'Natural Vision Improvement' The other view

Press, 27 December 1985, Page 13

'Natural Vision Improvement ' The other view

“All of us would like to be able to throw away our spectacles if that were possible,” acknowledges Richard Clemett, associate professor of ophtalmology at Christchurch Hospital. This accounts for the appeal of books such as Janet Goodrich’s “Natural Vision Improvement" While some aspects of the book he finds excellent there are others which deeply concern him. “The book has an emotional rather than a scientific approach to eye disorders, and proposes a holistic approach to eye problems,” he says.

“Some of the suggestions are excellent. I believe we could all do more relaxation, more sitting in the sunshine. But where the book falls down is in extrapolating beyond that, and using a number of emotional terms to describe eye problems and methods of treating them. “We all need good diet, exercise, relaxation. But that doesn’t mean we can cure myopia by these techniques,” he maintains. The book goes far beyond eyesight, he says, with its, reference to yawning, get-’ ting fresh oxygen to the body, and changing pH levels to the systems. “It’s so hard to put a book like this into perspective because it’s peppered with scientific words which would give an unscientific person the feeling that it is scientifically valid. That’s sad.”

While not wanting to come into conflict with what he calls “pseudoscientists” over the issue. Professor Clemett feels it is important to point out the

dangers, and the reasons why some people can dispense with glasses. There is a real danger, he believes, in New Zealanders trying to condition themselves to being in bright sunlight while not wearing sunglasses.

“There is now clear scientifc evidence that chronic exposure to strong light has the potential to damage the retina of the eye, particu-

larly when it is diseased. This puts the elderly, and people with eye diseases, at risk.”

He says he is concerned that the naturalapproach to vision improvement, might lead a reader to delay seeking medical help when treatment is required for a serious condition.

He is also worried that suggesting people wean themselves from glasses by

getting progressively weaker lens prescriptions would involve patients in spending considerable amounts of money on what he regards as unneeded spectacles. He notes inconsistencies in the book, such as its advocacy of pinhole glasses. “A pinhole does exactly the same as a lens: it focuses light to act on the retina.” Some people can dispense with glasses, he admits. As the lens proteins change with age, sight may change.

During childhood people become less long sighted. Adults who are slightly short sighted may be able to do without reading glasses until they are 65, or never need them.

It is also quite common, he believes, for myopic patients to wear too strong glasses. People can also “acquire” myopia by what is known as “accommodative spasm.” Among the reasons Profeessor Clemett cites are fatigue, cramp, the effect of certain drugs, inflammation, alcohol, large doses of vitamin B, and certain diseases. The reversal of any of these conditions may explain changes in a person’s sight, he says. “People can also be taught to accept a blurred existence, and I think that quite often this is just what Janet Goodrich is doing.”

He believes there is no

scientific evidence that relaxation can change refractive error.

He takes issue with what he sees as the simplistic

approach of the book. “There are numerous causes of squints. It can be anything from long sightedness to the eyes set too far apart The majority of squints are cured not by.surgery but by giving spectacles for long sightedness. “Similarily cataracts are a very complicated disease, and there are many factors involved. For example,' recent research in India suggests dehydration from a period of diarrhoea is a major risk factor ‘To take just one factor like vitamin C and say that is the cause is such a simplistic approach.” The ability to read another line on an eye chart should not be taken too seriously, he feels. “You can quite easily get patients to read another line on the eye chart-perhaps by cajoling them, or bullying them, depending on the situation. There has got to be more than two lines difference in reading a vision chart before we can accept a significant change in sight.” He acknowledge that some individuals who are introspective, who prefer the holistic approach, might find some help from the book by virtue that it teaches them to relax. “That doesn’t mean it is scientifically valid.

“The author’s scientific proof is lacking, her studies are anecdotal. The book is well intentioned, but incorrect.”