Is myopia a plus or a minus?

What does vision minus 3 mean, how does a person see with it?

Myopia or myopia is accompanied by problems with viewing objects located at a distant distance.
Objects appear blurry to the patient, without a clear outline. The reason for the deviation lies in the fact that the image is projected not onto the retina, but in front of it. This happens when the size of the organ of vision increases, as a result of which the retina appears behind the focal cavity. Mild myopia is accompanied by a deviation from minus 0.75 to 1.75. There are many reasons for the decline in eye acuity; they are conventionally divided into two groups:

• Anatomical. The anomaly develops as a result of the special structure of the visual apparatus. If the shape of the eye is elongated, its focus changes. In such cases, therapy is often selected to strengthen the sclera in order to exclude the possibility of a further decrease in visual acuity.
• Accommodative. The cause of problems with a clear image lies in muscle weakness. Special exercises will help restore their tone. When identifying an anomaly in children, it is not recommended to use glasses, because this interferes with muscle training. The eyes must “on their own” learn to look into the distance in order for optical function to be restored.

You can restore visual acuity yourself by regularly performing simple eye exercises. Exercise strengthens muscles, which allows you to quickly get rid of fatigue when working at the computer or reading books for a long time.

Decreased vision with sub-zero readings indicates the development of myopia, that is, myopia. This pathology is characterized by impaired visual perception of objects located at a long distance. But a person sees nearby objects quite clearly.

The retina, which contains light receptors, is a continuation of the optic nerve. With normal vision, an image is formed on it. If it decreases in a negative direction, a person develops myopia - a defect in which the image is formed in front of the retina.

The condition should be corrected by an ophthalmologist.

Minus vision indicators indicate a serious eye disease called myopia. This pathology in ophthalmology is classified as a refractive error of the visual organ, in which the formation of images occurs in front of the retina, and not directly on it.

The reason for this is the altered shape of the eyeball - it is elongated in length. The numbers in this case indicate the degree of visual impairment in which the visualization of objects is distorted. And if, with vision of minus 1, a person poorly distinguishes objects located in the distance, then with minus 7, he does not even see them in front of him.

An indicator of minus three indicates weak myopia. As the disease develops, vision rapidly decreases to minus 4, minus 5, etc. With these indicators, moderate myopia is diagnosed.

The cause of the pathology may be disturbances in the refractive system of the visual organ, as a result of which the focusing of the rays increases, after which they converge above the retina of the eye analyzer, and not on it. The main symptom of myopia is blurriness of objects visible in the distance.

Myopia with vision minus two is treated at home. With lower rates, the situation can only be corrected with laser correction.

Myopia symptoms

The main symptoms of the initial stage of the disease are:

• rapid eye fatigue when reading or sitting at a computer,
• pain and discomfort in the eyes,
• headache,
• increased tearfulness,
• decreased twilight vision,
• the appearance of circles or goosebumps before the eyes,
• dry mucous membranes,
• conjunctivitis.

To determine the severity of myopia, a table with letter symbols of different sizes is used. If the diagnosis is confirmed, ophthalmologists prescribe patients exercises to strengthen the eye muscles and contact lenses or glasses.

It is worth noting that wearing optics slows down the progression of the disease, but does not improve visual acuity. Drug therapy includes the use of drops and medication to restore blood circulation in the visual organs, but is advisable only at the initial stage of the disease.

Poor vision due to myopia, indicating a high degree of myopia, can cause the development of irreversible consequences associated with the functioning of the visual apparatus, including complete blindness.

Degrees

Reasons for development

Stretching of the membranes of the visual organ, which results in decreased vision, leads to disruption of the microcirculation of the eye. The cause of myopia is often a hereditary predisposition.

Congenital myopia is characterized by an anomaly of eyeballs that are larger than normal.

In this situation, the genetic factor plays an important role: if one or both parents had myopia, then the child may also be born with this pathology.

The consequence of myopia can be retinal detachment, the end result of which is often complete blindness.

Features of treatment

Decreased vision with an index of minus three most often begins in children at an early age. By the end of puberty, the disease stops progressing and vision is restored on its own.

Sometimes myopia continues to develop, which often ends in the development of malignant myopia.

