Training the eyes?

[Guest Eduard]

HELLO, YA SEXY PEOPLE!!!

I'm going to assume that, since we are nerds, a big part of us suffers from some sort of eye problems, most likely nearsightedness.

However, none of you, YES, NONE OF YOU, seemed to try to make fixing your eyes a goal in any of the challenges.

I'm pretty sure it's hard to do, and most - or maybe all - the eye exercise programs found online are scams. Stuff like Bates or Clearly apparently have been proven wrong by science, but there are still a few ones that people say might work. A few days ago I bought a book called something like... get perfect vision, or reverse nearsightedness, or a combination of these names - I don't really remember, but I saw the book on Amazon, it had great reviews, so I ordered it. I'll tell you how it's called when I receive it.

Anyway, is anyone else going to make reversing their eye problems a goal? Had anyone else had success with any similar program?

'cause really, those of us who roleplay handsome / pretty archers need a really sharp vision.

Waiting your answers, hotties!

[Guest guest4729]

HELLO, YA SEXY PEOPLE!!!

I'm going to assume that, since we are nerds, a big part of us suffers from some sort of eye problems, most likely nearsightedness.

However, none of you, YES, NONE OF YOU, seemed to try to make fixing your eyes a goal in any of the challenges.

I'm pretty sure it's hard to do, and most - or maybe all - the eye exercise programs found online are scams. Stuff like Bates or Clearly apparently have been proven wrong by science, but there are still a few ones that people say might work. A few days ago I bought a book called something like... get perfect vision, or reverse nearsightedness, or a combination of these names - I don't really remember, but I saw the book on Amazon, it had great reviews, so I ordered it. I'll tell you how it's called when I receive it.

Anyway, is anyone else going to make reversing their eye problems a goal? Had anyone else had success with any similar program?

'cause really, those of us who roleplay handsome / pretty archers need a really sharp vision.

Waiting your answers, hotties!

I /DO/ normally play as an archer (or spellcaster) type when I play games, so you've got that right. I do also have poor vision. I'm nearsighted and can only see things that are closer than arms-length for me. I haven't ever really thought about searching for ways to reverse poor vision. I am quite skeptical, though. How do you retrain your eyes to see better? Is that even possible?

/intrigued

[Guest Eduard]

Well, I have no real idea since I never really studied it, but from what I know, what makes you be nearsighted is not something "decaying" in the eye, it's the angle of refraction being changed. The more you use glasses or read really close stuff, that angle changes more and more because the eye doesn't have to do any effort to see (in the case of glasses because they do all the work, and in the case of reading close stuff because they don't need to).

Apparently, apparently, APPARENTLY, the process is reversible through eye exercises that force the eye to change the way it focuses, and doing them for a long period of time can change the way they work / their shape. The reviews of the book and some other systems I found online said that they really require commitment (some programs seem to have to be done for 30m a day or even more, every day), and the results of most seemed to be changing 2 diopters in a year or so.

However, these programs seem to be highly criticized by some people. I have no idea whether they tries them and didn't work, or they are opticians and need us to keep seeing worse to keep changing our glasses, but I'm just as skeptic as you are.

Anyway, as soon as I get the book, I'm gonna try it for a while to see if there are any improvements. If anyone else would like to join me, as soon as I receive the book I'll be able to tell who's interested how it's called through PM.

And again, if anyone else fixed their vision in any way, tell us, YOU SEXY BADASSES!

[Guest Eduard]

Oops, I think I double-posted! Sowwies?

[Timmy M]

i've heard alternating between looking at something very close and some thing far away as soon as the item comes into focus (having to rapidly change focus) helps your eyes in some form or another, that's all i remember of it, no cites i'm afraid

[67alecto]

This is all crap. Vision problems as you are describing are all caused by changes to the eyes' anatomy. Getting shorter, longer, losing elasticity, etc. No amount of self-guided "exercises" (now available in just 3 easy payments of $19.95!) will correct that.

Any program that markets this is a scam.

[Guest Eduard]

@Timmy M

I'll try it... thanks!

@67alecto

I get it. But how can the eye change its anatomy in bad if it can't change back in good? You probably mean that the eye can become "longer" as you get more and more myope, why couldn't it shorten?

