A DANGER TO OUR EYESIGHT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5861, 1 May 1897, Page 3

A DANGER TO OUR EYESIGHT.

THE EFFECTS OF COLOURED . LIGHT. It will be no easy matter for us to give up all our dainty-hued draperies, delicatelycoloured lamp-shades, &c, yet it appears that the society woman who probably comes under their influence, complains of failing eyesight. There is a medical theory that a combination of colours before the vision injures the sight. It is just this love of colour that is responsible for all the charming harmonies of hues and chromatic effects that prevail in the homes of the rich. From the point of view of the oculist, the widespread increase in artistic draperies of delicate colours is a positive evil, and accounts for many an obscure eje trouble. The reason for the injurious effect is expiamed in the fact that sunlight, which is the natural light, is white. With such light no special effort of tho optic nerve is required, and all parts of the eye do their work' normally. But when a coloured light is placed before the eyes the organs of sight have more work to do than before, They have to adjust themselves to catch the changed vibrations which give forth other radiations than the noi - mal white light. The more intense theso colours and the greater their variety the more is the strain upon the eyes. Just as it takes some time for the eye to use its normal vision after gazing at a fireworks display, in the same way the light through a coloured shade is now believed to a limited degree to affect the eye. Of course, the lamp shade that hides the white light and gives a tone of colour to the whole of the room is the special object that is attacked, and it is very probable that in the nursery coloured lampshades will be rigo rously tabooed by those -who are careful of the eyesight of their littleones. < The lavish, use of colours, particularly in the roms where peoplo read, write, or sew, is strongly deprecated. All those charming shades of green, yellow, red, pink or blue, , which make a room so inviting and appeal so keenly to the artistic senses, though they in:iy give pleasure to the eyes' that look upon them, are a 'strain upon the

sigb t. They may' be used at times to decorate conservatory of ballroom, but white shades are at all times beet for study and library. Yellow, and the hue known as golden are two tints peculiarly hard on the eyes, and the numerous gradations of rose and pink are equally trying. Green, when used as the colour for a lamp shade, is not to tie commended any more than blue. The nearer white tho light is in rooms where eyes are employed iil i'eading, writing, or a similar occupation; tfc*» Jess is the natural use of them tampered with. The woman who lives in t*N country and spends the greater part of her * im ® m the open air has but little strain upon il?* vision compared to her sister in town.