To avoid negative consequences, it is advisable to stop vision loss at the beginning of the pathological process. Typically, with indicators of -3, the following is prescribed:

• Optical vision correction by wearing specially selected glasses. They should not be worn all the time, but for a certain number of hours.
• Eye drops. The purpose of their use is to relieve muscle tension and normalize metabolic processes. For this diagnosis, the following are used: Cyclomed, Tropicamide, Irifrin, etc.
• Hardware treatment to normalize blood supply, increase muscle tone, restore the retina and improve the condition of nerve fibers.

With weak myopia, patients are advised to engage in amateur sports or physical education. Moderate physical activity helps improve blood circulation and increase vitality, which has the most beneficial effect on the condition of the eye system.

Conclusion

Myopia is an alarming symptom in which a person sees only distant objects poorly; their outlines blur into silhouettes when visualized. In case of the slightest signs of myopia, you should immediately go to the hospital for medical assistance, since vision with this disease has a persistent tendency to decrease.

Refraction of vision

This concept hides the ability of an optical system to refract light rays. The power of refraction depends on the curvature of the lens and cornea. There are several types of refraction:

• Emmetropia. The system works without deviations;
• Myopia. A person cannot distinguish objects located at a distance;
• Hypermetropia. It is difficult for the patient to see objects close up.

When hypermetropia is detected, the eyes have weak refractive power and the rays “meet” behind the retina. For this reason, the visual apparatus has to strain even when a person looks into the distance. With myopia, the eyes are highly refractive and light rays intersect in front of the retina. Both anomalies negatively affect visual acuity. Pathologies have three degrees:

• Weak. The deviation in refraction does not exceed three diopters;
• Average. From four to six;
• High. More than six dioptres.

Determination of visual refraction

To analyze refractive power, a procedure called refractometry is prescribed. The doctor uses optical lenses or a refractometer. The readings may vary for each eye. If one eye is nearsighted and the other is farsighted, the patient is diagnosed with anisometropia.

Retinoscopy is also widely used to determine refraction. The essence of the technique is that the ophthalmologist and the patient are sent to a darkened room, where the doctor shines a skiascope into the eyes and analyzes the movement of the shadow. Its direction depends on the refractive power. Most often, the method is used to diagnose abnormalities in children.

To automatically detect refraction, instruments such as an autorefractometer or aberrometer are used. The first helps to detect astigmatism and evaluate the focus of light rays. With the help of the second, the doctor studies the internal environment of the eye.

Is radiation from screens harmful to the eyes?

It is difficult to imagine modern life without computers and mobile phones. Naturally, many people are concerned about the question: “Are gadgets really harmful to eye health?”

Those who are forced to work at a computer for a long time often complain of fatigue and redness of the eyes, and a feeling of sand in the eyes. I’ll surprise you, but radiation from the screen has nothing to do with it.

This is all due to continuous work at a close distance from an object (computer, documents, book, phone), which is accompanied by rare blinking and, as a result, the development of dry eyes.

The problem is solved by maintaining a visual regime and instilling tear substitutes (moisturizing drops).

Manufacturers of computer glasses (also called blue blockers) use research on the harmful effects of blue radiation from screens on the retina of the eye as the main argument when promoting their products. Blue light, according to some scientists, can cause irreversible changes in the retina and contribute to vision loss.

But the fact is that these studies were either carried out on animals, or they were experimental studies of retinal cells in a test tube. Moreover, experiments are carried out, as a rule, under extreme conditions (high doses of radiation), which we would never even think of reproducing in life.

The effects of solar radiation on the human eye have also been studied under extreme conditions with people who spent a lot of time outdoors and rarely wore sunglasses.

However, sunlight is much brighter than any light used indoors, and exposure to blue radiation from computer screens is significantly less than the total effect of sun exposure.

Thus, at the moment there are no studies that confidently confirm that long-term exposure to blue radiation from digital device screens can cause irreversible changes in the retina of the human eye.

Blue radiation can potentially be harmful to the retina, but we do not yet know what doses or duration of exposure can cause irreversible changes.

Remember that blue light blocking glasses are not classified as medical devices and therefore do not require approval from the FDA, the strictest and most impartial body for monitoring the quality and safety of drugs and medical technologies. Whether you wear them or not is up to you.

