SIGHT

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20513, 1 June 1938, Page 6

SIGHT

THE MOST VALUABLE OF OUR SENSEB Of all the five senses SIGHT is perhaps the last one that most Individuals would sacrifice. Through the eyes come most of one's education, In the form of reading and observation, and through the eyes comes also most of one’s appreciation of the delights of living—colour, perspective, mass and shape. Those of us who possess good eyesight often do not realise the value of this great asset until the eyes become defective. Most eye troubles If arrested in their early stages can be either cured or rectified by medical or optical treatment, so the wisdom of having one s eyes tested from time to time can readily be recognised. In recent years great strides have been made in ocular research, and defects of vision that were a few years ago thought Incurable except by operative means can now be corrected with glasses.

Perhaps the greatest achievements have been made in the straightening of the eyes in cases of squint by means of muscle-training instruments and glasses.

Great advancements have also been made In the manufacture of bifocal lenses. Where a short time ago these could only be made with an unsightly join in the glass, they are now quite invisible, with not only distance and reading sight in the one lens but three focuses —distance, intermediate and reading (trifocals); also a type with a distance field above and below the reading field which enables bifocal wearers to play golf, go up and down stairs, etc., without any difficulty as experienced with the older type bifocals.

Another advance In lens manufacture is the Polaroid antiglare lens, which by means of its polarizing properties cuts out reflected glare and the wearer can drive on a wet shiny road, look over the water into glaring sunshine without experiencing any fatigue or effect of glare, etc. Balfour Irvine and Webster, Ltd., the wellknown Hamilton firm of opticians, are to the fore with these latest lenses and appliances, and will welcome any Show visitors to have them demonstrated at their rooms, 199 Victoria Street, Hamilton, where Mr C. Mcllwraith, who is a director of the firm, attends personally to all eyesight testing. Being Fellow of the British Opticians’ Association, and the Worshipful Company of Spectaclemakers (by exam., London), he is in a position to give export advice on all optical matters.