Life, 1919-10-02 · page 4 of 48
Life — October 2, 1919 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon but an advertisement** from Life magazine. The page promotes eye care through the Associated Optometrists and Opticians of America. The illustration shows a stylized woman wearing round glasses, captioned "The Windows of the Soul"—a period phrase referring to eyes. The ad's message is straightforward health advocacy: eyes are crucial to character perception and physical health, yet often neglected. It encourages readers to get eye examinations, warning that tired or strained eyes signal weakness just as a sprained ankle would. The piece uses persuasive messaging typical of early 20th-century advertising, appealing to vanity (character assessment) and health consciousness to drive optometry visits. The Association Emblem helped readers identify qualified practitioners in their cities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Windows of the Soul and the most important of your five senses —YOUR EYES Your character is read by them, the beauties of the world are seen through them and you would have to depend on others for sustenance if it was not for them, Furthermore your general health is greatly influenced by the physical condition of this THE EMBLEM OF more than often neglected organ, the one that you would miss most if SUPERIOR OPTICAL SERVICE. you lost it, that you use most now that you have it. LOOK FOR IT WHERE . : . YOU BUY YOUR GLASSES, Tired, overstrained eyes cannot inform you of the weakness as would a sprained ankle or an ulcerated tooth—but the condition is fully as wearing on your nerve efficiency and health. Play fair with your eyesight. Find out if it is a hundred percent efficient. Don’t wait until it is gone. You MAY need glasses NOW—and you may NOT, but assure yourself by an examination, Look for the optometrist who displays this Association Emblem. There are members in every city. If your vision is normal you will be told so very gladly. Associated Optometrists and Opticians of America Write for booklet, “The Conservation of Eyesight” Home Office, Richmond, Va. comicbooks.coayy