Remember my Myopia reduction Post of last January? Well, I had ended that post with lot of conservativeness saying so far I had no evidence of things other than ageing at play, but that didn't mean I lost optimism about future and hoped things to turn out better than only ageing would dictate. Specially the doctor's categorical assertion saying my myopia won't reduce further felt like a strong indicator to me that it would, and that it would reduce sooner and faster rather than later and slower. No, its not that I always take short-cut to knowledge by assuming things would be opposite of what the doctors say nor do I disregard sensible things they say just because they are saying it – in fact, I was there actively seeking his help. Isn't it? Its just that as I tried to understand myopia and its reduction with age, it became increasingly clear that the doctor's response was not that my numbers wont reduce further, instead, it was to be interpreted as he didn't know why my numbers had reduced in first place and because he didn't understand that, he ruled out further decrease. thankfully, he could not change past just because he didn't understand it. and thankfully not even future will change just because of that.
Well, in any case I was convinced that more I can take near-stress off, good for my eyes, whether it translates to reduction in myopia or not. So, I had made a reading glass with one less diopter correction and more simplified number (I dropped cylindrical component altogether).
At January beginning, corrective powers I used wear (incorrect for few months at least): (-10.25, -1.0), (-10, -0.75)
New Numbers I got in January last year: (-8.75, -0.5), (-8.75, -0.5)
Self prescribed reading glasses I hoped to use: (-8.0), (-8.0)
Now, I did find my reading glasses showing computer screen well but I mostly forgot to put them on and when did, after few mins they started becoming uncomfortable and started giving headache. I kept checking my unaided near/far focus distance for some three four months but seeing no further improvement, slowly enthusiasm died down. I forgot the reading glasses as well.
Sometime in October, I remembered my reading glasses. Searched for it and put it on expecting it to feel uncomfortable as before or more so as I hadn't used it now for few months (My brain had taken a good 2 months to fully adjust to correct numbers from incorrect ones in January). I put it on and.. things some 2 meters away also appeared in perfect focus. Which meant there was at least 0.5 reduction in number, now down to -8.5 at least.
Next day, noticing that I had actually forgot to switch back from reading glasses, I decide to check unaided focus distance. There indeed was an improvement. Over next three days, vision through -8 glasses continued to improve, easily surpassing that through now obsolete (and disorienting if I put it on) previous glasses. This instant adjustment to new glasses as against previous experience was I think due to the fact that brain had spent some time learning to co-ordinate with these numbers previously. Which meant that getting a reading glass was good idea not only to keep near stress off (which unfortunately I didn't do much) but also to introduce next lower number to brain well in time so that at the time of actual switching, adaptation time is minimal. And btw, so far accommodation has not suffered with improvement in Myopia. So even if its just ageing effect at work, good ageing is working and bad ageing is on hold :-)
P.S. Okay, I know this is not very useful post. I should write more sensible one talking about what things I think might have contributed to betterment I am seeing. But one, I think its still early to start talking about those things as ageing still may be the biggest explanatory factor (and I don't wish reader discount other factors saying 'not significant impact') and two, there are many probable things that might have contributed. So, I need to list them down properly – will do it when I come back with next update talking about next improvement.
