Posted on 01/25/2005 10:13:22 PM PST by neverdem
REALLY?
THE FACTS Glasses can bring a blurry world into focus, but some people suspect that by doing all the heavy lifting the glasses may speed the natural decline of vision. But ophthalmologists say this is an illusion.
How well a person can see is largely determined by the size of the eyeball, something a pair of glasses cannot change. The average eye is about an inch from the cornea, in the front, to the retina, in the back. When the eyes are either too large (shortsightedness) or too small (farsightedness), the cornea cannot properly focus images on the retina, and glasses can help compensate.
Dr. Robert Cykiert, an ophthalmologist at New York University Hospitals Center, said the contrast between poor and normal vision becomes more obvious when people wear glasses for a while and then take them off. But glasses have no lasting effect on eyesight.
Reading in the dark won't damage your eyes either, Dr. Cykiert said, though you may get a headache from all the squinting and straining.
THE BOTTOM LINE Glasses will not make your vision deteriorate more quickly.
scitimes@nytimes.com
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Is this just stating the obvious or what? LOL!
Reads like one of those coffee good or bad? articles.
The contrast between a dark house and a sunny day becomes more obvious when people go outside for a while and then go back inside.
The contrast between a good food and bad food becomes more obvious when one eats a lot of good food for a while, and then eats some more bad food.
One could go on forever!
Size connotes the idea of area or volume. The issue at hand is shape. Of course, this is the NYT so who cares about facts or correct scientific information.
So does this mean I shouldn't waste my money on the "See Clearly" method?
A friend and co-worker believes this and stopped wearing his glasses 3 years ago. He says his sight has actually improved without glasses.
LOL I hear that commercial and wonder. My mom used to say I should wear an eye patch *lol*
It could be a new look, anyway. Eye patch, parrot and puffy shirt.
http://www.seeclearlymethod.com/scm/eyestrain_relief
Long hours on the computer...well you know some women would trade in a few years on their lifespan for a smaller bumbum. I rather wear glasses and be able to freep for hours on end sitting on my end.
"A friend and co-worker believes this and stopped wearing his glasses 3 years ago. He says his sight has actually improved without glasses."
I'd hate to get in a car with him.
I agree, I went from perfect vision to 20/50 20/70 sixteen years ago. I got both contact lenses and glasses and my prescription hasn't changed at all.
I do wonder how I went from perfect vision as a kid to the 20/50 20/70 stuff when nothing has since changed?
I wonder why it changed to begin with?
Thank you for sharing your deep scientific observations. :) I will carry your knowledge with me (being sarcastic obviously, thanks for the chuckle).
But glasses have no lasting effect on eyesight.
That's true for adults, but children NEED to wear their glasses if the power is significant, and especially if one eye is worse than the other. The nerve network of the retina needs stimulus during the important years for the eye (up to about age 10) or it will not develop the intricate nerve network necessary for sharp vision. I see a lot of teenagers and adults with one permanently weak eye (anisometropic amblyopia or refractive amblyopia) because they weren't corrected at an early enough age. Be sure and get your children checked by at least by age 5 or 6 to make sure they are using both eyes equally. If you notice an eye turning in or out have them checked even earlier.
This is not true. I've worn glasses for several years now and if I take them off, my vision is much worse than it was before I started wearing glasses, not just in contrast; I now see nothing but blurs. I don't believe the glasses are "weakening" my eyes either; it's just that my eyes have gotten used to seeing with them rather than straining to see without them. It's certainly more than just the contrast though; there is a definite change in my non-corrected vision.
Here's what I don't understand. The army will refuse you for certain MOs (possibly for any) if you have laser-corrected surgery, but once you enlist, they will perform the surgery themselves.
Thanks for your comments. The reason I posted this was for the take home point. Glasses don't make your eyes worse.
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