Farsightedness

Overview

Far sightedness, also known as hyperopia, is a situation characterized by not being able to clearly observe objects that are close up, while the ability to see far away is unaffected. Farsightedness occurs because light rays containing visual images focus behind the retina rather than on it, which makes it difficult to properly see close up. All that conventional medicine can offer regarding treatments for farsightedness are corrective prescription lenses (glasses or contact lenses) or surgical treatment (Lasik as well as PRK).

Symptoms of Farsightedness

The most common symptoms of farsightedness are difficulty seeing up close, for activities such as reading or painting. Additional symptoms include blurred eyesight, eyestrain, and headaches. Those who are farsighted frequently also encounter an inability to read for any length of time, even if wearing prescription lenses.

Causes of Farsightedness

Farsightedness occurs because the eyes become shorter than usual and/or the cornea becomes flat. Insufficient muscle tone in the auxiliary muscles that manage the lenses of the eye balls is another common cause of farsightedness.

Weak points of Traditional Farsightedness Remedies

As mentioned above, the only conventional treatment available for farsightedness is remedial prescription lenses or surgery. Both are not really without weak points, however, and may potentially result in serious problems.

Corrective prescribed Lenses—Corrective lenses in the form of glasses or contacts are the most often prescribed traditional treatment for astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness. While they can certainly improve symptoms caused by all three of these vision disorders, they are able to also worsen them too, and usually do over time, leading to long-tern dependency on lens wearing due to decreased sensitivity of the eye muscles that result from wearing corrective lenses. Other side effects of corrective contacts include increased sensitivity to artificial light, and loss of depth of perception.

Contact lenses can cause additional problems, such as a significant rise in the risk of developing microbial keratitis, an infectious situation characterized by irritation of the cornea.

Surgery—In recent years, surgical procedures to fix astigmatism as well as far and nearsightedness have become well-liked. The two primary types of surgical procedures for this purpose are Lasik surgical treatment and photorefractive keratomy (PRK). Lasik surgical treatment is conducted using a very thin knife, with which the surgeon cuts a flap near the surface of the cornea. The laser is then employed to burn part of the cornea, after which the cornea flap is reattached. PRK additionally reshapes the cornea using a laser, with no need for first creating a cornea flap; however it usually requires a longer waiting period before patients see improvements within their vision.

Although many patients report enhanced vision after undergoing Lasik and PRK surgeries, each procedure can cause the following unwanted effects:

Free radical damage caused by the laser may result in a harmful thinning of the cornea as well as damage to its structural integrity.

Chronic dried out eye due to a diminished capability to produce moisture.

A feeling of halos around light.

Impaired visual accuracy.

Rip and/or detachment of the retina.

Holes in the macula (the central region of the retina), that lead to macular degeneration.

Damage to the optic nerve.

Natural Cures

Ayurveda: According to Ayurveda theory, most vision difficulties are due to digestive complaints. Emphasis is given to normal eye exercises, as well as the herbs amla, licorice, triphala, along with a diet full of organic, whole food with abundant quantities of antioxidant rich vegetables such as carrots and spinach.

Biofeedback Training: Biofeedback instruction has been shown to be useful for improving a variety of eyesight disorders, including astigmatism, near and farsightedness, and night blindness. Traditional biofeedback training helps patients become better able to unwind the muscles of their forehead, thus reducing pressure on the eyeball and overall eyestrain.

A specific psychophysiological feedback instrument for improving poor eyesight is the Accommotrac Vision Trainer®, produced by optometric doctor Joseph, Trachtman, M.D., Ph.D., of NY. This device measures how clearly and effectively the retina interprets images. As patients change their focus, the Accommotrac transforms the visual images they are viewing into sounds. This enables them to better detect as well as control their changes in concentration, thus additionally improving what they can control over the attention muscles on their own. Treatment sessions are typically scheduled once a week for an hour each time. The Accommotrac has been shown to provide significant improvements in refractory vision problems, including astigmatism, near and farsightedness, and night blindness.

Diet plan: Emphasize a diet of organic, whole foods, with an everyday abundance of fresh vegetables and fruit. Choose from all types, focusing on those foods which are rich in antioxidants. Included in this are red, orange and purple bell peppers, celery, dark-leafy green vegetables such as chard, kale, collard, spinach, parsley, tomatoes as well as yellow squash. Fruits full of antioxidants include berries, especially raw or juiced acai berry, Goji berries, dark colored fruits, purple and red grapes, plums, cherries, mangos, cantaloupe and citrus fruits. For a sweet treat or to help curb chocolate cravings, enjoy the antioxidant rich unsweetened cacao. Mixed with natural sweeteners such as raw sweetie or agave syrup, cacao is a tasty alternative to the typical refined sugars in conventional chocolate items.

