AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECT UPON THE EYES OF OCCUPATIONS INVOLVING CLOSE WORK: Being a resume of work done for the Physiology of Vision Committee of the Medical Research Council

THE investigations here described were undertaken in order to determine what effect (if any) upon the eyes is brought about by continuous close work, such as is necessitated in many branches of industry. It was thought probable that any deleterious effect would be most readily discovered in young adults in the second decade of life, since among those engaged upon such work the eyes, being still to some extent in the period of growth and development, are in the most labile state. 'We were, therefore, fortunate in being allowed access to the London School of Printing, and being given the opportunity of examining the apprentices working therein. The pupils here are youths, the majority of whom are between 14 and 20 years of age, and they may reasonably be taken as representative of the average physical standard. Since the institution is a day school, and the students work on the average between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., going home at night, the. conditions correspond closely to those of the average worker. The work which goes on in the school is of a very varied character, and includes such occupations as composing, where the opportunities of eye-strain are very considerable, as well as others such as training as warehousemen and binders, when the eyes are not used to any great degree. To a large extent, therefore, copyright.