Gazing into the Distance

I mean this literally; I've been gazing into the distance, with my eyes. Or, more accurately, my myopic eyes. This is being done in an effort to reduce my myopia, or, at the very least, to attenuate increasing myopia. I accept that 20/20 vision will only ever be a distant memory for me now, having being moderately myopic (dioptres -3 to -6) for 25 years. But I would like to have "better" vision, if possible. I want to be able to remove my glasses and be less blurry. My distance vision is totally fucked, but my near vision is pretty shoddy as well. I'd like to get back some semblance of near vision clarity.

Eye enthusiasts (optometrists/opthamologists etc) have differing views on what causes myopia. Some say it is caused by too much eye accommodation (contracting the eye muscles) - during reading, writing, looking at computers and television, playing video games. Some say it is caused by not enough usage of distance vision (when the eye muscles relax) - our 'western' lifestyle means that we don't spend much time looking into the distance (probably because we're spending so much time reading, watching television etc, as well as living/working in confined spaces). I suspect both these things contribute to loss of distance vision.

What is known, is that, in the majority of myopics, the eyeball has elongated. Which means, as light is refracted through the eye's lens, it comes into focus in front of the retina (which sits along the back perimeter of the eye) and blurry ensues:


So, the problem is: What causes the eye to elongate. The most common theories pretty much follow those from the 2nd paragraph; that too much eye accommodation causes the eye to 'lock' into an elongated shape, or that not enough eye 'relaxing' (looking into the distance) reshapes the eye. Again, I suspect it's a combination.

If this is the case, what can be done?

There are numerous books around extolling the virtues of eye exercises as a means to better vision. I think it's all bollocks. When I was 18 I tried eye exercises for awhile, only to find that my glasses prescription had increased!

If it was possible (and not incredibly creepy), I would pull my eyes out of their sockets and squish them back into shape. But, alas, I cannot. So, instead, I'm trying to "exercise" my distance vision (in the hope of un-elongating my eyes and thus, improving my nearer vision) by spending time looking into the distance. I've organized myself to spend at least an hour everyday gazing into the distance - usually out the window, and with my glasses on (there is some thinking that 'seeing' with un-corrected or under-corrected vision can worsen myopia). There are some nice trees and clouds on which I focus. My eyes feel good when I do this, as does the rest of me. It's very calming, like meditation. I guess if distance gazing doesn't improve my eyes, it may improve other parts of me. I usually listen to music or to the radio while gazing, otherwise I get a little restless.

My grand plan is to 'distance gaze' for a year (I've been doing it for 4 months now), then go to the optometrist and see if there's been any improvement. I'm hoping my Distance Gazing Method will revolutionize myopia. If it does, I intend to patent it and become incredibly rich. People will no longer be able to gaze into the distance without paying me large sums of money! Mwahahaha!

Apparently, a Picture/Photo can Paint a Thousand Words.

Here are some photos which, I think, will explain everything.

The Little People - They gave me many adventures during my childhood (even the snooty King and Queen). The two at the front - in green - were my favourites and the only ones which I named (Penny and Christopher):




Doing some Alchemy - I like to get up close and personal with all of my reagents and equipment, even the solvent cabinet:




Willow versus The Mobile Unit - Willow was not at all phased by the toy soldier onslaught. In fact, she was somewhat amused. Eventually, she got up, turned 180 degrees and, with one swish of her giant tail, they all fell down:

Bring it on, 2011!!!

Whatever you're going to throw at me, I'm ready. Although, I would take it as a kindness if you only throw nice things at me. And, if possible, not so much throw them at me as gently pass them to me :-).

But, if you insist on being a complete and utter BASTARD, I will rise gallantly to your malevolent whimsy. Or, I will curl up into a fetal position until your whimsy buggers off. Either way, I will be able to seek solace in Lounge Room Disco*. And when it's time for Lounge Room Disco, I put on my fake fur stole, my cowboy hat and get crazy with Alcazar:




*Actual Disco is longer an option as I don't want to frighten the youngsters, and my left knee has a habit of locking when my disco-ing gets too unhinged, which it often does.