It's also important to remember that blue light plays a critical role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle, and wearing blue blockers for long periods of time can lead to daytime sleepiness.

But in the evening (about 2 hours before bedtime) it is recommended to avoid using gadgets or use special filters/programs that block blue radiation.

As you understand, this is important not for eye health, but for good, full sleep.

As we have already figured out, complaints about fatigue, discomfort, redness and dryness in the eyes arise not because of radiation from monitors, but because of an improperly organized workplace and infrequent blinking.

Maintain visual mode. For example, you can use the 20-20-20 rule: look at objects 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

Make sure that the diopters in your glasses are suitable for working at a computer (after 40–45 years, glasses for distance and glasses for working at a computer will be different). 3. Use moisturizing drops for dry eyes.

When organizing your workplace, observe the following standards:

• The screen should be located at a distance of approximately 50–60 cm from the eyes, preferably 20 cm below eye level.
• The height of the chair should be adjusted so that your feet are completely flat on the floor. Do not forget to adjust the chair to the child if the computer is shared with adults.
• Face your computer away from other light sources to minimize screen glare.
• Reduce lighting or use anti-glare screens.

Many parents consider television to be the main culprit in the development of myopia in children. Let's see if this is actually true.

Most children are born with farsightedness (that is, they have a slight plus). As the child grows up, the eyeball stretches, lengthens, and farsightedness is corrected without any correction. If the eye grows too rapidly, myopia appears. In this case, in order to see well, the child needs minus glasses.

The causes of myopia are still not fully known. The main role is played by heredity and external environmental factors. Among the latter, the protective effect of sunlight on the risk of myopia has been the most studied. According to several large studies, walking outdoors can reduce the incidence and progression of myopia.

What about near-sight stress, which has long been considered the main factor causing myopia? Modern research does not find confirmation of this theory.

Teenagers who watch TV or spend a lot of time on the computer have a greater chance of developing or worsening myopia because they deprive themselves of sunlight and do not spend time outside, and not because of gadgets.

Despite parents' concerns about children being stuck in front of screens, it is unlikely that ophthalmologists should limit this time. It is necessary to shift the focus of parents’ attention from gadgets to organizing children’s leisure time outside the home, in the fresh air.

Recommendations for limiting screen time are more important not for preserving vision, but for the normal development of the child’s nervous system.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 years of age avoid watching TV completely and use gadgets for very short periods of time.

At older ages, it is necessary to limit the total time watching television to 1-2 hours a day, and children aged 2-5 years are recommended to use gadgets no more than 1 hour a day.

Both adults and children, regardless of skin type, have a high chance of damaging their eyes from excessive exposure to UV radiation.

It is important to remember: the damage from UV radiation is cumulative; it accumulates throughout life.

People with light iris colors (blue, green) have a higher risk of developing cancers such as iris melanoma or uveal melanoma.

UV radiation is not blocked by fog or clouds. You're at risk for the most UV radiation during the middle of the day, at high altitudes, and when light is reflecting off water or snow. Therefore, it is important to choose good sunglasses for both yourself and your children.

Sunglasses should block 100% of harmful radiation. Give preference to lenses marked UV 400 and remember: the color intensity of the lenses does not affect this parameter; glasses with both dark and light lenses can protect equally well. Glasses also differ in light transmission.

There are 5 categories of filters. They are designated by numbers from 0 to 4 (usually the number is indicated on the inner surface of the lens next to the CE mark). A filter marked “0” transmits from 80 to 100% of light, while a filter marked “4” transmits from 3 to 8%.

In the city, for example, for driving a car, the 1st or 2nd filter category is sufficient; for a trip to the sea or to the mountains - the 3rd or 4th.

Another important nuance: it is better to be without glasses at all than to wear dark glasses without proper UV protection. In bright sunshine, our pupils reflexively decrease in diameter, limiting the harmful effects of UV radiation on the lens and retina.

Fruits, vegetables and the vitamins they contain are necessary for the human body, but the benefits of some of them are clearly overestimated: for example, there is a myth that blueberries and carrots have a beneficial effect on vision. Blueberries actually contain vitamins and microelements. But this does not mean that its appearance in your diet will protect you from eye problems.

