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Medical Forum / General / Vision / April 2006Stress & Eyesight
Over the last 5 years I have go through tremendous stress, so much so that I have chronic muscle pain and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia - but I think it is simple stress and activation of the CNS from stress and exhaustion. I know I am aging but I this last 5 years has also seen my eyesight go to heck. Back in my 20's when I was in a stressful PhD program I had to get glasses. Two years after graduation I no longer needed them and have not needed glasses until the last three years. If I am under so much stress that my skeletal muscles cramp and hurt constantly would that have an effect on my eyes? Alana Alana, This is a heated subject in a group such as this, which is not altogether open-minded about such possibilities. Over the last few decades, it has slowly become more accepted among medical doctors that stress plays a major role in debilitating conditions all over the human body. Every system in the body (nervous, digestive, muscular, etc.) is affected by it. And yet, the eyes, with their intricate complexity, with all the muscles that make it work, with such a large portion of our minds dedicated to the task of vision, with the eyes being physically like an extension of the brain, with the demands they are put under on a daily basis... with all this, they are (say the naysayers) the one part of the body that is virtually unaffected by this phenomenon of strain. No damage, no chronic disorders, nothing, except, they say, an almost inconsequential contraction of a tiny muscle inside of the eye. I gather that your intuition tells you that on even just an intellectual basis, this doesn't make sense. Along with the general alternative health movement, there is a growing natural vision improvement movement underway, much of it centering on the Bates method, which contends that stress and other factors resulting in misuse of the eyes play a dominating role in the development and progression of nearly all eye and vision disorders. A lot of people, including myself, have improved their vision with the Bates method and eliminated long-standing visual issues, including loss of near vision that is supposedly an unavoidable result of aging, and many people around the world teaching the method on an educational (non-medical) basis. I run an informational website at www.iblindness.org. I am happy to answer questions about applying the method - I only ask that visitors first read some of the material provided on the site for free, including Dr. Bates's book. A few other sites I recommend: www.seeing.org www.visioneducators.org www.visionsofjoy.org http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/batesmethod/ Dave >Over the last 5 years I have go through tremendous stress, so much so that I >have chronic muscle pain and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia - but I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Alana --- http://store.iblindness.org http://www.iblindness.org > This is a heated subject in a group such as this, which is not > altogether open-minded about such possibilities. By that, I presume that you mean: we don't share your faith, but are more convinced by properly conducted, randomized, controlled testing? Thought so. Thanks. I don't have an opinion about Bates, but I've definitely noticed that my vision is best when I'm rested, alert, interested (not bored), and so on. I'm of the opinion that there is definitely more to this vision stuff than many of the pros on this forum would have you believe. Not that it matters, but I think I generally fall in the middle on these debates. I believe in the hard science; if a study contradicts a claim, it's probably false. At the same time, just because something contradicts conventional wisdom and doesn't have a study _proving_ it to be true, doesn't mean it's false (or stupid). I hung out on the (or one of the) Bates groups on Yahoo, and I was fairly disappointed. I got flamed because I asked for some testimonials from people who have made significant improvement. I've yet to hear from someone who can say they, for real, fixed their vision with Bates. It's always like "after six months I went from -7.75 to -7.25" or something. Not very inspiring. Personally, I have no doubt that stress, depression, or fatigue could affect vision. It's kind of academic though, isn't it? You probably want to get these types of things fixed anyway, so try that and post back here what happens with your eyesight. > Alana, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > chronic disorders, nothing, except, they say, an almost > inconsequential contraction of a tiny muscle inside of the eye. > I believe in the hard science; if a study contradicts a > claim, it's probably false. At the same time, just because something > contradicts conventional wisdom and doesn't have a study _proving_ it > to be true, doesn't mean it's false (or stupid). Anyone can claim anything, make any statement, but if they don't have any scientific proof, and keep insisting that their claim is true without proof, then their claims are useless. The Bates people not only can't provide proof; they reject the scientific studies that are accepted by the vast majority of medical professionals. Those who push Bates, push it absent of proof and push it contrary to scientific studies; those who push Bates are quacks.  SignatureCharles >I don't have an opinion about Bates, but I've definitely noticed that > my vision is best when I'm rested, alert, interested (not bored), and > so on. So you illustrate the first problem we encounter when trying to "prove" something about a subjective sensation. Proof requires definitions. What is "best vision?" Acuity? Stereoacuity? Or do you mean something we can't measure, like "subjective comfort when reading?" The first two don't decline significantly when you're tired. The third one certainly can. > I'm of the opinion that there is definitely more to this vision > stuff than many of the pros on this forum would have you believe. I'm of the opinion that "this vision stuff" is too vague a term to make specific claims about. > Personally, I have no doubt that stress, depression, or fatigue could > affect vision. Mmm.. maybe the retinal photoreceptors spread out more sparsely when you're stressed. Again that problem with definitions - what is "stress"? -MT > > I don't have an opinion about Bates, but I've definitely noticed > > that my vision is best when I'm rested, alert, interested (not [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > "subjective comfort when reading?" The first two don't decline > significantly when you're tired. The third one certainly can. I'm sure you will deny that it's possible, but my acuity is better in the morning