Dear Prevention minded friends,

Subject:  An engineer helps his children avoid entry in to
     nearsightedness.

Re:  The primate eye behaves as expected.

Re:     It seems the parents must FIRST figure out that there children
MUST begin wearing the plus at "zero" diopters - or else accept the
consequences of NOT wearing the plus.

Re:  Clearly, some parents -- like "The Printer's Son" do not
understand
plus-prevention.  I which case, prevention is impossible.
But some parents DO UNDERSTAND -- and help their kids with
this preventive second-opinion.

    Some parents finally "wake up" to the need for prevention at
the threshold as an "now or never" choice.  The HELP their
children make systematic use of the plus to AVOID even entry into
myopia.

    Obviously this type of dedication and support can NEVER be
prescribed.  Thus do it "yourself" seems to be the only way.  Thus
making the use of the prevetive plus might seem "tedious" but it
is better than the alternative -- in MY OPINION.  Here is the
discussion for your interest.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Myopia Prevention:  Theory and Practic

By Denis Alarie, P. Eng.

To:  Mr. Howard C. Howland
W201 Seeley G Mudd Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853 USA

Dear Sir:

    About your ongoing research on the development of the eye.

    It was with a great deal of interest that I read an article
in Discover magazine in the October 1995 Issue concerning your
ongoing work on the development of the eye and its relation to bio
feedback.

    I come from a family of 7 where both the parents are with
normal vision and where all 5 of the children were nearsigthed and
read a lot.  I graduated from Queen's University in 1977 with a
first class degree in Civil engineering and also graduated with
courses in Genetics.  This interestingly enough, gave me a
background in evolution, genetics, mechanics and physics.

    I had believed since I was about 15 that their was a causal
link between eye development and Myopia and indeed was immensely
interested when I read an article supporting that position.

    At first (around 1972) I had hopes that by carefully
managing the use of my eyes I would be able to reverse the myopia
about (- 1 dioptre ).  This I theorized would be done by using
reading glasses to simulate an at rest condition.  I experimented
with various lenses used while reading and studying ranging from
+1.5 dioptre to + 2.5 dioptre, all the while thinking of and
studying the structure of the eye to see if I could gain a better
understanding of the process.

Part 2

    Although my eyes never improved they did not get any worse
from a refractory point of view.  It was relatively easy to
experiment since my eyes did not have any astigmatism.    I could
therefore purchase glasses at the drug store for reading.  I also
talked my eye doctor into prescribing glasses at -0.75 dioptre
that I would wear while attending classes.  This did not do
anything even though I played around with this concept for years.

    One thing that it did do was make me more aware of the minor
changes which seemed to occur with my eyes due to atmospheric
pressure, influence of alcohol and marijuana use, reading,
driving, smoking.

    After I graduated 1977, I married in 1978 and had a family.
My wife was a graduate nurse at University of Toronto and was
mildly myopic with -0.50 in the right eye and -0.75 in the left
eye.  She did not wear her glasses which probably helped to
prevent her vision from changing further.

    We have two daughters aged 15 and 11 both of whom have eyes
that are almost perfect as far as spherical corrections are
concerned they are both at 0 dioptre +/- 0.25.    From the time that
they were young I have encouraged good eye habits in both of them,
ie don't sit too close to the TV, Head up when they walk Etc.

    When we moved to Timmins in 1987 we went to see an eye doctor
by the name of Al MacIvor.  He was talked into prescribing reading
glasses for both of the kids.    My reasoning was that since my
eyes had stabilized at about -1.00 to -1.25 dioptre that reading
glasses of +1.25 dioptre would probably be about the right level
for them.  Al said that both of the girls had very little reserve
in their eyes and would both be myopic by the time they were 15.
He looked at me with a bit of a glazed look in his eyes when I
started talking to him about my ideas and probably thought I was
talking about pyramid glasses etc.  I insisted that the
prescription not contain any cylindrical corrections.

    This now 1995 and the girls are fine.  Their eyes basically
have not changed in 8 years.  They both are avid readers and
computer users and they both wear their reading glasses.

    In a further elaboration to the above I have noticed that in
the workplace where I work there is a very high incidence of
occupational myopia in office workers.    Truck drivers never
develop myopia.  Similar to your observations about the pilots who
have good vision prior to their studies and poor vision after.

    I am not looking for anything from this.  Just trying to help
where I can and enjoying the chance to finally be able to transmit
my information to someone who takes it seriously and has the
professional credentials and interest in pursuing it further .

Sincerely Yours

Denis Alarie, P. Eng.