There is not a single study that could confirm the benefits of this berry for human vision. The situation is approximately the same with carrots.

In general, eye diseases are rarely associated with a lack of vitamins, and a normal diet completely satisfies the eyes’ needs for vitamins.

Therefore, it is much more effective to consult an ophthalmologist if you have problems with your eyes, rather than load up on vegetables, fruits and berries, hoping for a magical healing.

It is a myth. Laser correction is a fairly safe procedure; the risks involved are minimal.

Before the operation, a thorough examination is carried out: the parameters of the eye are analyzed (diopters, thickness and topography of the cornea, the condition of the retina and optic nerve, and so on), and exclude inflammatory diseases and pathology of the cornea, which may adversely affect the result of the correction.

To correctly calculate the parameters of laser treatment, it is necessary to make sure that myopia does not progress, and that the minus that we measure during the preoperative examination is true and will not change after several days or months.

And here we smoothly approach pregnancy and childbirth. The fact is that against the background of hormonal changes in a pregnant and lactating woman, the cornea may swell slightly, which will lead to an increase in the minus. This phenomenon is temporary and goes away after childbirth or completion of lactation.

This is why no one will give you laser correction during pregnancy, since it is easy to make a mistake with the calculations and get overcorrection. At any other time, if your myopia is stable and there are no other contraindications, you can safely decide to undergo surgery.

Not having a child or planning to have one should not be an obstacle to good vision.

It's just the opposite. If vision is imperfect and the image cannot be focused on the retina, we see the world around us unclearly. This happens with myopia, farsightedness and astigmatism.

I don’t recognize my exes: how people with poor eyesight live

The World Health Organization notes that in Russia in recent years the number of people with visual impairment has been growing. The reason that many people's eyesight deteriorates is their passion for gadgets. Not everyone is ready to undergo expensive operations and make do with glasses or contact lenses. At the same time, due to poor vision, absurd situations often arise. A RIAMO columnist found out how people with poor vision live and how they solve this problem.

Valentina, 40 years old, editor:

giphy.ru

“I've been wearing glasses since school. When writing a prescription for glasses, ophthalmologists advise taking smaller diopters - supposedly this will keep your eyes in good shape. But I am constantly convinced that my vision is failing me.

For example, driving in a car past some place or sign that my companion pays attention to, I only have time to ask: “What? Where? When?"

Often it seems to me that a familiar person is walking towards me. I begin to smile from afar, and when I reach him, it turns out that he is not familiar to me at all - and he looks at me with bewilderment. In such cases, I simply throw up my hands, saying that I’ve made a mistake.”

How to get a free medical examination in Moscow parks>>

Tatyana, 32 years old, merchandiser:

pixabay.com

“My vision is minus 3.5 in both eyes. I work in creative. One morning, noticing a colleague, I greeted her at a distance of 5-6 meters and even asked how your sons were.

Just by the voice I realized that this was a completely different woman, also a short-haired blonde, but not my colleague.

Thank you that she was not at a loss and greeted her back, saying that she had daughters. I was terribly uncomfortable, but we laughed together.”

Andrzej, 35 years old, writer:

pixabay.com

“I have had poor eyesight since school. I can’t say that it ruins my life, but I remember one incident forever. In 11th grade, I was returning home with my new girlfriend, but I had not yet broken up with my ex.

The ex-girlfriend saw me from afar and walked in my direction, but I, naturally, did not notice her.

When I saw her nearby, it was already too late. She walked past, and then began calling me on my home phone in hysterics. If I had seen clearly, I could have pulled over in time so as not to injure my ex.”

Two carnations for a date and a bouquet for an ex’s wedding – florists talk about greedy and nervous clients>>

Vladimir, 56 years old, programmer:

giphy.ru

“I’ve been wearing glasses since 2011, but I only put them on when working at the computer.

If I forgot my glasses at home, then my working day became partly a day off.

The journey takes more than 1.5 hours, and there is no point in going home to get glasses. Having forgotten his glasses, he was engaged in technical support - answering questions by phone, advising colleagues on problems and errors. “In the end, I bought a second pair of glasses – for work.”

