244] EYE covers -the sight. In the former case, they are seldom attended with much inconvenience; but, in the latter, they frequently cause either a partial or total blindness. Such specks are generally consequent to Inflammation ; and, if vision be materially impaired, it will be re- quisite to resort immediately to surgical assistance. 6. A membranous excrescence, called pterygium, frequently ap- pears upon the white part of the eye, and often spreads over the cor- nea, in such a manner as entirely to destroy vision. It is either oc- casioned by external injuries, or arises from a general disease of the •whole system, as in the scrophula, or scurvy, &c. ; but inflammation is always the immediate cause. In this, as in the preceding complaint, the patient should not tamper with the delicate organ of sight ; as, by one injudicious application, that sense may be lost, beyond the pos- sibility of recovery. 7. The eye is sometimes enlarged by an accumulation of the aqueous humour; which occasions a sensa- tion of fulness in the eye-bail, gra- dually impedes the motions of the eye-lids, renders vision progres- sively more imperfect, till the un- fortunate patient can at length only discriminate light from darkness. As the disorder increases, the ball of the eye becomes greatly enlarg- ed, and the cornea begins to pro- trude ; so that, if a punSure be not made, the eye will burst, and discharge itself. In the early stages ■ of this disease, the sight may per- haps be preserved by proper treat- ment-; but we earnestly exhort all patients, if they feel the value of their eyes, to avoid those perni- cious nostrums, vended under the name of collyria, eye- waters,, &c. EYE 8. Inflammation of the eye. See Inflammation. p. Blindness. See vol. i. p. 285. 10. Blood-shot eyes. See vol. i. p. 292. 11. Cataract. See Gutta Se- EENA. 12. Short sight, though it can- not be stri6tly considered as a dis- order of the eye, is nevertheless a serious evil. Those who are natu- rally near-sighted, are seldom re- lieved from that defect., till they attain a certain age, when that uncommon rotundity which occa- sions it, gradually decreases. In order to remedy this inconvenience, they have recourse to eye-glasses, which, on certain occasions, are of real utility ; but instead of using both eyes at the same time, or at least alternately, they absurdly close one, while they view an object through the glass with the other ; by which means they can only in- sped it sideways ; a practice that deserves severe censure, inasmuch as the eye which is not exercised, must necessarily become useless. — i See Spectacles. These remarks are equally ap- plicable to those persons who can distinguish objects only at a dis- tance ; for eye-glasses to them also become necessary, to enable them to behold more minute objects with greater precision. AVeak eyes are chiefly occasion- ed by residing in confined situa- tions : hence so many persons, liv- ing in towns, complain of this mis- fortune, which can only be attri- buted to the want of a pure atmo* sphere, as well as to the confined circle of vision : — the rays of light being reflected from smooth wall*;, which dazzle the eyes, cannot fail to injure those organs in a very material degree. Those
