Spectacles and myopia in Japan

JAPAN THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS explores the mysterious context to this film. It can be found at http://tinyurl.com/2pjyxu
The film was made by Windfall Films. Please see www.alanmacfarlane.com under 'Global History' for details and other films.

(for more and sources, see http://www.alanmacfarlane.com/glass/av.html)

All revenues donated to World Oral Literature Project

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• glass
• myopia
• Japan
• Alan
• Macfarlane

[lauragabriel]

Interesting theory, yet, I don't clearly understang what's the cause and what is the effect: is myopia the cause of detailed work, or is detailed work the cause of meyopia, or is it a feedback process?

[ayabaya]

Thanks. It is indeed inter-active. I think the first stage is the partial collapse of the eyes as a result of intensive study or close work of any kind (often in bad light). This makes people stare more closely, and this exacerbates the problem. See the chapter on 'Spectacles and Predicaments' in my 'The Glass Bathyscaphe' or my website under glass for further bits... Alan

[otissumnerbrown]

There is not evidence that Japanese are "special". In fact senior Eskimos who did no reading had a positive refractive state, and excellent distant vision, while their grand children who when through 12 years of very close work, become 88 percent myopic (negative state of the natural eye.) In fact, you do this to primates (keep them in cages) and you get this degree of a negative state for the natural eye. Wise up!

[otissumnerbrown]

It would be nice if they told these students that a negative status of the natural eye -- it totally self-induced! The scientific-primate data proves this to reasonable people. Why not teach them this? What is wrong with insisting that the child 1) Sit up. 2) Never get eyes closer that 16 inches? 3) When at 20/40 (about -1/2 D) begin wearing a plus lens for all close work. That has worked with pilots who have the motivation and education for it. Why not tell them scientific truth?

[otissumnerbrown]

In a way, "medical people" are not responsible. They almost always "react" to the public -- with an OBVIOUS minus lens -- AFTER the child induces 20/40 (-1 diopter) from doing this nose-on-page work. But this seems a very primitive method to deal with an obvious self-induced negative state for the natural eye -- don't you think?

[otissumnerbrown]

While you can not teach a child to 1) Keep his nose of the page, and 2) Wear a plus for all close work, you can teach or explain WHY it is necessary to do this. Pilots at -1 diopter and 20/40, have been able to use the plus with great consistency, and clear their Snellen to 20/20 (refractive status +1/2 diopter). This is why Francis Young's "plus" study proved. Tragically, the habits of these kids creates the problem.

[otissumnerbrown]

@lauragabriel If you study the natural primate eye -- it is very clear that the eye is "adaptive". In the "open" (wild) primates have a positive state (objectively measured). Place the primate in a cage for seven years, and their refractive state changes from +0.7 diopters to -1.6 to -5 diopters. Thus there is no "cause" as such, just the natural eye changing its refractive state from long-term near. The "plus" can be used for prevention at 20/40.

[avi10000]

Btw, I think that the caucasian interviewer, Alan McFarlan, at the end says something really dumb, ie he suggests it is because the Japanese are myopic (assertion)

then that's why they work in micro-electronics or detailed art.

ha ha ha

Earlier in the video it already said that until 1930s they didn't need specs in Japan.

The Japanese professor should have hit him over the head, IMO. (Maybe he did...)

[avi10000]

(cont. >>)

general emotional strain

PLUS close work (e.g., reading, computers)

So the tremendous competitiveness + energy + talent in Japanese people that in the past used to be channeled into other things, is now being channeled in academia, i.e, book reading and computers. So they are have become a very strained and pressured people and all that is now being channeled thru the eyes.

Just my 2 cents worth.

- avi