Polina, 32 years old, technologist:

gifer.com

“I have minus 3 vision, and it seems to me that the camera on the iPhone sees better than me. I wear contacts and glasses, but I go on dates without them. When I was a student, a young man picked me up.

I confidently left the house in a miniskirt and proudly got into someone else's car. The Georgian and the little girl, whom I brazenly sat next to, were in shock.

I apologized and quickly retreated. The guy who asked me out didn't show it. In the end, our relationship didn’t work out, but I think it’s not just my poor eyesight. After this story, I began to focus not on the make of the fan’s car, but on the license plate number, and I still do this so as not to get into an incident.”

What to read for inspiration: 10 new books from famous Runet bloggers>>

Anna, architect, 26 years old:

pixabay.com

“I have been wearing contact lenses for 9 years. In fact, my vision deteriorated a little earlier, but I adapted: I recognized “my people” by their silhouettes. In addition to lenses, it’s best to have a pair of glasses, since you shouldn’t wear lenses when you’re sick or after work. But I bought my first glasses just a month ago. Don't do that! The cornea may be damaged. I'm just lucky that this hasn't happened yet.

Now without lenses I feel like a blind kitten, although the minus is not that big - 2.75.

I don’t see the taxi number, I don’t recognize my friends. One day I walked through a glass door. She walked in confidently, with a flying gait. It’s good that both the glass and the forehead turned out to be strong enough.

We are not particularly comfortable with glasses yet: as soon as we lower or raise our eyes beyond the lenses, the picture is no longer reliable. It seems that the step is right under your foot, but it turns out to be a little further. Not fatal, of course, but not very pleasant. A couple of times I miraculously avoided landing on my butt.”

Maria, 32 years old, editor:

pixabay.com

“I had perfect vision throughout my childhood and adolescence. I needed glasses at the university - because of the huge lists of references, I literally “counted” my eyes. Plus a lot of time on the computer - this also took its toll.

However, I rarely wore glasses when my eyes got tired and my head started to hurt. Now I wear them only when I work with texts on the computer, and I don’t need them to read books, including electronic ones. I’ve never thought about contact lenses - there’s no need, and the glasses look cool!

The incident happened when, at the age of 26, I went to driving school. At the medical examination, the doctor asked to read the letters on the table. I saw perfectly with both eyes, but when I was asked to close my left eye, I “hung”: the right one showed a blurry picture, even the giant W and B of the first line blurred. I told the doctor that I didn't see anything. But this was not so - I could see the letters tolerably well up to the middle of the table. The doctor consoled me and wrote in the certificate that I could drive without glasses.

I checked and found out that my left eye is farsighted, and my right eye is nearsighted. But the plus and minus are insignificant, so this “difference of eyes” does not cause me any particular problems.

The only inconvenience is that I have difficulty watching 3D films.

The picture simply doesn’t add up - instead of a three-dimensional image, I see flat figures with a slightly blurry outline. It looks funny, and can be “treated” by closing one eye - this way you can watch a movie, although not in 3D. However, I can perfectly see a three-dimensional picture in cinemas with IMAX 3D technology, when the effect is achieved due to the polarization of light.

Another humorous moment related to movie theaters. Since childhood, I have loved horror films and regularly go to the cinema to see all the maniacs and monsters on the big screen. I love jump scares! But sometimes passions in a film become so intense that it’s really unpleasant to watch. Then I close my far-sighted left eye and watch a horror movie with my near-sighted right eye - the picture blurs and becomes less frightening.”

What to see in cinema in June: “X-Men: Dark Phoenix”, “Rocketman” and 11 more films>>

Tatyana, 36 years old, editor:

giphy.ru

“I have a small minus, about minus 2. Perhaps my vision has worsened recently because I started putting on glasses at the computer and turning on the 16th font, which was not the case before. Of course, years of editorial work take their toll.

Classic - forget your glasses at the cinema or theater - the whole show is down the drain. But the most annoying thing is that you can’t see well into the distance on the street, especially in transport.

Many times it was funny when at a bus stop you asked the grandmother standing next to you, what bus is there?

When choosing glasses, I was repeatedly offered to try lenses, they even let me test them for free, but I refused - I absolutely don’t want to shove something in my eyes.”

Maria, 26 years old, journalist:

pixabay.com

“Not recognizing acquaintances is a classic.

