The disaster - of a minus lens for children. (Add your commentary.)

[OtisBrown]

The medical mind - is a totally confused mind.  It is arrogant, and totally ignores science and facts.
When you ask it questions - you are fed a convenient scientific lie.  (Perhaps I should say, comfortable
office fib.)  I would NEVER put a child into a minus lens - until the parents were informed of the alternative,
while the child can STILL READ THE 20/40 LINE.

I will use this thread - to expand on that concept.  I do not argue you can get "out of" more than 20/40, and
self-measured -1 diopter.

I do agree that parents are going to have a hard time convincing themselves that their child must be kept wearing
a strong plus for all close work - while they continue in their school.  I apply this concept to myself,
and to my own relatives.

People who "hate glasses" will never understand.  People who love science, can begin to understand.  But no
OD or MD will volunteer scientific knowledge about how truly bad a minus lens actually is (if you want
to protect your own child'd distant vision - for life. )

There are MDs and ODs, who describe that first minus as a "crime against humanity"!  They are correct - but
just try  to convince a parent the the 20/40 MUST NOT BE FIXED with a minus, and the kid taught to
read through the plus - as long as he is in school.

I will not post the remarks of a parent who has a child at 20/40 - and we would be interested in your commentary.

( I was at 20/40 when I was seven, and my vision was destroyed by this practice.  So you understand my
bias. )

[OtisBrown]

Child at 20/40 -  with a -2 diopter:

Statement about  prevention, “Very Wooly” – majority opinion.  Minority opinion?  If you even start wearing a minus lens
your distant vision will be ALMOST permanently lost.  This is a very serious scientific issue.

From, “Dav”

I have been reading your messages on the forum and thought I would share below with you.
We have a 6 year old boy with -2 prescription. He was told to wear glasses all the time and was referred to the hospital (we live in England) for a slight squint. He hasn’t worn the the glasses, thanks to the endmyopia website and Jake Steiner​​. We also found another optometrist who is working alongside us and measured his eyesight at -1.25 one month later and said he didn’t need to wear glasses and gave us plus glasses for close up work. Yesterday was (one month later) his hospital appointment and his prescription came up at -2.25 with the use of drops! On the chart he was able to read the 20/40 line. Very little focus was given to the squint, which is why we were actually referred and instead our son has been given another prescription for more glasses! We were surprised at how pushy the optician/consultant was at giving us the prescription and said the evidence on myopia reversal is “very woolly.” We will be going to our optometrist for his squint to discuss the next steps
Any advise would be greatfull.
Many Thanks

“Dav..."

[OtisBrown]

MY  JUDGMENT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38vd-Lvk15o

We all find our own truth.  Only prevention is possible  - if you accept long-term plus wear.

I make no claims - and I charge no money.

I just wish I had been supported in this choice.

Your choice will now have life time consequences - what ever you do.

[OtisBrown]

The  parent's reaction to forcing the child to sit up, and read at -2.5 diopters (no closer).

The parent's HATE THE IDEA.  That is the problem with all parents and children.  Do not blame the ODs for this problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K0TNeBIyLY

For me - the science supporting this is both excellent and final.  We let the child read at 10 inches (-4 diopters) and 6 inches (-6 diopters) and ASSUME THIS WILL NOT PRODUCE NEGATIVE STATUS.

Then, after 3 years, with the child at -2, we DEMAND THAT THE CHILD BE FIXED - INSTANTLY.

We do need a "scientific wake up call".

Insist that the child 1) Sit up, 2) wear a plus 2.5 for all close work, 3) Accept that this is a long-term requirement,
and you can avoid,

stair-case, or progressive myopia.

You start wearing a -2, for a child with 20/40, and there will be NO REVERSING HIS VISION THEN.

This is a life time challenge - to the parent.

[OtisBrown]

Nate is a medical doctor at -6 diopters.
Honestly a "lost cause".  But - for his own child, he "wised up". He insisted the child wear a plus.
This is not, "cure" - just to be clear.  It is long-term prevention.  Here is the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lxDeSBhyjY

At this point, it takes a medical doctor, who realizes that the minus is never a correct solution.  When that happens,
and when accepting "better than" 20/30 as a goal, the prevention is indeed possible.

So - if you complain about your child "wearing a plus" to protect his distant vision -- I think that you are missing the point.

Jake is to be praised for this type of "plus success".

[OtisBrown]

I think that all parents should listen to this video - on self-prevention.
I know the will not, and I know they will not teach there own children -  prevention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17R130KRd3E&feature=em-upload_owner

I do not "blame" an OD.  I just wish he would teach me how to begin wearing the plus - when I was at 20/40.
That - is never going to  happen.  Here is a video on a "kids habits" that create negative status, and 20/40 vision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9NVanfnwjY&t=0s

LOOK AT THESE KIDS.  Two or 3 years of this, and the kid can't read the 20/40 line.  That is the issue.
The other problem.  Prescribing a -2 or -3 for a child with 20/40.

That is dead certain to take the child's vision  - permanently down. I make no claims of "recovery" for exactly that reason.

The OD claims that, "there is no problem".