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Peer's Sight Could
Have Been Saved
"The Age" Special Correspondent
LONDON, July 9. — A 65-year-old
blind peer, the Socialist Lord Kens-
wood, moved his fellow peers in the
House of Lords this week during a
debate on the nation's eyesight.
Lord ' Kenswood told
how he had lost his
sight.
Blind since he was 20,
Lord Kenswood said before
he lost his sight he ! went to
two opthalmologists, who
could detect nothing wrong
except a certain amount of
myopia (short-sightedness) .
"Three years later when I
could no longer see I went
to two other famous opthal
mologists, who told me it
was too late," he said ;
"Had I come earlier they
could have saved my
sight."
Referring occasionally to
Braille notes. Lord Kens
wood said if it was so diffi
cult for an experienced
opthalmologist how much
more difficult it was for an
optician without training or
experience.
" Take Chance "
The Lords were debating a
report by a committee which
called for registration of
opticians and for an optical
council with full disciplinary
powers.
Lord Kenswood and other
peers described as "criminal"
the present system which
allowed hawkers or chain
stores to sell glasses.
Lord Kenswood warned
millions of people wearing
glasses bought from these
sources that they "bought a
ticket in a lottery."
Lord Charnwood (Liberal),
himself a consulting opti
cian, sgid he did not oppose
chain stores selling spec
tacles.
A Headache
Lord Charnwood, who said
he supported the idea of a
new law to protect the pub
lic, declared, however: —
"You can't hurt your eyes
by wearing wrong spectacles
—certainly not reading spec
tacles — in middle life.
"With children you can
start a squint with wrong
spectacles, but all your Lord
ships can do by buying
glasses in a chain store is to
give yourselves a headache.
I spend my time telling
people to throw their glasses
away."
Lord Milner said there was
more control over opticians
300 years ago in, the reign
of King Charles I.
For the Government, Lord
Woolton said he believed the
committee's report would
jjrobatjly bring forth leglsla-
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