But I’ve adapted this “superpower” for myself, and if I don’t want to greet someone, I simply pretend that I didn’t see it.

True, they stopped me a couple of times and, with the excuse “oh, my eyesight is bad, sorry,” they noticed that my glasses were still in place.

About 5-6 years ago, while getting ready for an interview in St. Petersburg, I forgot my glasses at home. I changed from the blue to the green line, got on the train, looked at my phone and drove off. I raise my head - and I’m in Rybatskoe. Well, I thought, I didn’t really want to.

And my favorite thing is the morning game “draw a straight arrow with one half-seeing eye open.” Extreme. But I don’t wear lenses because I’m too lazy to bother with them.”

How to pack a first aid kit on vacation>>

Elizaveta, 25 years old, editor:

gifer.com

“My vision is minus 1.5. This does not interfere with my life, but incidents do happen. One day my husband and I went for a walk around Moscow and walked to Prechistenskaya Embankment to admire the view.

Looking at the Big Stone Bridge, I ask: “What about the second bridge, for pedestrians?” My husband didn't understand what the second bridge was?

He says there is only one bridge. I answer, well, just like one, look more closely, another one is walking under the road bridge.

My husband insisted that there was no second bridge, but I dragged him forward to take a closer look and walk along the lower bridge. When I approached, I realized that there was no second bridge, it was a support, which, due to poor eyesight, seemed to me like a bridge.”

Anastasia, 31 years old, PR specialist:

Pixabay

“My vision deteriorated at school: I read in poor light, in public transport, lying in the bathroom. I never told my mother about this. My first glasses were secretly given to me by my best friend in 10th grade, and I hid them from my parents until my second year of university, when my vision dropped to -1. I still don’t recognize the lenses, because I’m used to the fact that you can take off your glasses in public transport and not see your fellow travelers. Of course, I have had incidents with poor eyesight. But the epic fail that I will remember for the rest of my life happened on my wedding day.

On this day, glasses did not fit into my image, and my vision was already -2. As a result, I only remember the blurred faces of the guests, I still don’t remember who was there, how they were dressed... I distinguished some only by their gait or a vague image. Surprisingly, I didn’t confuse my groom with anyone.”

Should I worry?

Vision minus 0.75 means that the person is slightly myopic. If such deviations cause discomfort, accompanied by headaches and rapid eye fatigue, you will need to select corrective means (glasses or lenses). Myopia, even minimal, should not be ignored. Especially if there are prerequisites for a further decline in eye acuity.

A vision diagnosis of minus 0.75 indicates that the patient requires minor correction and treatment. Although myopia, like any disease, can be treated only in the presence of other, aggravating symptoms.

A minor deviation from the norm can be easily eliminated with therapeutic exercises, which are suitable for children and adults. Therefore, there is no reason for worry or worry, the main thing is to follow the doctor’s recommendations.

How does a person with minus 6 vision see?

If a patient has developed myopia down to minus 6 diopters, he cannot see objects at a distance of 20-30 cm. Such a person cannot pass a visual test using diagnostic tables, since he does not see the top line.

If a person does not wear glasses or contact lenses, he is lost in space, even in his own home. All objects look blurry and cloudy. The patient cannot recognize the faces of passers-by, the number on the bus, or price tags in stores. Therefore, the quality of his life without the use of optical aids is reduced.

Determination of visual acuity using the Sivtsev table

First of all, you need to make a test table. Download the file with Sivtsev’s table and print it on a laser printer. It is important to take into account the following requirements: • the paper must be white, matte, without shades of yellow; • when printing PDF files, Page Scaling must be turned off;

• paper size when printing = A4 (not Letter), orientation - Landscape. Glue three sheets together and attach the resulting table to the wall using tape or pins. Depending on whether you will be checking your vision standing or sitting, the height of the table is selected - the 10th line should be at eye level.

The table must be illuminated with one incandescent lamp or two fluorescent lamps, so that the illumination is 700 lux (40 W incandescent lamp). The light from the lamp(s) should be directed only towards the table.

