In a message dated 4/8/02 5:02:31 PM, Marianne Fuller
<[log in to unmask] writes:

<< 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. >>

Marianne said:

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).

It's nice to "meet" someone who is such an avid reader. I, too, read for
hours each day. Yes, I am myopic, but it is so slight, I usually don't even
bother with glasses- about a half diopter. (Normal vision is 20/20; my
uncorrected vision is 20/25) As you say, a sample of one means nothing. My
oldest son, whose IQ is very high, is also quite myopic, about -7, and might
have been much worse had its progress not been slowed by wearing hard contact
lenses. Sadly (as far as I am concerned) he is not an avid reader. I might
add, that you did not quote what I wrote in the next paragraph- that is:

"One thing I HAVE noticed is that there is a slight tendency (do not
interpret this to mean 100%!) for people of high intelligence to be myopic
more often than those of more average intelligence. I have no scientific
evidence to back up this observation, but among  my optician colleagues, they
all agree that they have noticed the same thing. Now, people of higher
intelligence may tend to read more, leading to the conclusion that it is the
reading that caused the myopia."

So, from your case, I might conclude that you and your siblings are of above
average intelligence, and you, in particular, must have the highest IQ!

This is not a scientific discussion by any means. It is nothing more than
some observation and is not meant to prove any point at all, except, perhaps,
that we can't really say that myopia is strictly and simply inherited the way
eye color is. Reading is a good thing. Please don't blame yourself for
causing your myopia because you were/are an avid reader!

For anyone who is interested in pursuing this, there are specialists across
the country who practice vision training, and claim varying degrees of
success in reversing myopia through a biofeedback technique using a machine
called the Accomotrac. In a similar manner that one can learn to control
one's pulse rate, the person is "trained" to refocus his vision and
eventually reduce or eliminate the need for corrective lenses. It is a
procedure that requires constant practice and vigilance. For a while I did
work as a technician for an optometrist using this machine, and I did see
substantial progress for those who had the tenacity to stick with it. Few do.
In this society of instant need gratification, most people would much rather
have the surgery that corrects myopia overnight.

Maddy Mason
Hudson Valley, NY