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The Sun Is the Best Optometrist
New York Times ^ | SANDRA AAMODT and SAM WANG

Posted on 06/22/2011 2:36:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway

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To: nickcarraway

bkmk


21 posted on 06/22/2011 3:48:00 PM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: I cannot think of a name

“That function?

Reading. “

May be a good argument not to force your kids to be reading too early; let their eyes develop.


22 posted on 06/22/2011 4:04:10 PM PDT by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
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To: nickcarraway

Nearsightedness is caused by the deformation of the shape of the eyeball that occurs when the eye muscles can’t relax. That’s why eye exercises work - they gently induce relaxation. This isn’t mystical mysteriousness. It’s based on the really complex observation of the behavior of all the other muscles in the body, and the jump of incredible insight and genius that says, “hey, maybe eye muscles are... muscles.”

Optometrists and opthamalogists (generally) call eye exercises bunk. But after doing eye exercises and getting rid of my glasses, I call optometrists and opthamalogists (generally) bunk.

Think it through - reading inside stresses the eye muscles in exactly the same way for many hours each day. What if you took a weight and did one arm exercise with it for the same number of hours each day - even a very light weight? You know what woud happen to your arm. So if your arm got tense, tight, spasmed, or otherwise unable to relax, would you do exercises to relieve it’s tightness and stretch it back into relaxation? Or would you follow the doctors orders and wear a sling for the rest of your life?


23 posted on 06/22/2011 4:04:28 PM PDT by Talisker (History will show the Illuminati won the ultimate Darwin Award.)
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To: Anima Mundi
Very well researched and presented.

The people who have made a science of growing (medical) marijuana indoors, know that there are two requirements for growing (beneficial) light — range (spectrum) and intensity (power).

Usually what is referred to as “artificial” light, is Edison's original incandescent light or the original fluorescents — which if they tried to grow plants, would fail to do so either — because they lack the necessary spectrum and power. So to compare that light with sunlight, is not an equivalent — but if they start talking about halides and the latest state of the art lighting, then it approximates natural (sun)light, including those tanning bulbs — that cause tanning, while you can lie naked under a regular lightbulb all your life and not get any tanning effect.

And particularly important is that range and intensity of light to health and growth of the eye and brain — despite optometrists (eye doctors) saying light doesn't matter. That is what you're seeing — some people more sensitive to these differences than others, just as some people can hear ranges of sound beyond what others can, or sense anything else (taste, smell, touch).

There's a tendency among the social scientists (the politically correct) to make an equivalency of everything — so that no distinctions (and discrimination) of anything anymore, is possible.

In many cases, a person just needs to optimize the lighting, not to need glasses — as often is the case when one uses an Ott light. Another alternative technology that works is the use of a pin-hole (reading glass) instead of
the polished optical glass — that many find helpful staring at computer screens all day, in reducing eye strain. Again, many optometrists (eye doctors) insist that it's not possible or doesn't make a difference when even they use a pinhole instrument to first detect whether one’s vision problem is refractive or eye disease of greater seriousness.

Other vision experts have claimed that they can correct vision defects with the proper training in how to see correctly — because all of our organs don't come with instruction manuals on how to use them properly, correctly and optimally, as most people have to discover on their own — or not.

That is often the case with one’s muscular development, as well as mental development, social, psychological, moral, spiritual, etc. Most often, we learn from those around us — but whole social strata (ghettoes) can often be dysfunctional in that way. That is a common cause of behavioral problems like obesity, addictions, codependencies and mental health issues.

24 posted on 06/22/2011 4:04:55 PM PDT by MikeHu
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To: goodnesswins
Obviously there are more factors than “just” reading, but in the main, reading is the culprit. The “mechanical” aspect of a person's eye also has a lot to do with it.

I've had a variety of eye problems for most of my life. While many doctors and specialist have offered a variety of advice, one constant among all of them, “for gosh sakes, don't sit at your desk and read all day, try to stand-up and focus your eyes on something on the horizon for at least five minutes every hour.”

I'm cool with it but my boss gets really annoyed.

25 posted on 06/22/2011 4:08:01 PM PDT by I cannot think of a name
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To: camerongood210
Being indoors more and more is only part of the problem. It’s what one does while indoors that makes a bigger impact on vision (i.e. being in front of computer monitors for hours on end, watching television constantly, etc.). Or, at least, that’s what I think.

You're close, except for the television. Television is viewed at a distance that is comfortable for most people. A study of the Inuit peoples of Alaska in the 60's revealed that the eyes are adaptable. If you do a lot of close up work, your eyes will adapt and you'll develop myopia to make up close work more comfortable.

The Inuit had no written language prior to contact with Westerners. When we introduced reading to them, the incidences of myopia increased several magnitudes overnight.

26 posted on 06/22/2011 4:24:57 PM PDT by Melas (Sent via Galaxy Tab)
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To: Charles Henrickson

I started reading at 5 and didn’t need glasses until I was 45, and then it was for reading not near sightedness. My distance vision is close to 20/20 now and I am 69. However, I can’t read much without my glasses.


27 posted on 06/22/2011 5:06:17 PM PDT by calex59
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To: nickcarraway

Makes some sense.
Nearsighted me grew up in Cleveland, Oh where it’s perpetually cloudy.


28 posted on 06/22/2011 5:08:14 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: Anima Mundi
Women living above the Aortic Circle

Geez, I hope the book really didn't say that!

29 posted on 06/22/2011 5:49:37 PM PDT by LibFreeOrDie (Obama promised a gold mine, but will give us the shaft.)
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To: I cannot think of a name

My son reads books like they are candy, and has since learned to manage his extreme dyslexia in 1st grade. He got 4 theoretical physics books as an end-of-school present, and one week later, he’s nearly done. We also picked up about 30 books in the fall for him from a friend that was getting rid of them ... almost done. As well as all the AP reading he has had to do, and books he re-reads constanly (Stephen Hawking).

His vision is better than perfect (at 17). I got glasses at 12 and my husband at 16 ... we are both readers too, so no explanation for the boy ... except he is a 3-sport athlete, so he is outside a whole bunch. None of the four kids have glasses.


30 posted on 06/22/2011 6:17:28 PM PDT by lkco
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To: yawningotter

Nearsightedness can occur if you do a lot of reading as a really young kid. If you do a lot of tasks and things that require a lot of intense close focus.


31 posted on 06/22/2011 6:31:55 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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