Eyesight without glasses

[albertchan]

Hi Alex,

I started print pushing 3 months ago.
I am 1.25D myopic on both eyes (R -1 -.75x90, L -1.25 as of Nov 2015)
Under good light, my vision improve from 20/30 to 20/20

However, my print pushing D1 distance using  +1.25D is still 40 cm
(My D2 blur distance seems to increase, but not 100% sure)

That imply my myopia is still 1.25D (40 cm = 0.4m = 1/2.5)
That also imply my axial length remains the same

Improved vision without shrinking axial length ...
Does it make sense to you ?

[OtisBrown]

Hi Albert,

Let me attempt to answer some of your questions.  I was at 20/400, (after many minus lens increases).  I would have thought it wonderful if had been able to read the 20/40 line, pass the DMV and get on with my  life with no minus lens.  I would also have accepted the need for long-term (even life-time wearing of a plus) for years.  That is my final perspective.

I urge you to standardize on ONLY your Snellen reading, and discount, or ignore the OD, "reading".  You will just tear yourself apart, if you rely on that measurement.  BUT - I would urge you to obtain your own minus lenses, and make that measurement also. 

It is extremely  difficult to measure an "eye length".  In fact no one does it.  Your refraction is ALWAYS done by using a Snellen and a trial lens kit.  Do not get lost on this subject.

BUT - to make a REAL one-diopter change, means wearing a strong plus for near, for at least one year. That is why change is so difficult.  Do you still wish to continue - with that knowledge?  I know I would, but I never know about anyone else here.  Todd would have done it.

Hi Alex,

I started print pushing 3 months ago.
I am 1.25D myopic on both eyes (R -1 -.75x90, L -1.25 as of Nov 2015)
Under good light, my vision improve from 20/30 to 20/20

Otis>  I always go by spherical equivalent.  Your right eye is also at -1.25 diopters, OD measured. 

However, my print pushing D1 distance using  +1.25D is still 40 cm
(My D2 blur distance seems to increase, but not 100% sure)

Otis> At this point, I would get yourself a -1 and -1/2 diopter from Zennioptical for about $10, and make this measurement  yourself.  With 20/20 vision, this is the ONLY VALID way to measure your refraction - YOURSELF.

That imply my myopia is still 1.25D (40 cm = 0.4m = 1/2.5)
That also imply my axial length remains the same

Otis> Do NOT WORRY ABOUT LENGTH.  But get your own test lenses.  That will be full professional competence. 

Improved vision without shrinking axial length ...
Does it make sense to you ?

Otis> Again, go by self-measured refraction.  You are now requesting very solid 20/20 (self measured).  This means real and long term commitment to a plus lens wearing.  I suggest you get yourself a stronger plus, and continue wearing it.
 

[Alex_Myopic]

@ albertchan

Mr Brown gave a very good answer. Maybe you are about to read one more line in the Snellen chart so that's why you don't (or your optometrist(?)) see no change in dioptres. The visual system is very complicated and accommodation is due to ciliary muscle, cornea, eye length... I believe that small changes can happen without eye shortening (pseydomyopia rehab etc) but for whole dioptres I believe the simple explanation

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wildsoet/images/neg_lens_induce_myopia.swf

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wildsoet/images/pos_lens_induce_hyperopia.swf

[albertchan]

Hi Otis, Alex:

My improved vision is probably due to switch of my dominant eye
My left eye see 2 sharp images overlapping
My right see 1 image, slightly blurry, due to astigmatism (0.75D)

I believed I had dominant left 3 months ago, but now switched to right eye
The brain now filter out the ghost image of the right eye, producing 1 sharp image

I noticed the switch last month inside a highway rest stop.
The building had a sprinkler system VERY high in the ceiling (40+ feet dome)

Before, it seems at least 4 times bigger (overlapped images)
Now, it is just 1 small, sharp sprinkler (I was so excited !)

I think print-pushing train my brain to see better into distance.

Optically changing shape of the eye will take much longer (plateau period ?)