I doubt that I understand the whole thing, but this kind of reversal seems somehow possible.

On a side note, what's wrong with 3 easy payments? As long as they are easy, it's good enough for me. If only bodybuilding was that easy! *dreaming*

Thanks for all the answeeers! And if you know any other stunts like Tommy's that I can do with my eyes, post here sweeties! (All right, that was pretty gay. I just ran out of "hotties" and "sexy badasses", I try not to bore you repeating the appelatives.)

[andygates]

I get it. But how can the eye change its anatomy in bad if it can't change back in good? You probably mean that the eye can become "longer" as you get more and more myope, why couldn't it shorten?

On a side note, what's wrong with 3 easy payments? As long as they are easy, it's good enough for me. If only bodybuilding was that easy! *dreaming*

Well, why should exercises change it? What first principle are we working from here?

Focus pull exercises are kinda tiring, and visual acuity is subjective. I sense awesome space for placebo.

As for bodybuilding: you've seen all the stuff on sale. You can always make three easy payments. The question is, are you getting anything for your money..?

[Guest Eduard]

@andygates

"Well, why should exercises change it?"

Well, why should overaccomodation change it in the first place?

"What first principle are we working from here?"

I have no idea.

"Focus pull exercises are kinda tiring, and visual acuity is subjective. I sense awesome space for placebo."

Well, maybe but... I'm still trying to be optimistic.

"As for bodybuilding: you've seen all the stuff on sale. You can always make three easy payments. The question is, are you getting anything for your money..?"

On sale? WHAT??? Does anyone know a passive workout and diet system that can make me gain 80lbs of solid muscle in less than 4 weeks? Or even better, the routine that will make me look like this until summer, regardless of me having different genetics and muscle shapes than him, please? Oh, and the one that guarentees that I'm gonna win Mr. Olympia 3 years in a row in just 3 minutes a day? And tell me where to send the 3 EASY payments. :3 Thanksiiiies!

Now seriously, you studs and shawties, if any of you succeeded in improving your vision even a little bit through some habits, exercises, or magic, post here!

[Blaizen]

I have some eye exercise's in a book about speed training for martial arts, I'll see if i can dig them out for you....

[catspaw]

The more you use glasses or read really close stuff, that angle changes more and more because the eye doesn't have to do any effort to see (in the case of glasses because they do all the work, and in the case of reading close stuff because they don't need to).

Despite this being conventional wisdom, this is not agreed upon as true by the vision medical community. The overwhelming factor appears to be genetics. Common near-sighted work may or may not aggravate it.

And glasses making it "worse" has been proven to be a myth:

http://www.aoa.org/x20475.xml

[Guest Eduard]

@Blaizen

Thank you, and nice avi!

@catspaw

The "myopia is genetic" thing I don't believe at all.

In my case, nobody else in my family is nearsighted (dad is hypermetrope since a few years, though, but very little). I became nearsighted about a year after starting to use the computer heavily, and I got some weak glasses (I think -0.75) and wore them full-time. Then I kept getting new glasses every year and my nearsightedness kept developing with almost 1 diopter evey year, up to -4 on each eye. Then over a year ago I stopped wearing glasses and it didn't develop since then, or at least not enough to make me realize that it did. And I'm willing to bet that, if I'm gonna start wearing them again, it's going to get worse.

Also, (I'm not original here) it is really hard to believe that myopic genes exist at all (or they are so popular that almost every teenager nowadays has it), since our ancestors were hunters, they needed great vision... the ones who had bad vision couldn't hunt or defend themselves properly, so they died and so did their myopic genes.

That's just what I think and what I believe from what I read... I could be wrong, but I'm trying to be optimistic.

Edit: You're linking me to an article by the American Optometric Association that says glasses are harmless? Aren't they the guys that want us to have bad vision and to keep it getting worse so we're gonna buy glasses every year?

Another edit: "The overwhelming factor appears to be genetics."

I took this from AOA's site that you linked me to (well, if you find it to be a reliable source anyway): "Fact: Like many conditions, myopia develops due to a combination of genes and environment."

