As a very near sighted person who read a lot as a
child, I think I read a lot more than normal because I
was so bad at games, because of my eyes.  I didn't
become nearsighted because I read as I was full blown
nearsighted by first grade.

--- Marianne Fuller <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Madeline said:
>
> As a New York State licensed ophthalmic dispenser
> (optician) I can tell you
> that this oft-repeated statement is probably not
> true. All young children
> spend the same amount of time in school every day,
> doing the same close
> work,
> and it would be a very rare child indeed who spent
> substantial additional
> hours reading. Even among those who do, I cannot say
> I have seen from
> personal experience that they become nearsighted
> (myopic) as a result.
> Additionally, nearly all children nowadays spend
> hours a day playing video
> games and doing computer work, which has not led to
> an increase in myopia,
> that I am aware of.
>
>
>
> I wonder. I guess I was one of those rare kids,
> because I used to read
> constantly from a very young age, to the point of
> walking around with a book
> in my hand (and not bashing into anything, to the
> wonderment of many). My
> eyes are pretty bad, -9 contact prescription. My
> siblings are all somewhat
> myopic, but I am definitely by far the worst, and by
> far read the most.
>
> Of course, I am a sample size of one, but still, I
> wonder. I would like to
> belive it's not true! It's depressing when you have
> brought problems on
> yourself, from lack of knowledge.


=====
Rachel Aschmann
http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/Garden/4786/
- They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -
 - Benjamin Franklin, 1759

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