Ask HN: Improving or even curing Myopia (Nearsightedness)

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29002017

by JaggerJo • 5 years ago

7 10 5 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Myopia is a common eye problem for developers and other office workers.

My personal issue is that it's getting worse over time - seemingly from wearing glasses for about 20 years now. My optician confirmed that and suggested special contract lenses that deform the lenses to temp improve focus.

There are people claiming Myopia is treatable by training. Has anyone tried it? Is this bullshit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Efg42-Qn0&feature=youtu.be

https://www.improveeyesighthq.com/how-to-cure-nearsightedness.html

mtmail2• 5 years ago

The Bates Method is a good starting point to take apart the arguments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bates_method "is an ineffective and potentially dangerous alternative therapy aimed at improving eyesight. [...] No type of training has been shown to change the refractive power of the eye [link to source]"

JaggerJo2• 5 years ago

Thanks, will give it a read.

mtmail2• 5 years ago

I have a relative who went for the Bates Methods (and homeopathy among other believes) to no avail. I think she just got better identifying blurry letters. She had an eye operation now and no longer needs glasses.

pixelperfect• 5 years ago

see also endmyopia.org

I haven't looked into this deeply because I don't have severe myopia, but seems plausible to me that this really works for a lot of people.

codingdave• 5 years ago

Are you only asking about non-surgical methods? Because Lasik is a fairly common procedure at this point. Not without risk or cost, and with some annoyances in recovery that last months... but it does fix myopia.

JaggerJo2• 5 years ago

would prefer no having an operation, but if it's the proven path that helps I'd definitely consider it.

Just not sure if it's worth it if I'd need to wear glasses after a few years again.

For me the goal would be to at least stop if from getting worse.

ksaj• 5 years ago

The suction contacts that you wear to bed are basically giving your cornea a hickey. It's not going to solve anything that your glasses don't, but it might cause you grief over time if it actually ends up weakening the cornea.

They're just night contacts for people who don't want to wear contacts during the day for whatever reason. It's probably awesome for swimmers, but will do nothing for age-related sight problems.

The eye training mentioned in another thread is reputedly a little bogus, but one thing it can do is slow down that degradation if it is only age-related (versus something more serious). Basically you are exercising the muscles that are weak because of age, or staring at a single distance for far too many hours.

Lasik causes a mild night-blindness, where lit objects have halos. Not all that different than glasses on a wintery night, but without the actual fogging. As well (and this point could be wrong) the cut never heals, so you could always cause irreparable damage if your eye got rubbed or scratched the wrong way.

miki_tyler• 5 years ago

Take a look at https://gettingstronger.org/2014/08/myopia-a-modern-yet-reve... Some similarities with Bates' method but fundamentally different approach.

Temporarily21• 5 years ago

I have seen very few claims from people saying they have improved. Myself I’ve been doing Todd’s method for a year total, granted, spread out. Without any significant improv.

Also, you don’t see people going from -1 to 0 correction whereas you do see people saying they went from -5 to -4 and stop there.

gcheong• 5 years ago

Tried the Bates method when I was younger. No luck. I'm pretty sure all these 'alternative' methods are BS otherwise you'd be hearing a lot more people be successful and the treatment would be standardized and mainstreamed. Just my 2 cents. I've been looking into Ortho-k which is what it sounds like your Dr. has recommended trying. It is known to slow myopic progression and should give you better eyesight during the day. Since the effect is completely reversible with a small risk of side effects that come with any kind of contact lens it would seem worth giving it a shot.

Ask HN: Improving or even curing Myopia (Nearsightedness)

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