What Really Causes Poor Vision? (How To Maintain Good Vision)

Frank101

I never really thought about what it must be like for people with glasses, but if my vision worsened 20%, I reckon I could still easily read a newspaper at 3 feet away. So I can only imagine what people with glasses must be missing out on. I am lucky in that I didn't read a lot as a kid, and I think it's during those years that most of the damage is done. After having got eye-strain from doing my thesis, I've started thinking!

Does this mean I've escaped entirely, or should I take precautions? And if so, it'd be interesting to pinpoint which factors are most likely involved in weakening people's eyesight. Say for example out of the following 4 reasons. Granted there's a certain amount of disagreement as to which have more of an impact than others.

1. genetics
2. too much time outdoors
3. time reading/looking at things up close
4. The light from TV/computers(aside from the fact they might be too close)
5. having to adjust to bright light situations (from dark) too often, and vis versa... poor lighting when reading, or PC screen too bright in dark room, etc

Regarding the 2nd reason, I did hear that more time spent outdoors (especially for kids) is good for your eyes. I'm not sure if this is because of vitamin D synthesis (or other issue dependent on natural light), or due to more time spent looking at far away objects. And having said this, do sunglasses really protect our eyes? I mean, if I step outside for only an hour a day, and if I'm wearing sunglasses for all this time, then that means I'd get no natural light... which doesn't seem quite right either.

And regarding the 4th reason, I've heard much contradicting information as to whether this form of light is or isn't harmful?

Oh and lastly, if academics people are more inclined to be short sighted, then why on Earth do they need glasses to read material that's a SHORT distance away??!!??!!

Daisies

Frank101 wrote: »

I never really thought about what it must be like for people with glasses, but if my vision worsened 20%, I reckon I could still easily read a newspaper at 3 feet away. So I can only imagine what people with glasses must be missing out on. I am lucky in that I didn't read a lot as a kid, and I think it's during those years that most of the damage is done. After having got eye-strain from doing my thesis, I've started thinking!

Does this mean I've escaped entirely, or should I take precautions? And if so, it'd be interesting to pinpoint which factors are most likely involved in weakening people's eyesight. Say for example out of the following 4 reasons. Granted there's a certain amount of disagreement as to which have more of an impact than others.

1. genetics
2. too much time outdoors
3. time reading/looking at things up close
4. The light from TV/computers(aside from the fact they might be too close)
5. having to adjust to bright light situations (from dark) too often, and vis versa... poor lighting when reading, or PC screen too bright in dark room, etc

Regarding the 2nd reason, I did hear that more time spent outdoors (especially for kids) is good for your eyes. I'm not sure if this is because of vitamin D synthesis (or other issue dependent on natural light), or due to more time spent looking at far away objects. And having said this, do sunglasses really protect our eyes? I mean, if I step outside for only an hour a day, and if I'm wearing sunglasses for all this time, then that means I'd get no natural light... which doesn't seem quite right either.

And regarding the 4th reason, I've heard much contradicting information as to whether this form of light is or isn't harmful?

Oh and lastly, if academics people are more inclined to be short sighted, then why on Earth do they need glasses to read material that's a SHORT distance away??!!??!!

Ok a couple of things. Pretty much everyone will need glasses once they get into their mid- late 40s due to a condition called presbyopia. It's an aging process that cannot be prevented.

As for other poor vision, short sightedness has a genetic link but there are also studies conducted in the Far East that have linked an increased prevalence of myopia to increased near vision work when young.

Blue light emitted from electronic devices have been shown to speed up the progression of cataracts and macular degeneration, as has UV exposure esp as a child before your lens has fully developed to protect the retina.

bee06

Frank101 wrote: »

Oh and lastly, if academics people are more inclined to be short sighted, then why on Earth do they need glasses to read material that's a SHORT distance away??!!??!!

Because they are so shortsighted they need the glasses. I have a prescription of -10 in both eyes. Something would have to be about three inches in from of me for me to read it without my glasses.

doireannod

Causes of poor vision:

1. refractory errors (short sightedness, long sightedness, astigmatism)
2. cataracts (long term steroid use, ageing, genetics)
3. glaucoma (genetic, ageing)
4. diabetes (diet, genetics) - Leading cause of blindness worldwide
5. high blood pressure (diet, genetics)
6. brain tumours, strokes
7. MS can affect vision
8. trauma, retinal detachment

Sunglasses protect cornea from UV rays and thus from melanoma. Sunglasses don't have an effect on long term vision.

