I get a lot of e-mails from readers asking about high myopia and the possibility to reverse it. As I always tell them, high myopia is (in practice) no different from low myopia. You’re just starting out a bit further away from full recovery to 20/20. Of course there are some differences in physiology (potential axial myopia), but none of that matters for how you approach your improvement goals.
People often struggle to believe me. Can it really be so simple?
Don’t overthink it, I have said many thousands of times, in the office. If you spend mental energy and time on myopia rehab, spend it on building habits. Get those habits, and then see the results first hand – that is simply the best way to spend your time on this topic.
Case in point, Steve’s recent forum post:
Being ~7 months in myself, I can say that I am noticing definite improvement already. Being on the higher-end of myopia here (Originally OS -7.50, OD -6), it will take me a while to reach my ultimate goal. However, setting smaller goals is really keeping me going. Things such as being able to make out some of the keys on the keyboard at work and walk around at night without glasses and not stumble into things, etc.
I feel much more comfortable wearing my normalized than I ever did wearing my full script. My astigmatism has reduced significantly already according to my latest Optometrist visit. OS from 1cyl to .5cyl and OD from 1.25cyl to .5cyl. On the Sph side of things, I’m down about .5 to .75 diopters so far. CM measurements have gone from OS 14CM to 16CM+ and OD 16.5cm to 19CM+.
My first normalized are now my night driving glasses and my 2nd normalized I have been wearing since July are -6.25 OS, -5 OD. Seeing 20/25-ish with them now in good daylight with some clear flashes to 20/20 or better. From -7.50 to a -6.25 OS and -6 to -5 OD isn’t too shabby.
Cutting down significantly on the Contact lens usage has also reduced my headaches and let me perform more peripheral and focus pushing/pulling exercises throughout the day.
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Theoretical debates come up on the how and why of myopia rehab. They are valid and interesting. But they are also entirely irrelevant if your main goal is better eyesight.
Is it axial myopia that Steve is reducing? Or is it ciliary spasm? Is it overprescription, habituated, that’s being addressed? Is it just active focus, providing an edge over the previous passive eyesight? We could spend hundreds of pages debating.
Fact though is, Steve will be on this curve as long as he chooses to work on his eyesight. It can be any of the above at any particular point in his recovery, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stop improving at any point once another underlying issue is addressed by the same continual positive habits. Axial myopia isn’t a problem, as some in the opthalmology field suggest (without any scientific base for their argument). You will find me occasionally writing here about the theory and possible contributing causes, since it is interesting. Just be sure though to set your priorities, and if they are for improvement, allow the process to work for you.
Adopt the habits, measure your results, have Steve’s experience.
That’s my proposal for you, high myope, looking for better eyesight. Better vision, and the small victories along the way will be your reward (like not bumping into things at night, without glasses).
