Medical myths: is it true that glasses weaken your eyesight?

2014-05-15 21:20

Medical myths: is it true that glasses weaken your eyesight?
Some people wear glasses not always, only from time to time. There are all sorts of reasons.

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Someone may not like the way his face looks in glasses

Some people wear glasses not always, only from time to time. There are all sorts of reasons. Who does not like the looks of his face with glasses, who’s kidding, but some people just feel more comfortable without them. But it is not only the comfort and aesthetics – many people believe that the constant wearing of glasses will further weaken the eyesight.

Last year published the results of a study conducted in Nigeria. 64% of students believed that wearing glasses can be harmful to the eyes. In the Indian state of Karnataka so I think 30%, and in Pakistan 69% of the population. In Brazil, even medical professionals believe that wearing glasses blurry vision. There is reason to believe that they are right?

Of course, people wear sunglasses for two very different reasons: because of corotational and for farsightedness. Hyperopia is often associated with age-related changes. Many people in 40-50 years of age begin to notice that it is difficult to read in low light. With age, the lens of the eye becomes less elastic, and this complicates the refocusing when you change the distance to the object. When it comes to what a book or menu I want to move away from the eye further than you would hands, we get reading glasses.

Strange, but the long-term effects of wearing glasses is poorly understood. The available data do not confirm that wearing reading glasses affects vision. Where did so many people convinced that the glasses harmful?

We think that over time we are increasingly dependent on points because with age, the lens continues to deteriorate. The glasses need to be used increasingly, and it is easy to conclude that it is because their vision has gotten worse, although actually there’s no causal connection.

In the long run it doesn’t matter what you wear glasses or not (though if you have to strain your eyes while reading, it can cause headaches and discomfort in the eyes).

A properly adjusted sight

In the case of children – is another matter. If a child wearing incorrect glasses or not wear glasses at all, this may have consequences. For a long time it was assumed that the useful myopia to wear glasses weaker than required, and this will reduce the speed of lengthening of the eyeball, and thus slow down the development of myopia. Explained it this way: if you wear glasses that allow you to see clearly far away, then focus on something located near, the eyeball will try to stretch, and this should be avoided.

Pick up points correctly is very important for a child and his future vision

But a study conducted in Malaysia in 2002, showed the fallacy of this hypothesis so it is clear that the experiment turned even a year earlier than planned. 94 children with myopia were randomly divided into two groups. Some wore glasses in accordance with the prescription of the optometrist and the other a bit weaker than necessary. At the start of the experiment the children were 9 to 14 years. Over the next two years the length of their eyeballs were measured at regular intervals of time. Contrary to previous, less comprehensive studies, 1960, in children who wore the weaker glasses, the eyeball moved on. In other words their eyesight was gradually getting worse.

Some argue that a certain conclusion is not enough material. But Click released in 2011 a Cochrane review (systematic reviews prepared by the international public Association of highly qualified doctors mokranowski cooperation – Ed.) studies of children with myopia makes available data, the conclusion that it is better to wear appropriate glasses, and do not try to use the weaker. The review argues that to use the points, corresponding to a level of myopia that is worse than not wearing them at all. And just published, the longest in the history, Click the 23-year study, progressive myopia was claimed as just the opposite.

In 1983 in Finland a group of myopic children were randomly divided according to several characteristics, including reading without glasses. Vision in this group deteriorated faster than those who wore glasses all the time. After the first three years of the study, they received recommendations to use glasses constantly. After 20 years of differences between groups was revealed.

According to well-known surgeon-ophthalmologist, there is no reason to believe that well-chosen glasses can harm vision

Why does a child with poor eyesight it is so important to wear glasses – clear. His eyes learn to see, and without properly selected points she may develop amblyopia (the so-called “lazy eye”), as the retina had no experience of obtaining a clear image. In addition, it was found that the use of the correct points helps to increase reading speed and reduce the risk of developing strabismus.

But back to adults. As I mentioned above, this area is poorly studied. You would expect from a science answer to these questions, but sometimes it turns out that some seemingly obvious studies nobody spent.

It would be unethical to experiment, many myopic children not wear glasses, because it is now known that this can affect their learning, and the development of their eyes. But such a study could be conducted on adults. Why no one does?

Professor Viswanathan Anant, a surgeon known Morfitsky eye hospital in London, believes that research is not simply because there is no physiological reason to believe that glasses can damage vision.

It seems that in the near future such work, we can not wait, and will have to rely on the available data. So, you may have your reasons not to wear glasses, but do not be afraid to spoil their eyesight.