[albertchan]

I have a theory of my dominant eye switch

Usually the dominant eye is the "stronger" eye, assist somewhat by the weaker
However, stronger eye for distance imply weaker eye for close work
Thus dominant eye can switch depending on the distance

I believe I had dominant left for distance, dominant right for near.
Because of convergence, the brain still consider reading with plus lenses as near
With more training on my weaker right, it get stronger.

With both eyes more equalized, vision improves.
The weaker right improves enough to actually switch dominance.

If the theory is correct, my eye dominance might switch again.

[albertchan]

Hi Alex:

Just read your old post of switching eye dominance 2 years ago.
I see that you wear patches for weeks to train the weaker left eye.

Does your eye dominance switch again ?
If yes, are you using patches ?

[Alex_Myopic]

Hi albertchan,

my eyes have switched twice in 2,5 years. Now I patch and train sometimes alone my weaker right eye which was initially corrected to -2.25D while the left one was -2D. This tactic by optometrists, Jake says can make the weaker eye more weak and increase the ratio between the two eyes different acuity. So he says if the difference is about 0.25D, just leave people with the weakest same prescription for both eyes in order to see 20/20 because this has to do with one eye dominance.

http://endmyopia.org/ocular-dominance-your-dominant-eye-haphazard-lens-prescriptions/

If you want my opinion eye dominance is due to the separation of the brain to hemispheres and how the optic nerves signasl are transmitted to the hemispheres even in an x shape. If you do the maths even a whole dioptre difference in the two eyes prescription are very few in centimetres difference in the nearest point of clear reading each eye has, while its a big difference in the centimetres of the far point reading. For example an -2D eye has 50cm far point and a -1D has 100cm. Twice the distance! So this doesn't support your above analysis.

I cannot do the maths for the nearest point. But testing my eyes at my age (assuming both inner lenses are effected the same by age) it is only about 1 cm difference for an 20/20 eye and a 20/40 eye!

[albertchan]

It seems dominance is not always the stronger eye.
Dominance switch theory busted ...

http://www.healio.com/ophthalmology/news/online/%7Baeb4cc0f-c960-4382-bcda-6f1755a85252%7D/dominant-eye-has-higher-degree-of-myopia-in-anisometropia

I guess my improved vision is not due to dominance switch.
I might had right eye dominance all along.

The brain just handle the fused image better after print-pushing training.

[EugeneS]

Hello, new to this forum!
My case is -7 left; -5 right eye. Started print pushing and trying to use left eye more. My question is, should one use as little as possible one's glasses, unless in important times such as driving? Thank you very much!

[ElizaEliza123]

Hello, new to this forum!
My case is -7 left; -5 right eye. Started print pushing and trying to use left eye more. My question is, should one use as little as possible one's glasses, unless in important times such as driving? Thank you very much!

I don't think that's a good idea. It will definitely affect your day to day life. If you are not interested in wearing glasses then try to find any alternative  solutions for it. Why don't you try refractive surgery? My father was also suffering from myopia, He was sensitive to light and had blurred vision and had consulted a free lasik consultation in Goldberg centre vision correction, an eye clinic in Toronto for laser eye surgery. And now, he is enjoying a glass free vision. There are multiple vision corrections techniques for best possible vision without any side effects. It will help you to get  a permanent vision for a lifetime without correcting glasses.  Consult an expert ophthalmologist and get proper advice. All the best.

[EugeneS]

Isn't Lasik not 100% safe?  I'm looking for more  a natural way to get better vision as done by Dr. Becker on this site.

[Alex_Myopic]

Hi EugeneS

"Myopic? Not Wearing Glasses = Bad Idea. Here's Why. "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7g4WLoo3WU


And about LASIK
http://endmyopia.org/?s=lasik

[EugeneS]

Alex,
Thank you so much for that information!
I'm going to try and get under-corrected lenses by 0.5 diopters. As for reading a book or computer, wearing no glasses would be fine??

I was about to get Lasik some years ago, but read some bad stories about it and didn't do it.

again thank you Alex!

[Alex_Myopic]

There is a relevant topic here:
http://forum.gettingstronger.org/index.php/topic,1259.0.html

I hope it helps EugeneS.

[CanuckKid]

What if you wanted to wear contacts while doing this? Would it be ok to wear the plus lenses on top while close up reading so that you are able to just take them off when you are done?