Frank101

Daisies wrote: »

Ok a couple of things. Pretty much everyone will need glasses once they get into their mid- late 40s due to a condition called presbyopia. It's an aging process that cannot be prevented.

Ah, not everyone though. My grand dad is 89 and his vision is as good as good as mine

doireannod

Frank101 wrote: »

Ah, not everyone though. My grand dad is 89 and his vision is as good as good as mine

Then your grandfather must be lucky enough to not be genetically predisposed to refractory errors, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes or high blood pressure.

Frank101

doireannod wrote: »

Then your grandfather must be lucky enough to not be genetically predisposed to refractory errors, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes or high blood pressure.

Avoiding diabetes isn't luck. I'm not American

Frank101

doireannod wrote: »

Then your grandfather must be lucky enough to not be genetically predisposed to refractory errors, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes or high blood pressure.

Avoiding diabetes isn't luck. I'm not American

And my eyesight won't worsen. I'll just eat carrots.

intheclouds

Frank101 wrote: »

I am lucky in that I didn't read a lot as a kid...

Hmmmm....you don't say?

Frank101 wrote: »

Avoiding diabetes isn't luck. I'm not American

And my eyesight won't worsen. I'll just eat carrots.

doireannod

Frank101 wrote: »

Avoiding diabetes isn't luck. I'm not American

And my eyesight won't worsen. I'll just eat carrots.

What about the rest in the list of diseases that can cause poor vision? Carrots won't protect from those.

bee06

What's the big deal about glasses anyway? I've had glasses since I was a child and it's never affected my life. Someone asked me a few weeks ago if I'd ever get laser surgery and I said no. I like my glasses!

El_Dangeroso

The carrot thing is mostly a myth, especially when it comes to people with northern European genetics.

Carrots contain beta-caroteine is pro-vitamin A which needs to be converted to retinol in order to be used by our eyes. Irish people in general lack the ability to efficiently convert beta carotene, so rather than carrots for your eyes, you should tuck into some liver.

But that's just for the ability to adjust your eyes to dim light quickly.

For straight myopia, close work as a child does seem to be a big risk factor.

Dial Hard

Frank101 wrote: »

I am lucky in that I didn't read a lot as a kid, and I think it's during those years that most of the damage is done.

I wouldn't consider that lucky.

Quite frankly, the benefits of reading a lot as a child (and throughout life) far outweigh any risks, such as they are.

Daisies

Frank101 wrote: »

Ah, not everyone though. My grand dad is 89 and his vision is as good as good as mine

That's why I said pretty much everyone. Your granddad is probably one of the few lucky people who have an imbalance between the two eyes such that one is focused in the distance and one is focused at near.

Frank101

Dial Hard wrote: »

I wouldn't consider that lucky.

Quite frankly, the benefits of reading a lot as a child (and throughout life) far outweigh any risks, such as they are.

It's not the "and throughout life" part that I'm arguing with, but kids don't have the wisdom to know what's worth ready about. They should enjoy themselves.

But what you mention is my point exactly - it's hard to put a price on what you're missing out on if you've poor vision. What if you had to fight to the death, what if you play sports, what about about inspiration taken from looking at a beautiful view, what about one's vanity?

Would rather to enjoy reading Harry Potter, OR to be able to spot a beautiful girl from 30 yards across the hall, and enjoy the reward after???!

bee06

You can't spot a girl (or guy) from 30 yards wearing glasses or contacts?

I've also seen plenty of beautiful views wearing my glasses.

Frank101

bee06 wrote: »

You can't spot a girl (or guy) from 30 yards wearing glasses or contacts?

Ya and why don't we just all forget about looking after our teeth, since we can just get dentures!

Esel

Is extra beta-carotine contraindicated for smokers? Think I read that somewhere...

intheclouds

Frank101 wrote: »

It's not the "and throughout life" part that I'm arguing with, but kids don't have the wisdom to know what's worth ready about. They should enjoy themselves.

But what you mention is my point exactly - it's hard to put a price on what you're missing out on if you've poor vision. What if you had to fight to the death, what if you play sports, what about about inspiration taken from looking at a beautiful view, what about one's vanity?