Organic egg yolks are also recommended because they are rich in carotenoids, an important class of antioxidants. It is best to eat soft, rather than hard cooked egg yolks to protect the heat sensitive valuable carotenoids. Soft boiled, poached, sunny side up or raw eggs are best. Raw eggs may be eaten if they come from a reliable organic source and are washed just before cracking. Salmonella travels on the shell of the egg and enters the actual egg externally, so cleaning eggs with hot sudsy water minimizes exposure.

Avoid all processed and fried foods, sugar as well as sugar items, refined simple carbohydrates, alcoholic beverages, and unhealthy hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Milk and dairy products should be eaten sparingly, and preferably raw and organic only. Avoid conventional flesh meals and overcooked/grilled meats. Additionally, test for food allergies and sensitivities and get rid of those meals for which you test positive. Also be sure to drink plenty of pure, filtered water throughout the day to help flush out accumulated particles in the main drainage stations. Proper hydration is essential for maintaining the suppleness of the eyes’ contacts. Fresh raw green fruit juices are also an essential addition to one’s everyday food plan. See the recipe area for green juice recommendations.

Eye Exercises: The following exercises are helpful for preventing as well as reversing most types of eyesight problems.

Rest your eyes for five minutes every 30-60 minutes, relaxing your gaze and staring in to space.

Blink your eyes regularly. This decreases eyestrain.

Take regular breaks throughout the day to breathe deeply for a few minutes coupled with neck and shoulder stretching. This helps to ensure that your muscles receive adequate levels of oxygen.

To help reduce facial tension, yawn in an exaggerated fashion. Doing this helps to stretch and unwind your face muscles.

Cover your vision with your hands for 5 minutes and breathe deeply. Do this every few hours as needed.

Spend 20-39 minutes each day quickly switching your focus from near to far. An easy way to do this is to place your finger 6-8 inches out from your eyes. Concentrate on it for a moment, and then focus on an item in the distance. Keep altering your focus from near to far. This is a superb way to exercise your eye muscle tissue.

Roll your eyes all the way up and down in a complete circular movement for 5 minutes, 3 -5 times each day.

Pin a sheet of reading material to the wall and read it from 2 feet away (or nearer if you need to). Each day, step even further away from the wall. With regular practice, you’ll eventually have the ability to read the same material from across the room. If you are nearsighted, reverse this process, starting as far away from the sheet of paper as you need to be, after which slowly begin shifting closer every day until you are able to read the paper from only a few feet away.

Herbs: The following herbs can help to prevent and slow the progression of farsightedness: Bilberry, curcumin, gentian extract, grape seed extract, ginkgo biloba, and pine bark extract (pycnogenol).

Liquid Therapy: Drink 16 oz. of carrot juice or carrot juice combined with newly juiced celery, cucumber, parsley, and spinach in two divided doses (8 oz. per serving) each day.

Lifestyle: Prevent eyestrain by avoiding working at a pc terminal or reading for long periods of time. Also refrain from watching tv or movies in the dark, in addition to spending prolonged periods in darkness.

Dietary Supplementation: Useful nutrients consist of vitamin A, vitamin B complex, ascorbic acid, vitamin E, beta-carotene, flavonoids, lutein, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), riboflavin, selenium, taurine, zeaxthanin, and zinc oxide.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): According to TCM theory, most vision difficulties are due to diminished liver performance. To restore healthy liver perform, TCM professionals combine traditional Chinese medicine with dietary changes and traditional Chinese herbs, such as ginkgo biloba and ginseng.

Alternative Professional Care

The following professional therapies have all been proven to be useful for preventing and treating farsightedness: Acupressure, Acupuncture, Behavior and Syntronic Optometry, Bodywork (Alexander technique, Feldenkrais, Reflexology, Rolfing, Shiatsu, and Therapeutic Massage), Craniosacral Treatment, Chiropractic, Detoxing Therapy, Environmental Medicine, Permanent Magnetic Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, as well as Osteopathic Treatments. (See Glossary for explanations of these Alternative Therapies.)