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Hyperopia

Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine by Belinda Rowland

Definition

Hyperopia (farsightedness) is an eye condition in which incoming rays of light reach the retina before they converge into a focused image.

Description

When light passes through the lens and cornea of the eye, its velocity decreases. The surfaces of the lens and cornea are not perpendicular to the incoming light, so the direction of the light changes. The greater the curvature of the lens system, the greater the change in the direction of the light.

When parallel light rays pass through the lens system of the eye, they are bent so they converge at a point some distance behind the lens. With perfect vision, this point of convergence where the light rays are focused is on the retina. Hyperopia is the condition in which the point of focus of parallel light rays from an object is behind the retina. This condition exists when the eyeball depth is too short for the curvature of its lens system.

There is a connection between the focusing of the lens of the eye (accommodation) and convergence of the eyes (the two eyes turning in to look at a close object). A good example is during reading, when the lens accommodates to make the close-up material clear and the eyes turn in to look at the print and keep it from doubling. Because of this connection between accommodation and convergence, if the lens needs to accommodate and focus for distance (to bring the image back onto the retina), the eyes may appear to turn in.

Causes & symptoms

Babies are generally born slightly hyperopic, but this tends to decrease with age. There is normal variation in eyeball length and curvature of the lens and cornea, and some combinations of these variables give rise to eyes in which the cornea is too flat for the distance between the cornea and the retina. If the hyperopia is not too severe, the lens may be able to accommodate and bring the image back onto the retina. This results in clear distance vision, but the constant focusing could cause headaches or eyestrain. If the lens cannot accommodate for the full extent of the hyperopia, the distant image is blurry. If the eyes are focused for distance and the person is looking at a nearby object, the lens needs to accommodate further. This may result in blurry nearby objects or headaches during close work.

Symptoms depend on the degree of hyperopia. Some individuals may have no symptoms, while others have blurry near vision and clear distance vision, and those with the most severe cases have blurry near and distance vision. Headaches and eyestrain may also occur, particularly when doing close work. An eye turned in (esotropia) may be a result of hyperopia, particularly in children. A turned eye could also signal a more serious problem, so a physician should be consulted.

Diagnosis

Because it is possible to have good visual acuity with some degree of hyperopia it is important to relax accommodation before an eye exam. This is done with the use of eye drops and is called a cycloplegic exam, or cycloplegic refraction. The patient`s visual status can be determined with a hand-held instrument called a retinoscope and/or by having the patient read from an eye chart while placing different lenses in front of the patient`s eyes. The patient should be driven home after such an exam because the drops cause blurred vision.

Treatment

Herbals

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus ) increases the flow of blood through the vessels of the eye. Eye drops of eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis ) tea can relieve eyestrain and, taken orally with rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) in white wine, can improve vision. Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) improves visual clarity.

Homeopathy

Rue (Ruta graveolens) can be prescribed for eyestrain. A homeopathic practitioner should be consulted for a proper recommendation.

Supplements

Vitamins A and C, magnesium, zinc, and selenium can help strengthen the retina and improve vision. Flavonoids--present in bilberry and eyebright--improve visual clarity.

Deconditioning

Persons whose vision changes according to their emotional state may have vision problems because of negative conditioning. Exploration and deconditioning may improve their vision.

Ayurveda

Head massage and nasya (placing drops in the nose) using warm Jivantal taila oil (which contains Asparagus racemosus, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Leptadenia reticulata , Sida cordifolia, Sida retusa, and sesame oil ) may improve vision in persons who are hyperopic.

Chinese medicine

Performing qiqong eye exercises significantly reduced hyperopia in children. In another study, children with hyperopia were cured following treatment with plum-blossom needle tapping plus external application of Huoxue Zengshi Ye (Infusion for Promoting Blood Circulation and Improving Eyesight) and Huoxue Zengshi Dan (Pellets for Promoting Blood Circulation and Improving Eyesight).

Bates method

The Bates method involves the use of therapeutic eye exercises to help strengthen and train the eye muscles. Some patients have found the eye exercises to help, although the method has not been tested in a clinical setting.

Other

Other movement exercises or disciplines can be useful including massage, Feldenkrais movement therapy , yoga and t'ai chi. A practitioner should be consulted to determine what would be most helpful for particular individuals.

Allopathic treatment

The usual treatment for hyperopia is corrective lenses (spectacles or contact lenses). Special contact lenses (vision orthotics) that are worn overnight temporarily reshape the cornea for ideal vision on the following day.