Would rather to enjoy reading Harry Potter, OR to be able to spot a beautiful girl from 30 yards across the hall, and enjoy the reward after???!

Reading IS the most enjoyable life long pleasure possible. People who don't read are bores frankly and terrible conversationalists.

I would much rather enjoy Harry Potter because then I'd have something to chat to the pretty girl about.

Blind people live full and interesting lives too you know.

Daisies

Esel wrote: »

Is extra beta-carotine contraindicated for smokers? Think I read that somewhere...

Ya it is. It has been linked to increase in lung cancer prevalence

Frank101

intheclouds wrote: »

Reading IS the most enjoyable life long pleasure possible. People who don't read are bores frankly and terrible conversationalists.

I would much rather enjoy Harry Potter because then I'd have something to chat to the pretty girl about.

Blind people live full and interesting lives too you know.

And after all your reading, you still haven't figured out why Harry Potter is for kids!!! For goodness sake, it's witchcraft!!

Harry Potter is not gonna get you laid & you cannot put a price on one's eyesight.

bee06

Frank101 wrote: »

Harry Potter is not gonna get you laid & you cannot put a price on one's eyesight.

Actually you can. It's about 5000 euro for laser eye surgery. Harry Potter may not get you laid (unless you're Daniel Radcliffe) but neither will strutting around with your 20/20 vision. Most girls generally don't say "wow, look at the eye sight on that guy"

For someone with 20/20 vision you certainly are blind to a lot of things.

intheclouds

Frank101 wrote: »

And after all your reading, you still haven't figured out why Harry Potter is for kids!!! For goodness sake, it's witchcraft!!

Harry Potter is not gonna get you laid & you cannot put a price on one's eyesight.

I take it you still don't read for pleasure now?

Frank101

bee06 wrote: »

but neither will strutting around with your 20/20 vision.

It does. as said, it allows you to see more options. And most guys need every chance they can get!

bee06 wrote: »

Actually you can. It's about 5000 euro for laser eye surgery.

What about the dull years spent waiting for your vision to deteriorate to a value justifiable for surgery?

Frank101

intheclouds wrote: »

I take it you still don't read for pleasure now?

I do actually. But yet I've just never read a book from start to finish in my life.

Daisies

Frank101 wrote: »

as said, it allows you to see more options. And most guys need every chance they can get!

The ability to have an intellectual conversation about books, current affairs, music etc would hold much more of an attraction to me than 20/20 vision

Dtp1979

Daisies wrote: »

The ability to have an intellectual conversation about books, current affairs, music etc would hold much more of an attraction to me than 20/20 vision

Each to their own I guess. Books and current affairs would bore some people to sleep. Other not obviously

Daisies

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Each to their own I guess. Books and current affairs would bore some people to sleep. Other not obviously

In comparison to having perfect vision as a prerequisite?

Dtp1979

Daisies wrote: »

In comparison to having perfect vision as a prerequisite?

I see your point

Daisies

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I see your point

I appreciate the pun

the_syco

Frank101 wrote: »

I never really thought about what it must be like for people with glasses, but if my vision worsened 20%, I reckon I could still easily read a newspaper at 3 feet away.

Depends on which way that 20% goes.

Frank101 wrote: »

Does this mean I've escaped entirely, or should I take precautions?

Check your family tree, on both sides of the family. Unfortunately, someone not wearing glasses in the past doesn't mean that they weren't blind as a bat!

Frank101 wrote: »

Oh and lastly, if academics people are more inclined to be short sighted, then why on Earth do they need glasses to read material that's a SHORT distance away??!!??!!

That 20% you mentioned earlier; it's not a figure set in stone.

Frank101 wrote: »

They should enjoy themselves.

People often enjoy reading.

Frank101 wrote: »

But what you mention is my point exactly - it's hard to put a price on what you're missing out on if you've poor vision. What if you had to fight to the death, what if you play sports, what about about inspiration taken from looking at a beautiful view, what about one's vanity?

I don't see (har har) how having glasses will stop any of the above?

Frank101 wrote: »

Would rather to enjoy reading Harry Potter, OR to be able to spot a beautiful girl from 30 yards across the hall, and enjoy the reward after???!

If the girl is also in the library, being able to talk about the book that you're reading will benefit you...

Frank101 wrote: »

For goodness sake, it's witchcraft!!