Another edit and oh, wait, I am right! You said "And glasses making it "worse" has been proven to be a myth:"

Read this, again, from their site:

"Fact: In actuality, the research has demonstrated that wearing glasses to provide clear vision for distance seeing does not cause more nearsightedness. For some people, these lenses are not optimum for their near vision and should be removed or a bifocal should be put in the glasses."

That's what I thought. It might be good to wear them when looking at distant stuff such as when driving, but your vision will (most likely, I think - it did in my case) get worse if you wear them permanently since you keep seeing distant objects and ALSO close objects such as the computer screen, and you know what they said about looking at close objects, riiight?

But thanksies a lot for your effort, kitteh. *squeezehugs that deadlifting kitty*

[AKLulu]

Well my archer/hunter is just going to have to wear contacts... or get laser eye surgery. Either that I'll have to use Eagle Eye with my pet so I can get a good look at the enemies before I start firing... but I digress.

My eyes have been stable for the last... 12 years or more, so I know my use of glasses and contacts aren't making my vision worse. What's a girl to do other than get the cutest nerd specs possible? I've personally always kind of wanted a pair of horn-rimmed glasses - HOT.

[oystergirl]

Well, I for one can tell you that 100% you can fix your eyesight. I wore glasses and contacts after starting college and using microscopes all the time in lab work. I wore them until after my second child was born and my prescription kept getting worse and worse but never above a 1.75 in each eye. Contacts made my eyes very dry and so I decided to stop wearing them and only wore glasses. This seemed to improve my vision a bit (age 34) and then, I started NOT wearing my glasses at social events because I became friends with a bunch of guys in a rock band and I didn't want to look like a nerd (even if I was one) at concerts. My vision improved and then I stopped wearing them totally and my vision improved again. I now hold a non-restricted drivers license and passed my eye test. I do notice though at age 48 that I now need close vision glasses for doing crafts and palm reading but not for reading a book. If I go to the movies though and sit very far away or am doing archery, I still pull out my regular glasses, but they are too strong for regular every day vision. I also wear them if driving at night in unfamiliar areas so I can be sure to read street signs.

I think if your vision issues are minor to moderate, you can change your vision.

[andygates]

This is relevant: http://io9.com/5887069/exercise-your-brain--not-your-eyes--to-keep-your-vision-healthy

[Bumblebee4]

Ok I had been thinking about trying to do this as my vision is very poor and has been since I became a mom at 16. My vision went from 20/20 to 20/70 in the 9 months of pregnancy. My first pair of glasses weren't as strong as today's Rx so I could still watch TV without them and so forth and my 2nd Rx was actually better (as in my eyes could see better) and by then I was working etc and wore my glasses a lot more and since then my vision has always gotten worse with each exam.

I'm with Eduard that it seems totally possible and I am willing to try it. I wrote down a website that was recommended a while back. I'll have to find it and share it now that this is back on my mind. Eduard I'd be interested in hearing what you book has to say.

[Guest Eduard]

I'm with Eduard that it seems totally possible and I am willing to try it. I wrote down a website that was recommended a while back. I'll have to find it and share it now that this is back on my mind. Eduard I'd be interested in hearing what you book has to say.

Okay, so I finished reading it a while ago, and it said something like:

• If your myopia is 2 or under, you shouldn't wear glasses or contact lenses at all, unless you are forced by law, like when driving. This is because the eyes will try to adapt to seeing slightly blurry things and, over time, they'll do it (because the process is the one that made you myope in the first place - called "overacommodation" if I remember correctly, just reversed).

• If your myopia is over 2, you should wear undercorrected glasses, like if you have -4 diopters you should wear -2 glasses all the time and -4 when law forces you. This is because, if you get rid of glasses completely and you have higher myopia like -4, things are too blurry for the eyes to try to adapt, they'll just give up.

• Do some eye exercises to relieve eye strain caused by computer and other stuff daily.

• Do focusing exercises for the eyes, one of them is reading slightly blurry things without glasses. There are quite a few exercises listed in the book... they seem to require quite a lot of willpower, though. It's more like a routine.