Don`t go to the health gurus let them all come to your home

Evening Standard (London) , Nov 8, 2005 by CAROLINE PHILLIPS

HOMEOPATHY Orly Moyal, homeopath, nutritionist, herbalist for natural-supplements company Higher Nature, 0870 066 0236; Pounds 90 for two-hour appointment.

Orly, a medically trained South African dressed in black, takes my blood pressure, feels my glands and looks at my tongue, eyelids ("ooh anaemia") and nails for vitamin deficiencies. Perched together on a sofa in my sitting room, Orly then takes a detailed medical history, including about family details.

She asks questions concerning my dreams and the foods I prefer, getting into every aspect of my life. This takes two hours. My symptoms (from sinusitis to premenstrual stress) point to an imbalance in the endocrine system.

She prescribes homeopathic Chelidonium tincture (to balance my body after anti-malarial tablets) and four supplements from multivitamins to something called Mood (for adrenal support for chronic stress and fatigue). All are geared at rebuilding my endocrine system. That`s Pounds 97.60 a month on supplements! Ouch.

Verdict: Impressive. Very thorough and committed. Followed up the appointment with several emails explaining the treatment in detail, and offering extensive nutritional, life strategy and supplements guidelines. The supplements are expensive, but I feel well and realise this figure is the amount I spend on cappuccinos.

HYPNOTHERAPY Max Kirsten, clinical hypnotherapist (quitting smoking to phobias and depression), 020 7917 9878; Pounds 280 for a 90-minute session Max, who has a look of Elvis Presley and piercing eyes, arrives with a stainless-steel suitcase. He asks for a small table, takes it into the medical suite (my husband`s office), then places on it a small DJ`s mixing box from his suitcase.

The builders are banging away next door and I`m wearing my outdoor coat because I can`t work the heating.

Perhaps not ideal conditions for my Easy Weight Loss hypnotherapy session.

We talk then about my eating habits - my long-term recovery from an eating disorder, recent hormonally caused weight gain and passion for full-fat cheeses. Max explains that he`s going to help me eat less, exercise more and deal better with stress.

I put on his headphones to shut out distractions. He tells me to close my eyes, breathe deeply, relax and then he counts me down, while music he has composed plays in my ears.

"Imagine seeing yourself standing on a beach exactly the way you want to be imagine a time when you felt happy and confident now let the breath out." The music and voice fade then crescendo in unison. "Imagine yourself making healthy choices, enjoying exercise " Forty-five minutes later, he gets me to open my eyes. I feel relaxed.

Verdict: Even though he has top credentials, I don`t feel entirely relaxed having someone I don`t know in my house while I sit with my eyes closed, wearing headphones to shut out external noise.

His Neuro-Linguistic Programming (the science of how the brain codes learning and experience) and hypnotherapy abilities are very sound. I like the creative visualisations and the positive suggestions he makes. Since treatment I`ve noticed a healthy change in my daily eating habits and reduction in appetite.

ACUPUNCTURE Robert Ogilvie, 020 8969 5262; Pounds 175 (at Pounds 70 per hour, work and travel time) It`s an odd experience having a man I don`t know sitting in my home asking me about my menstrual flow and faeces, then probing my emotional makeup with gentle and expert persistence. I feel tearful.

Afterwards, Robert inserts ultrafine needles into me on his portable couch.

"It strengthens your metal element." (This relates to the lungs.) Robert, who featured in Tatler as one of Britain`s 150 best private doctors, ends the treatment soothingly with reflexology using essential oils and an Indian-headcum-Zero-Balancing face massage, which works on energy at a skeletal level. All pleasingly holistic.

A first appointment lasts two hours.

Robert treats everything - but his main interests are obstetrics, gynaecology, fertility, depression and insomnia. He uses Chinese herbal medicine, astrologically - and Five Element-based (emotionally focused) acupuncture. As I`ve lived in Hong

Kong, this seems natural to me. He says: "I like to tackle the spiritual distress that is the cause of disease."

Verdict: Very proficient with a great manner. It`s difficult having a medical therapist working on me at home, particularly with the children running around nearby. It`s hard to rate the results after one consultation: he`d prefer to see someone like me (not ill, but concerned about my health) for five sessions. But I trust him.

TEETH WHITENING Tim Bradstock-Smith at The Smile Clinic, home- whitening system for teeth, 020 7255 2559; Pounds 470 (including Pounds 45 consultation fee) Since teeth-whitening products from chemists don`t really work well - they contain less than 0.5 per cent bleach - I have a dental consultation with Tim. He sticks something like cold Play-Doh into my mouth to make a mould. From this he creates a plastic cast of my teeth.

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