The proposed Sivtsev table contains optotypes for determining visual acuity in the range of 0.1 - 5.0 from a distance of 5 m, with the first 10 rows (with V = 0.1-1.0) differing in steps of 0.1, the next two rows (V=1.5-2.0) - at 0.5, and three additional rows (V=3.0-5.0) - at 1.0. The Sivtsev table, usually used in ophthalmology offices, contains only the first 12 rows.

The check must be carried out for each eye separately, i.e., cover the other eye with the palm of your hand or a piece of dense material, for example, cardboard, plastic (do not close your eyes!). Visual acuity is considered complete if in the rows with V=0.3-0.6 you made no more than one error when reading, and in the rows with V{amp}gt;

0.7 - no more than two. It takes 2-3 seconds to recognize the sign. The numerical value of your visual acuity is equal to the numerical value of the letter V in the last of the lines in which you did not make errors beyond the norm. If a subject sees more than 10 lines from 5 meters, contrary to popular misconception, this is not farsightedness. In this case, we are dealing with visual acuity above the average (what is sometimes called eagle vision).

If you get a visual acuity value of less than 1.0, then it is advisable to check your refraction (see the next section - measuring refraction). If the results of the test below reveal a deviation from the norm, it means that a possible reason for the decrease in VA is a refractive error.

We hope that it is now clearer why and how far from the standard the vision tests that are offered on the vast majority of sites are. And even the test we propose does not guarantee 100% compliance with the result obtained during a professional examination by an ophthalmologist. But for a home vision test, the result is quite accurate.

Do you need glasses?

This degree of myopia is considered mild and has virtually no effect on optical function. Therefore, the use of corrective agents with vision minus 0.75 is not recommended. Glasses or contacts can be worn when driving a car or performing other tasks that require maximum focus.

In most cases, patients with an ocular acuity of 0.75 do not experience discomfort in everyday life. Most often, they do not even realize that there are deviations. But the ability to clearly see a distant image in the absence of treatment decreases. Therefore, special attention must be paid to eye training.

How people with poor vision see

Having understood the theory, you can move on to more real-life examples of poor vision in order to understand what vision minus 1 means or how a person with vision minus 4 sees in practice. Perhaps everyone knows a table on which letters are arranged in ten rows, decreasing in size. A person with 100 percent vision sees each of them clearly.

The work of an ophthalmologist begins when a person cannot see at least one row. It is worth noting that the table gives only a general idea of ​​the degree of myopia. The doctor determines the exact minus and number of diopters by putting a frame of glasses with replaceable lenses on the patient. This simple technology makes it possible to make a diagnosis with an accuracy of tenths of a diopter.

However, it is difficult for a person with excellent vision to imagine the daily routine of someone who sees worse. Therefore, stepping back from banal examples, let’s look at some situations from the lives of myopic people.

Treatment methods

A deviation in visual acuity of -0.75 is not a catastrophe requiring a medical consultation. No serious therapeutic measures are provided to eliminate mild myopia. In the first stages, it is enough to perform simple gymnastic exercises that correct eye sharpness.

If a child has a genetic predisposition to myopia, parents need to pay special attention to the health of his eyes. Do not ignore preventive examinations with an ophthalmologist and take care of a nutritious diet rich in vitamins. It is important to maintain visual hygiene, which includes the following recommendations:

• Sufficient illumination while reading and working at the computer. The light should not fall directly on the eyes; the brightness level corresponds to daytime.
• Correct location. The distance from the PC monitor or book to the eyes is from thirty to sixty centimeters. The gaze is directed directly at the screen, a comfortable chair.
• The mucous membrane of the eyes should always be moisturized. To do this, it is important to blink periodically; when working at the computer for a long time, you need to use special drops.
• Provide your visual apparatus with protection from ultraviolet rays. Wear shaded glasses on bright sunny days.
• It is not recommended to read in a moving vehicle, since the visual apparatus often has to change focus. This leads to overstrain of the eye muscles.

Preventive measures

To prevent the formation of myopia and not subsequently wonder how to restore minus 3 vision, you need to consider the following recommendations:

1. The lighting in the room should be normal. Both artificial and natural lighting can be used.
2. Limit the time you spend in front of your PC, TV, smartphone, tablet.
3. Eat food that contains enough vitamins and minerals that are needed for proper eye function.
4. Take a multivitamin.
5. Get physical therapy annually.
6. Take frequent walks outside where you don't have to focus your eyes on nearby objects. In this case, the brain and eyeballs will receive enough oxygen.
7. Treat systemic pathologies in a timely manner.
8. Have an annual medical examination with an ophthalmologist, especially if you suffer from a chronic eye disease.
9. Remember hygiene standards to prevent infection from entering the apples of the eyes.

