A Compendium on Myopia Rehabililation

[Alex_Myopic]

And I was just thinking to change from -0,75D to -0,5D lenses since I have managed 20/20 with -0.75D although not with great ease and only with both eyes.
I noticed that if I wear -0.75D to see some small subtitles in a movie (3m away from the tv) for 60 minutes, my eyes deteriorate at focusing at 30 minutes more or less but if I see a movie with larger subs without glasses my eyes are more stable and if I blink I can "clear" the subs when they appear defocused.

[OtisBrown]

Hi Alex,

It is always pleasant to hear reports like you just made.  Everyone wants success - but few achieve it.  When I was "nearsighted" (totally my fault) I could not read the 20/200 line.  What I would have given, to "just read" the 20/40 line (with both eyes open) and go pass the required DMV in my state.

I know you do not like the idea of wearing a "stress reduction" plus - the way that I do - but that is always a personal choice.  I also do not make any "claims" of result, because I expect the person to see objective results himself - and report them honestly - as you are doing it.  I would also expect you read most of the letters on the 20/40 line, given the statements you have made.  You are also lucky you can keep that wretched minus off you face - most of the time!

Congratulations on your success.

And I was just thinking to change from -0,75D to -0,5D lenses since I have managed 20/20 with -0.75D although not with great ease and only with both eyes.
I noticed that if I wear -0.75D to see some small subtitles in a movie (3m away from the tv) for 60 minutes, my eyes deteriorate at focusing at 30 minutes more or less but if I see a movie with larger subs without glasses my eyes are more stable and if I blink I can "clear" the subs when they appear defocused.

[Alex_Myopic]

Thanks a lot Mr Brown.

I can read now 20/32 with some difficulty. I observed this instability at this transient reduction of myopia and the fact that somehow 20/20 prescription for myopia for use closer than 6 meters somehow steals my progress and I wanted to share this.

[OtisBrown]

Hi Tom Lu,

I truly like the concept of "Generalized System for Myopia Reversal".  But I believe that we should start "early", and perhaps make a strong personal commitment, while we still have 20/60.

Here is a video of how the natural eye "induces", negative status.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiuC7a1lkrk

Tom, I was curious about your opinion of this video - about how a child SLOWLY creates negative stauts - because of his reading habit.

I would certainly agree that most children do this (nose on page) - and understand the consequence of doing this - are very serious.

What do you think?


Thanks,

[eliddell]

What is ciliary rocking?

[Alex_Myopic]

Here are examples of vision rocking exercises that truly when during doing this (with the first one) I can focus a little better. Maybe stronger and more flexible ciliary muscle compensates for myopia.

SET UP
1. Place the I Love To See Chart on the wall so that the center of the chart is at eye level. You can
do this technique either sitting or standing.
2. Sit (or stand) 8 - 10 feet from the chart.
Instructions (1 eye at a time)
1. Cover your right eye with an eye patch. Keep the covered eye open.
2. Pick a letter on the chart as your distant focus point. Hold your index finger 6 - 8 inches
directly in front of your left eye and slightly below the letter. (Then, when you shift your focus in
and out between the letter to your finger, your eyes will not move from right to left.)
3. Set the metronome at 30 beats per minute. Shift your focus from your finger to the letter in
time with the beats, making one shift per beat.
4. Continue for 3 minutes.
5. Palm (P. 78) over both closed eyes for 1 - 2 minutes.
6. Repeat steps 3 - 5 with the metronome set to 45 beats per minute.
7....

or this one

1. Cover one eye with your hand (or an eye patch) and keep the covered eye open.
2. Hold the Dot Chart in front of the open eye. If you are nearsighted, hold the chart just beyond
the distance at which you can see the top dot clearly. If you can still see the top dot clearly at
arm’s length, use a smaller dot. If you are farsighted, hold the chart just closer to you than the
distance at which you can see the top dot clearly.
3. Keep your focus on the dot and with a slow, steady motion, move the chart closer to you until
it is 2 - 3 inches from your eye.
4. Continue to keep your focus on the dot as you slowly move the chart away, until your arm is
outstretched.
5. Continue moving the chart in and out as you stay focused on the dot. Continue for 3 - 4
minutes.
6. Palm (P. 78) over both closed eyes for 1 minute.
7. Repeat steps 2 - 6 again; if you can, focus on a smaller dot.
8. Palm over both closed eyes for 1 minute.
9. Repeat steps 2 - 8 with the other eye.

[chris1213]

Tom,

Thank you for explaining what ciliary lock-up is in briefer words.

But you might want to consider the following:

When working with plus lenses or under prescription on close up distance, there's a way to gain more improvements and it implies, after having "warmed up" your eyes for about 20 minutes wearing the plus or under prescription, to back up the furthest you can while the letters are still readable. The letters should not be sharp but shouldn't be blurred either, it's the point where you can barely read them. Blink a few times and then, staring at one part of a word or a letter, without blinking, you allow your eyes to focus the image. It takes around 15 seconds for the eyes (and brain) to focus the image and then you want to stare at it the most you can without blinking (a.k.a without straining; that's why the eyes need to be warmed up). This keeps the ciliary where it has to be for it to focus. The "exercise" should not be done more than 10-15 minutes the first times so we don't strain our eyes.