If you view Harry Potter as witchcraft, I wonder how you view heavy metal :P

Frank101 wrote: »

What about the dull years spent waiting for your vision to deteriorate to a value justifiable for surgery?

If your eyesight stays the same for two years, you can get laser done. It can cost €800 per eye. As for justifying cost; some people can't justify the cost of glasses!

mirrorwall14

This is one of the strangest threads I've read on boards. I've had glasses since I was about 6. It hasn't impacted on my life really at all apart from when they fall off the locker in the morning and I scrabbled to find them! I did have laser surgery and it lasted about 8 years. Technically I don't need to wear my glasses full time now, just for the tv and the board but I've just slipped naturally into wearing them the whole time. Normal and natural for me.

intheclouds

Frank101 wrote: »

I do actually. But yet I've just never read a book from start to finish in my life.

I pity you. I mean that. I genuinely can't imagine not reading. What a boring life.

Frank101

intheclouds wrote: »

I pity you. I mean that. I genuinely can't imagine not reading. What a boring life.

And I can't imagine life without sport, socialising or sex.

I do read a lot, but I couldn't be arsed reading a book from start to finish, just to find out 'oh it is ****!'. Better for me to put my patience & will power to other activities.

Frank101

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

This is one of the strangest threads I've read on boards. I've had glasses since I was about 6. It hasn't impacted on my life really at all apart from when they fall off the locker in the morning and I scrabbled to find them! I did have laser surgery and it lasted about 8 years. Technically I don't need to wear my glasses full time now, just for the tv and the board but I've just slipped naturally into wearing them the whole time. Normal and natural for me.

So if you didn't have the surgery, would your lenses be really thick by now?

mirrorwall14

Frank101 wrote: »

So if you didn't have the surgery, would your lenses be really thick by now?

No, your eyesight should have stabilised before you have surgery or it isn't likely to last long. Mine had settled at -7.5 and -6.5 which is pretty awful. Even filed down my lenses couldn't fit in a lot of frames without looking ridiculous. After surgery I was 20-20 for about 7 years then gradually deteriorated to -1 in each eye and seem to have stabilised there for now anyways.

It seems to be genetics in my family anyways. Both parents shortsighted. Three of the four of us had glasses by age seven or so (shortsighted too).

I found it really strange not having glasses or contacts at times. Waking up with a hangover gives you eyes that feel like you left your contacts in too long. On really tired mornings I would still reach for the glasses. When rubbing my eyes I always rubbed with one finger from the side as if I had glasses on. I used I had glasses for 20 years before I had surgery!

Edit: I was trying to think how to represent how bad my vision was for someone with 20:20. Before I had surgery the standard eye test from across a room was pointless as the only thing I'd be able to make out would be the top letter and maybe the first row but I would have to squint and they would be blurry. After surgery I could read every row to the bottom. Now I can read to about the second/third row from the bottom

Alf Veedersane

TIL: you can't read AND play sport, socialise or have sex.

Who knew.

intheclouds

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

TIL: you can't read AND play sport, socialise or have sex.

Who knew.

People with good eyesight?

the_syco

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I did have laser surgery and it lasted about 8 years.

That's odd. Many of them offer updating of the eyes? A mate got his "adjusted" about a year after he had his done.

Zillah

Myopia isn't caused by focusing on things close to you, it is caused by failing to look at distant things on a regular basis. In studies they have found that the amount of time reading books and watching TV doesn't matter as long as there is also lots of outdoors time. It's not the presence of one (reading), it is the absence of the other (outdoors).

There's also nothing more contemptible than someone who looks down on books, you awful, dull barbarian you.

Frank101

Zillah wrote: »

In studies they have found that the amount of time reading books and watching TV doesn't matter as long as there is also lots of outdoors time. It's not the presence of one (reading), it is the absence of the other (outdoors).

Is looking at far away stuff through a window the same equivalent?

Zillah

Probably, but unless you spend a very great deal of time looking out the window it's not going to add up to much compared to actually being outside.

Frank101

Zillah wrote: »

Probably, but unless you spend a very great deal of time looking out the window it's not going to add up to much compared to actually being outside.

Well keeping my laptop at arm's length away from my eyes will help. I see far too many people with their face right up next to the screen.

Though I also get the impression that the outdoor issue has something to do with natural light giving vitamin D.

I recently met three triplet sisters. Two of them were teachers, and they didn't have glasses, but the other had an office job, and had glasses!