If you are diagnosed with myopia with vision minus 3 diopters, you need to visit an ophthalmologist. He will determine what percentage it is, determine the cause of the pathology, and select the optimal therapy. If myopia develops, the doctor will prescribe additional treatment and surgery. To prevent complications, you must follow the preventive rules that your ophthalmologist tells you.

Prevention

Maintaining eye hygiene and reducing optical loads during the day will help prevent a decrease in visual acuity. Try to minimize the time you spend watching TV and computer monitors.

Make sure there is sufficient lighting in the room, but it should not irritate the eyes. At the end of the working day, perform simple gymnastics for the organ of vision. Exercises relax the oculomotor muscles and restore their tone.

Special attention should be paid to nutrition, adding foods rich in vitamin A to the diet. It ensures normal focusing of the visual apparatus. For schoolchildren, it is necessary to adhere to a gentle regime. When completing written assignments or working at a computer, you need to take a break of about ten minutes every hour. This will relieve eye fatigue.

Seven myths and facts about vision

Author:

therapist Ukrainian Andrey

2 minutes

1074

Every second Thursday in October, World Sight Day is celebrated to raise awareness about vision and vision loss. We invite you to familiarize yourself with seven common myths about vision.

Myth 1. People become addicted to glasses and contacts once they start using them.

This is not entirely true. If you are nearsighted or farsighted but want to see clearly, you are already somewhat dependent on vision correction devices. But regularly wearing glasses or contacts will not increase this “dependence.”

Myth 2: Reading small print impairs your vision. Especially if the eyes are “weak”

This is a very strong myth. However, the eyes do not “wear out” from reading, in any case, there is no convincing evidence of this. Prolonged concentration may tire your eyes, but it will not cause long-term harm. Fatigue is also an unpleasant phenomenon; it can be combated by periodic breaks and eye exercises.

Myth 3: Your vision will be impaired if you sit close to the TV or hold a book close to your eyes.

Oddly enough, there is also no scientific evidence to support this popular belief. Children often try to sit closer to the screen; over time, this habit may subside. There is one caveat. Pre-existing myopia may push a child to sit closer to the screen. That is, such a habit can help its early detection.

Myth 4. Computers can damage human vision.

The computer, according to today's data, cannot harm vision. Sitting at a computer, we blink less often, which can affect the sensations in the eyes and their appearance: vision may temporarily become blurry, and the eyes may dry out and turn red. Ideally, it would be good to take a break from the computer every 20 minutes. Artificial tears can be used to combat dry eyes.

Myth 5: Wearing the wrong glasses will damage your eyesight.

Glasses that were not designed specifically for you or that no longer fit you after a long time can cause serious discomfort. But they are not capable of damaging vision or making it worse. The worst thing that can happen in this case is a headache, blurred vision and some other unpleasant sensations. Some time after removing the glasses, they should go away without leaving a trace and without affecting your vision.

But ophthalmologists remind that children should always wear well-fitted glasses to prevent amblyopia (a condition where one eye is weaker than the other).

Myth 6. For good vision you need to eat a lot of carrots.

This is a half-myth or a good myth. Of course, this root vegetable contains a decent amount of vitamin A, which is really good for your eyesight. But, on the one hand, this substance (or rather, a group of substances) can be obtained from many other products. On the other hand, normal vision does not require such a large amount of vitamin A: a balanced diet usually contains it. And, of course, the dependence “the more I eat a vitamin, the better I will see” does not exist.

Myth 7. There is nothing we can do to prevent vision loss.

More than 90 per cent of eye injuries can be prevented relatively inexpensively, says the charity Prevent Blindness. In a new report on vision, the WHO says that 2.2 billion people worldwide now have vision impairment, including blindness. In 1 billion cases, visual impairment was or still is preventable.

Compiled using data from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Prevent Blindness, the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.