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Not quite true. The ciliary muscles and suspensory ligaments in your eye are largely responsible for ensuring the accommodation-convergence reflex (the process

Not quite true. The ciliary muscles and suspensory ligaments in your eye are largely responsible for ensuring the accommodation-convergence reflex (the process by which your eye focuses on objects at different distances) works properly. It's not a priori non-sensical to assume that actions (exercises, drugs, etc.) that affect the ciliary muscles could change the accommodative properties of the eye sufficiently to decrease the effects of myopia - in fact, that's a part of what happens when you get atropine drops during an eye exam. Note that this is not an endorsement of Bates' or any other method supposed to implement this in practice. I'm just noting that putting "muscles" and "myopia" in the same sentence isn't non-sensical.

tralarpa 8y ago
In most cases, myopia is caused by physical properties of the eye (wrong length, etc.). Relaxing the ciliary muscle actually increases the focal distance, so I don't see how muscle-oriented exercises would help. > in fact, that's a part of what happens when you get atropine drops during an eye exam Even a fully paralyzed ciliary muscle cannot overcome a wrong geometry of your eye. Whether atropine has any real effect on myopia is controversly discussed.
- keldaris 8y ago
  I agree with everything you said except the last sentence. The (temporary) effect of atropine is well known and uncontroversial, anyone with severe myopia will tell you the same thing - after it takes effect, you'll be able to easily read the Snellen chart with a weaker prescription than you needed before, in my case by about 1D (the extent varies substantially obviously). As for the rest, like I said - I don't endorse any of the proposed exercise regimens or see much support for them. I was simply pointing out that muscles do affect eyesight and briefly explained how.
  - tralarpa 8y ago
    > anyone with severe myopia will tell you the same thing I doubt that. Yes, small children tend to have high ciliary muscle tone, resulting in errors of 0.7D in average. That's well known and that's the reason for cycloplegic refraction. But what's the effect for adults? 0.2D on average?
    - keldaris 8y ago
      I've had high myopia since childhood and for me the effect hasn't diminished (comparing between my annual checkups). I don't know any reliable statistics for this, however, only anecdotal experiences and consultations with my various ophtalmologists over the years. Do note that I'm only talking about cases of high myopia (in the 6-12D range at least), I don't know if the effect is as perceptible to someone with better eyesight.
feanaro 8y ago
> in fact, that's a part of what happens when you get atropine drops during an eye exam. Atropine works by temporarily blocking the contraction of the muscle sphincter pupillae (which along with dilator pupillae is responsible for the contraction of the pupil). The cilliary muscle isn't involved. The rest of your comment stands, though.
- keldaris 8y ago
  It is my understanding that atropine (like scopolamine, cyclopentate, etc.) effectively paralyzes the ciliary muscles by blocking muscarinic receptors. This enables an ophtalmologist to measure the "true" refractive error of the eye. Atropine is also a mydriatic agent (dilates the pupils) and this lets you better see the retina, but that's a different effect than the one I was referring to.

tralarpa 8y ago

In most cases, myopia is caused by physical properties of the eye (wrong length, etc.). Relaxing the ciliary muscle actually increases the focal distance, so I don't see how muscle-oriented exercises would help. > in fact, that's a part of what happens when you get atropine drops during an eye exam Even a fully paralyzed ciliary muscle cannot overcome a wrong geometry of your eye. Whether atropine has any real effect on myopia is controversly discussed.

keldaris 8y ago
I agree with everything you said except the last sentence. The (temporary) effect of atropine is well known and uncontroversial, anyone with severe myopia will tell you the same thing - after it takes effect, you'll be able to easily read the Snellen chart with a weaker prescription than you needed before, in my case by about 1D (the extent varies substantially obviously). As for the rest, like I said - I don't endorse any of the proposed exercise regimens or see much support for them. I was simply pointing out that muscles do affect eyesight and briefly explained how.
- tralarpa 8y ago
  > anyone with severe myopia will tell you the same thing I doubt that. Yes, small children tend to have high ciliary muscle tone, resulting in errors of 0.7D in average. That's well known and that's the reason for cycloplegic refraction. But what's the effect for adults? 0.2D on average?
  - keldaris 8y ago
    I've had high myopia since childhood and for me the effect hasn't diminished (comparing between my annual checkups). I don't know any reliable statistics for this, however, only anecdotal experiences and consultations with my various ophtalmologists over the years. Do note that I'm only talking about cases of high myopia (in the 6-12D range at least), I don't know if the effect is as perceptible to someone with better eyesight.

feanaro 8y ago

> in fact, that's a part of what happens when you get atropine drops during an eye exam. Atropine works by temporarily blocking the contraction of the muscle sphincter pupillae (which along with dilator pupillae is responsible for the contraction of the pupil). The cilliary muscle isn't involved. The rest of your comment stands, though.

keldaris 8y ago
It is my understanding that atropine (like scopolamine, cyclopentate, etc.) effectively paralyzes the ciliary muscles by blocking muscarinic receptors. This enables an ophtalmologist to measure the "true" refractive error of the eye. Atropine is also a mydriatic agent (dilates the pupils) and this lets you better see the retina, but that's a different effect than the one I was referring to.