Bias2.txt

Dear Prevention-minded friends,

Subject:  What science says about the eye's behavior,
          and what ODs do for their own children.


1.  Majority-opinion ODs put their own kids in a strong minus --
      and no problem is solved.  Their own kids vision goes DOWN
      from that point onward.  The rate is -1/2 diopters/year.

2.  Second-opinion ODs, seeing their child's vision at 20/40,
      (about -3/4 diopters) insist that they begin wearing a +2.5
      diopter lens for all close work.	Their vision clears on the
      Snellen, and their refractive STATE moves positive.

3.  Pilots value their distant vision, and will put in the STRONG
      effort with a +2.5 diopter lens to clear their vision, and
      equally important will continue this process.

     I do not consider the goal of keeping my distant vision clear
for life, nor the science that supports is a "silly debate".

     This is an issue that you must decide for your self.

     Here is the discussion:

===========================================================

Otis> And I would suggest you re-examine your beliefs, that a -3
      diopter lens has no effect on the refractive STATE of all
      natural eyes -- on a scientific level.  Clearly, as a matter
      of pure science, the natural eye does change by -2 diopters
      in six months, when the experiment is conducted correctly.
      This suggests that great care (i.e., no over-prescription)
      should be considered, with the parent reviewing the relevant
      scientific facts.  The "un-intended" results of an
      over-prescribed minus lens will most probably be stair-case
      myopia -- which can not then be "reversed" by a plus lens.

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

DrG > Once again you have confused cause and effect.  People get
      eyeglasses because they are myopic, not vice-versa.

DrG > Now, let's put an end to this silly debate.

+++++++

     DrG is confused.  What I stated is that the natural eye's
refractive STATE FOLLOWS the applied minus.  There is no "cause".

     Keep the natural eye in the "open" and the refractive STATE
is positive and distant vision is clear.

     Place that SAME EYE, in a -3 diopter lens, or a long-term
NEAR environment, and the NATURAL EYE will simply change its
refractive STATE from plus-to-minus, and you will have blur at
distance.

     Thus the second-opinion OD gets is "right" for his own
children.

     But that is the true nature of a preventive second-opinion.

     Be wise about this.

     Otis