Re: About Myopia, Otis, Etc.

On Apr 30, 2:13 am, "Ms.Brainy" <mikabra...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
While the debate with Otis is ongoing, I went tohttp://www.preventmyopia.org/index.html
-- a website of some "International Myopia Prevention Association",
which cites alarming statistics of increased myopia in some Asian
countries. For example, it claims that 80% of 18 yr old in Singapore
is myopic, a huge increase from the past and certainly a very high
percentage. The website attributes the increase to excessive reading
and computer use, and reaches the conclusion that myopia is not
hereditory as we tend to think, but rather related to behaviour and
usage of vision by children.


Interestingly, it seems that the association for myopia prevention
subscribes to Otis' theory and advocates the "plus" solution...

The AFMP may be just one person hosting the website..... and may be a
friend of Otis. From the site:

"The International Myopia Prevention Association ("IMPA") was founded
in 1974 by Donald Rehm. IMPA is a Pennsylvania not-for-profit
corporation. "

I have no idea whether the statistics are correct and how to verify
it. But if it is... then what? What explanation can there be for
such increase?

Yes, myopia is increasing in Asian countries. It has been long known
that the asian race has much more myopia; why is not known. Some have
speculated that the tight upper lids in asians deforms the cornea
while looking down to read thus increasing higher order aberrations
and retinal blur. Retinal blur is a known stimulus to myopia.

Others have speculated that printed material provides a uniform,
visually uninteresting and unchanging visual target and retinal
image. It is known that uniform, unchanging visual image is a
stimulus to myopia. So maybe the extra reading and the small, crowded
housing in the Orient is a cause.

Others have speculated that a diet high in refined carbohydrates leads
to higher blood sugar levels and increased myopia. The asian diet is
high in rice and noodles which, since the second world war, have
largely been from refined white rice and white flour instead on brown
rice and whole grain flour.

Other potential causes (new things in the past 50 years) could be the
high levels of air pollution, the high percentage of smoking mothers,
fallout from the WW II atomic bombs, fallout from Pacific Ocean bomb
tests, high levels of toxins in fish, TV and radio waves, increased UV
penetration ... on and on.

Myopia research is ongoing and prevention is recognized as a need.
Unfortunately to date, no method of prevention has proven successful.
There is hope for a topical eye drop which is currently in clinical
trials. Plus lenses at near have been extensively tested with very
disappointing results.

Dr Judy

.

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