Eyes Hazy Sight
Sources:
Papers On Health
Frequently, after inflammation, and even when that
has ceased, the sight is left in a hazy condition. The eyes may be in
such cases rather cold than hot, and not amenable to the cooling
applications. The whole system also lacks vital action. First, in such
a case, wash the back thoroughly all over at night with hot water and
SOAP (see). Dry well and rub hot olive oil into the skin until dry.
In the morning rub the back
for a few minutes with vinegar or weak
ACETIC ACID (see) before getting out of bed, dry, and rub with warm
olive oil. A strip of new flannel should be sewn on the underclothing,
so as to cover the whole back. The feet and legs should be bathed
(see Bathing Feet) twice a week. All alcoholic drinks, and most
drugs, should be avoided, while only such food should be taken as can
be converted into good blood. Half a teacupful of distilled water
should be taken before each meal. The whole of this diet tends to
produce healthy blood, which is the great means of dissolving all
haziness in the lenses and humours of the eyes.
Every drop of alcohol does so much to reduce that action. We have heard
this beautifully described by one of the foremost of living medical
men. He began by stating, what no one can doubt, that a certain
quantity of alcohol taken by the strongest man will kill that man as
effectually as if he were shot through the head with a rifle bullet.
Now a certain portion of alcohol takes a man's sight entirely away.
Half that quantity will only render his vision "double"--that is, unfit
him to see objects as they really are. Half that again will only
perceptibly impair the power of the eyes; but the action of the
smallest particle of the substance is the same in nature as that of the
largest quantity. Hence that action is to reduce the very efficiency of
the nerves of the eye, which it is of such immense importance to nurse
to the uttermost. No mere dictum, however strongly expressed, can hold
for a moment against this transparent reason. Hence, if a person must
take alcoholic liquor, the cure of inflammation in his eyes, and of the
thickening of the transparent portions of these organs, is simply out
of the question unless the disease is comparatively slight, and his
nervous constitution strong.
The very same reason holds good of tobacco. So of opium. So of every
other narcotic, whatever it may be called. Hundreds of men lose their
eyesight by the use of tobacco alone. We have seen their eyeballs
gradually becoming sightless when no change could be detected in their
eyes--only the optic nerve gradually lost its sensibility till they
were entirely blind. We are perfectly aware that there are those who
will scout the idea of such an effect, and prescribe these very
narcotics largely in such cases; it is because such drugs are used and
ordered that we are compelled thus to reason about them. In all cases
of failing eyesight they should be carefully avoided. So should all
foods which are not easily converted into healthful blood.