when I'm well rested, or any time I feel more alert or interested in the task at hand. I have two pairs of glasses: my normal "full power" Rx (L: +0.25 -1.0x180, R: PL -1.5x180) and another with 0.5 less cyl in each eye. I can see with 100% clarity through the reduced power prescription when rested and alert, but not when tired. When I'm tired the astigmatism becomes obvious as things blur/double in the vertical dimension. I've been told before that there are no muscles that can be exerted to overcome astigmatism. I don't know if that's really true or not, but my experience has been that my acuity varies fairly noticeably according to energy level. I'm fairly picky about my acuity, so I'm pretty aware when things start falling apart. I'm not try to prove anything by the way, just relating my own experience. > interested in the task at hand. I have two pairs of glasses: my normal > "full power" Rx (L: +0.25 -1.0x180, R: PL -1.5x180) and another with > 0.5 less cyl in each eye. I can see with 100% clarity through the > reduced power prescription when rested and alert, but not when tired. > When I'm tired the astigmatism becomes obvious as things blur/double in > the vertical dimension. Your eye is living tissue; of course it varies. My own experience is similar to yours. Now we have two anecdotal reports! If the observation is valid, and it probably is, then it only proves the eye varies diurnally. It doesn't tell us that the muscles attached to the cornea get fatigued, because there aren't any such muscles. We do know the cornea tends to be more hydrated in the morning and dehydrated late in the day. Tissue hydration explains the phenomenon more directly. In your case and mine, astigmatism increases and vision gets worse. In other cases, it's conceivable the reverse would be true. To a purist, saying your "vision varies" means we'd compare your acuity with your morning prescription to the acuity you get with your "evening" prescription. According to your report, the "vision" is the same in both cases. Refraction varies diurnally, but the corrected visual acuity, retinal resolution, and visual cortex not so much. Definitions matter. -MT > To a purist, saying your "vision varies" means we'd compare your > acuity with your morning prescription to the acuity you get with your > "evening" prescription. According to your report, the "vision" is the > same in both cases. I assume most people would know what I meant. I meant that my vision is closer to requiring no correction at all in the morning. Or, my morning Rx has requires less deviation from PL. I hadn't considered hydration. Do you mean overall body hydration, like from not drinking enough water, or that the eyes themselves are merely dry, like you would attempt to rectify with eye drops? > I assume most people would know what I meant. I meant that my vision > is closer to requiring no correction at all in the morning. Or, my > morning Rx has requires less deviation from PL. No argument - nobody can argue with a valid observation of primary data. But saying "fatigue causes vision to decrease" requires two leaping assumptions. One is that everybody's vision works like yours, and the other is that "fatigue" has anything to do with it. > I hadn't considered hydration. Do you mean overall body hydration, > like from not drinking enough water, or that the eyes themselves are > merely dry, like you would attempt to rectify with eye drops? Specifically, I meant the % water content in the corneal stroma. Your corneal endothelium constantly pumps water out of the cornea to maintain transparency. If the endothelium is compromised by disease or lack of oxygen, it fails to pump adequately and the cornea swells enough to become hazy. Corneal edema is usually most noticable at rising, when the eyes have been closed all night. Patients with endothelial dystrophy sometimes use a hair blower or hypertonic saline in the morning to dry off the cornea and get rid of the "morning fog." People wearing hard contacts who happen to fall asleep with them wake up with severely clouded vision until the endothelium pumps the excess water out of the cornea. While it takes these abnormal conditions to demonstrate haze from edema, the diurnal cycle still occurs in healthy eyes, but within the narrow range of values that allow a transparent cornea. In the evening is when we hear the most complaints of dry eyes and dry contacts. Tear quality is distinctly different, and tear supplements are often helpful in relieving discomfort. But artificial tears may not help your cornea rehydrate to its AM level. I'd try a hypotonic tear preparation like Hypotears, used every 10 minutes or so. -MT This is interesting. Recently (several months) my vision has been foggy first thing in the morning. It only lasts a few minutes normally and I've put it off to dry eyes. Sounds like it might be something else. > > I assume most people would know what I meant. I meant that my > > vision is closer to requiring no correction at all in the morning. [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > -MT If you mean "i-see", that isn't a Bates group. Also, even on the Bates group I gave the link to, people don't tend to always take time to repeatedly answer the question "who has improved their vision?" when asked by yet another newcomer every week for years. Dave >I don't have an opinion about Bates, but I've definitely noticed that >my vision is best when I'm rested, alert, interested (not bored), and [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> chronic disorders, nothing, except, they say, an almost >> inconsequential contraction of a tiny muscle inside of the eye. --- http://store.iblindness.org http://www.iblindness.org Your skeletal muscle cramps have no effect on the eyes, unless the extraocular muscles are "cramping", which would probably cause double vision and inability to aim your eyes properly. It would be helpful for you to post your age and your spectacle Rx. Re Dave's comments, oh, never mind... w.stacy, o.d. > Over the last 5 years I have go through tremendous stress, so much so that I > have chronic muscle pain and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia - but I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Alana Fibromyalgia is often associated with dry eye. Eye muscles are made of different type of muscle than skeletal muscle, if they were affected you would be seeing double. Fibromyalgia can also be associated with reduced accommodation and you may need reading glasses. How old are you and do you find that you need glasses for reading? If approaching 40, needing reading glasses is a normal part of aging. If you are somewhat far sighted (hyperopic) then you may have needed reading glasses in the past when doing intensive near work. dr Judy |
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