Anyway, I did this since a few days after I started the thread, and (placebo or not) I feel that my vision has improved, just a little. It's been just a month, tho. The glasses I had seem a (very) little too strong now, but anyway, I'm gonna go check my vision and get new glasses soon, so I'll tell you if there was any little improvement of it was just my impression.

[Denny]

It's worth to note that if you stare on a near object, like your screen, during a long time your eyes might get stiff and you get temporary near sightedness. I don't know the word for it in English but it has to do with the muscles in your eyes getting stiff and is having a hard time relaxing afterwards. Also the hydration of the cornea may mess with your vision too (some days you wake up with slightly groggy vision that doesn't seem to let go?). Don't mix these problems with actual near sightedness.

[Artinum]

Despite this being conventional wisdom, this is not agreed upon as true by the vision medical community. The overwhelming factor appears to be genetics. Common near-sighted work may or may not aggravate it.

And glasses making it "worse" has been proven to be a myth:

http://www.aoa.org/x20475.xml

I'd agree with both of these things. My entire family has vision problems, though I'm proud (?) to have the worst eyesight of the lot. I've been wearing glasses since I was thirteen. I also use computers a LOT. But, and here's the odd thing - my computer usage has increased over my life, so I'm now using one or another for a majority of the day, but my eyesight deterioration has slowed right down. I still have terrible eyesight, but it's not getting significantly worse any more.

[Revah]

I've actually managed to improve my eyesight a little, without actively trying to.

All I did was stop wearing my glasses when reading. I noticed that I could see the book just as well without them as with, so decided to give it a try. Two years later and I've gone from -6 diopters to -4.5. Now, I'm still reliant on glasses for everything else and I don't know if my vision will improve any further (and if it does, it's definitely a long-term thing) or if it would work for anyone else, but I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the optician, because as far as I know myopia doesn't usually spontaneously reverse itself, and my sight had been in steady decline since age six.

[Ryan Sannar]

Just started wearing my glasses again.

[rumtiger]

When I was in high school, I actually had to go to an orthoptist who evaluated my eyesight and gave me prisms and other tools to do eye exercises. It was related to my eye muscles because one was far-sighted and one was near-sighted, they got lazy from trying to focus and stopped trying. The eye exercises were grueling, but helped after glasses to correct my vision and I could focus again - it was wonderful when I was able to see that trees actually had leaves, lol. I wonder if some people believe eye exercises help them and were not diagnosed with focusing problem, and mis-correlated that it corrected their nearsignedness.

In my twenties, I asked the doctor about my near-sightedness getting progressively worse, and he said it was because of all the computer & deskwork. So to prevent from getting worse, had to start doing a break at least every 20-30 minutes where I focus on something at the other side of the room for a few minutes. The prescription for my glasses still changes from time to time (I'm almost 50), but only gradually.

[laguy822]

Speaking about eyes .... I normally work with PC like every day, and a lot. And a few weeks ago my eyes started hearing and I could not bear looking at the screen, so I had to go to the eye doctor. Anyways, what I did to fix that thingie is: I bought glasses for computer work, some eye drops .... duh, and I changed the lights in my room. And the problem is gone!

[Shukar]

Alright, personal anecdote time.

When I was in high school a buddy and I started brainstorming one day and came to the question of whether one could improve eyesight through eye exercises, the theory being that most vision problems were connected to either muscles in the eye being disbalanced or the eye being misshapen. (I have no real idea how true either of those theories are, I haven't felt the need to research much about vision in my wanderings) So I decided that I was going to try testing our idea. I started doing reps each night looking side to side, up and down, various angles and rolling my eyes around in a circle, all with my eyes closed, in an effort to build the muscles and help reshape the eyeball. Now I'm aware this isn't really all that scientific, I've gotten much better at that part of such experiments since high school, but before this experiment I needed glasses to drive, permit test, and afterward I didn't need glasses to drive, license test, and I didn't actively change anything else. Did what I did cause the effect? I'd like to think so. Can I prove it? Sadly no, though perhaps I should give it another try with some more rigorous testing methods and see if there is anything to it. Well, that's my anecdote to throw on the fire, take from it what you will.

[Artinum]

Perhaps you should have exercised just one eye and then seen what difference you got...