Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1905 — SIGHTSEERS’ HEADACHE. [ARTICLE]

SIGHTSEERS’ HEADACHE.

Caused by Strain on the Elevator Muscles of the Eye. “Academy” or “sightseers’ ” headache is a not unpommon experience, and some observations of Simeon Snell appear tp throw some light on its causation. Allowing that in certain instances astigmatism or other form of ametropja is a factor in its production, he yet argues that there are other influencing conditions. In support of this he quotes the experience of a lady who always suffered from severe headaches after visiting the theater when she had occupied a seat in the pit, but was free from such a disturbance when she sat in the dress circle. In the first position, it is pointed out, sustained action of the elevator muscles of the eyeballs is required in order to see the stage, and this is exactly the action which is required in studying a collection of pictures and more especially in looking at those which are hung “above the line.” The same experience has been not - ed by Mr. Snell in the case of cyclists, particularly of those who lean over the handle bars with the head lowered and who, therefore, in looking ahead keep the eyeballs upward. A further argument is found in the experience of miners’ nystagmus, which, it is suggested, is due to weariness of the elevator muscles of the eyeballs, caused by the constrained position in which the miner works. There can be no doubt of the physiological fact that lateral movement of the eyeballs is much more easy and requires less muscular effort than movement in a vertical plane. All this goes to show that muscular strain is involved in sustained upward movement of the eyeballs, and this may well result in a sense of weariness or more pronounced discomfort. —London Hospital.