Now, going back to the ciliary lock-up,  I believe the exercise justifies staring at one distance for some time and shouldn't be confused with lock-up because you're still working on focusing at a range beyond what you might have considered "possible." However, for the rest of the times, while focusing up close I think that what you say is very important because once the ciliary locks-up the rest of day it becomes harder to keep focusing at longer distances.

Thank you Tom for the insights,

Chris

PS: The exercise I mention is a very rough summary of one of the installments that Alex Frauenfeld shares, so the credit goes to him.

[OtisBrown]

Hi Chris,

Excellent statements.  It is indeed difficult to describe this, "accommodation rock" exercise.  Assuming you have confirmed you can read the 20/40 line, and want to practice "plus-accommodation rock", I do it this way.

I sit an my computer, wearing a +2 diopter, which "just blurs at 25 inches.  Then I work that way for about five minutes.  Then I look up quickly, over the top of my plus-glasses at the Snellen chart.  Sometimes I can clear a line or two by doing this.  As you suggested - this is to prevent "lens lock-up" - from never looking up.

You could also do it at work, by reading at the "just blur point", and when you "look up" your eyes rotate "outward", and that signal, "kicks" the accommodation system out-ward - as far as it can go.  That is the basic theory of this method.

As always, I enjoy all the analytic ideas we are presenting here.

[Alex_Myopic]

Hi TomLu,

since you found the exercises helpful I'll repost them full with the metronome and charts.

[Alex_Myopic]

Here they are:

http://www.2shared.com/file/dWW8pZkZ/vision_rock.html

password:rocking

[jansen]

Just an interesting thought adding on to the discussion about warming up the ciliary muscle, right now I'm trying out the warming up process by using a weaker pair of plus lenses at first, and then moving onto a stronger pair. Hoping i can break out of my almost year long plateau now.

[Alex_Myopic]

There are mentions in this forum about the benefits of cold showers. Alternate hot and cold showers are also like a good exercise for circulatory system, they boost the immune system and give more energy. I have tried them and it works.

Here is an eye exercise which I think is very beneficial especially for the eye muscles and myopia reversal but I don't have very specifil results, somehow scientific intuition.

Hot and Cold Hvdro-Tlierapy

This is probably the best possible way to increase blood flow to ANY part of the body. If there's any part of your body that needs a bit of healing, this technique will speed up your recovery by many many times.

It's so simple, yet so overlooked. Consider this one of the best kept natural healing secrets you will ever learn.
The idea is very simple to understand. If you apply heat to a part of the body, the blood vessels and capillaries open up and drive blood to the surface of the skin. If you apply cold to a part of the body, the blood is driven away from the surface.
If you alternate the hot and the cold, the blood is driven first up and then down (or in and out, whichever way you want to see it)

Blood brings oxygen and nutrition (food) to every cell of the body, and takes away the waste products, toxins and pollution, so the cell remains strong, clean and healthy. Without a good blood flow, healing simply CANNOT TAKE PLACE.

This exercise takes 7 minutes to do properly, so it will extend your 15 minute routine if you do it fully. If you don't have the time, just do less repetitions.

If you do have time, or you are really committed to speeding up the return of your sight, then you can do this exercise twice a day (morning and night) in addition to your 15 minute exercise routine.

How to do it
1. Prepare 2 bowls of water, one cold and one hot.
2. Soak a cloth in each bowl.
3. Take the cloth from the hot bowl, wring it out a little so it doesn't drip
everywhere (or do this in the bath!!), and hold the cloth on your eyes for 30 seconds.
4. Then put the cloth back in the hot water bowl.
5. Take the cloth from the cold water bowl, wring it out a little, and hold that cloth on your eyes for 30 seconds.
6. Put it back in the cold water bowl and repeat the cycle 7 times (that's 7 hot and 7. cold)

Notes:
The greater the difference in temperature, the greater the increase in blood flow, but please don't go burning yourself! Use your common sense and build up gradually until you are using very hot water and ice water.

If you're feeling really brave you can try doing this in the shower every morning and night, and give your whole body a hydrotherapy session!

[OtisBrown]

Hi Alex,

Subject: I also believe that, "recovery of naked-eye vision" - by your measurement and control - is totally necessary.

I do not advocate this for a person can not read the 20/70 line. I will do everything to help a person who has great fortitude to work on recovery to 20/60.  I know most people are "intimidated" by looking at a Snellen, but also by the idea of obtaining a lens to do their own checking. 

They think it is too complex, or beyond their ability.  I have created this video to show how truly simple it is to order lenses.  This is not "prescription" but wise self-protection.  (The example values are -1 and -0.5 diopters).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YTF2D3I4Ao

I am a fairly "intense" person, so, I expect I will do all this work on my own.  I also do not claim "success" beyond the limits I have suggested.  I do this, because I know that no optometrist can do any of this for me.  Therefore I must do this myself.

http://www.zennioptical.com/howto

I just do not think that the "economics" of an OD in his office - will work for me.  No insult intended - if I do everything myself.

Otis

[Alex_Myopic]

Hi Mr Brown,

informing me that I should expect about +1/2 diopter of myopia recovery per year in the last diopter, made somehow less my frustration of my plateau.
Also wearing +1 and not +1,5 for seeing around at home I think you also suggested correctly.

[Alex_Myopic]

In the Hot and Cold Hvdro-Tlierapy instead of cloths I use 2 cold/hot gel compresses, it's much easier.