and burning oil lamps also emit heat. Heat wavelengths of energy are longer than those of light and colour. The heat from a glowing red fire is uncomfortable for the eyes—while comforting to the body. The eyes have no protection against heat other than closing them—and even then the eyelids do not like too much warmth.

Natural illumination comes only from a flame—and is not harmful to the eyes when they are not close enough to feel the warmth of the flame. The heat from just an ordinary match, however, is considerable when we strike it `to light' a cigarette—while the energy from a neglected cigarette end can start a very serious fire.

Luminous light must not be confused with incandescent light. When gas lighting was first introduced it provided a yellow flame. Later the gas mantle was invented—this was made of asbestos which was heated by the gas flame to make the asbestos so hot that it became incandescent. When iron and steel are `white hot' they also become incandescent, and emit light rays —as well as other rays which are dangerous to the eyes. The original arc light was `created' by a current of electricity bridging the space between two rods, or sticks, of carbon with their pointed ends a little apart. The light produced in this manner is very intense—and it is not wise to look at it except from a considerable distance.