Tips on not going short-sighted

[Tomás Ó hÉilidhe-2]

Over the last 3 years I'm steadily getting short-sighted, most likely
from all the time I spend looking at a monitor.

Any tips on how to reverse the process? I know I could look at far-away
stuff for a few hours a day but I'm looking for a more convenient solution.

I wonder is there any sort of optical illusion device that I could put
beside my monitor, a device that would make my eyes focus far into the
distance? I could glance at it every minute or so.

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[Xiaofan Chen]

On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 10:27 PM, Tomás Ó hÉilidhe <toe@...> wrote:

>
> Over the last 3 years I'm steadily getting short-sighted, most likely
> from all the time I spend looking at a monitor.
>
> Any tips on how to reverse the process? I know I could look at far-away
> stuff for a few hours a day but I'm looking for a more convenient solution.
>
> I wonder is there any sort of optical illusion device that I could put
> beside my monitor, a device that would make my eyes focus far into the
> distance? I could glance at it every minute or so.
>

How old are you? The process is basically not reversible after
certain age. If you are young enough, get away from the monitor
for sometime may help.

There are some vendors selling things and claiming that they
may help your eyesight, as far as I know 100% of them is
useless.

Of course some operation like LASIK (laser eye surgery) will
help. But it is not recommended if your eyesight is still not too bad.
There are risks involved and long term effect of the operation
is not fully understood.


Xiaofan

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[enkitec]

On 2 Jul 2008 at 22:39, Xiaofan Chen wrote:

> On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 10:27 PM, Tomás Ó hÉilidhe <toe@...> wrote:
> >
> > Over the last 3 years I'm steadily getting short-sighted, most likely
> > from all the time I spend looking at a monitor.
> >
> > Any tips on how to reverse the process? I know I could look at far-away
> > stuff for a few hours a day but I'm looking for a more convenient solution.
> >
> > I wonder is there any sort of optical illusion device that I could put
> > beside my monitor, a device that would make my eyes focus far into the
> > distance? I could glance at it every minute or so.
> >
>
> How old are you? The process is basically not reversible after
> certain age. If you are young enough, get away from the monitor
> for sometime may help.
>
> There are some vendors selling things and claiming that they
> may help your eyesight, as far as I know 100% of them is
> useless.
>
> Of course some operation like LASIK (laser eye surgery) will
> help. But it is not recommended if your eyesight is still not too bad.
> There are risks involved and long term effect of the operation
> is not fully understood.
>
>
> Xiaofan
>

        Take a look at this US patent 07011874:

        http://www.pat2pdf.org/patents/pat07011874.pdf

        Maybe it helps.

        Mark Jordan


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[Tomás Ó hÉilidhe-2]

Xiaofan Chen wrote:
> How old are you? The process is basically not reversible after
> certain age. If you are young enough, get away from the monitor
> for sometime may help.
>  

I'm 21. I've been staring at computer screens for a couple of hours a
day since I was 5, but I've only started to get short-sighted in the
last three years or so.

When I was 16, I had no problem reading subtitles watching the
television (sitting maybe 3 metres away), but now the subtitles are kind
of blury to me and I've to struggle to read them.

> Of course some operation like LASIK (laser eye surgery) will
> help. But it is not recommended if your eyesight is still not too bad.
> There are risks involved and long term effect of the operation
> is not fully understood.

I might be wise to go into an opticians and ask them what the craic is,
but the of course there's the side of me that's weary of being ripped off.

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[Jeff Findley-2]

"Tomás Ó hÉilidhe" <toe@...> wrote in message
news:486BA4D2.40806@......
> I'm 21. I've been staring at computer screens for a couple of hours a
> day since I was 5, but I've only started to get short-sighted in the
> last three years or so.
>
> When I was 16, I had no problem reading subtitles watching the
> television (sitting maybe 3 metres away), but now the subtitles are kind
> of blury to me and I've to struggle to read them.

>From what I understand, that's pretty normal.  I was a bit near-sighted in
high school, but it got much worse in college and the first 10 or so years
of working behind a computer screen.  The solution I used was to go to the
optometrist once a year and get a new prescription for my glasses when I
needed it.

Getting a cubicle with a window seems to have helped since I can re-focus on
something far away every so often.  But that typically doesn't happen where
I work until you've been promoted about three times.  ;-)

My eyes have stayed pretty much the same over the last 10 years, but now I'm
nearing 40 and can now tell that my books need to be further away than they
used to.  Pretty soon, the solution will be bi-focals.  :-P

Jeff
--
A clever person solves a problem.
A wise person avoids it. -- Einstein




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[Gökhan SEVER]

I am a short-sighthed person, too. My left eye is 1.0 and the right is 0.5
(I am not sure there is a universal agreement on this numbering scheme, and
I dont know why the left one is more disordered while they both look at a
same computer screen :) )

I get a slight headache if I spend too much time in front of my laptop.
Sometimes regularly using glasses prevent this but the pain come back again
when I keep spending countless hours doing a literature review.

Besides, my sight gets worse especially during nights, that is why I usually
study important stuff on day-time. As you noted Jeff, I do this
concentrating on far objects exercise quite often.


2008/7/2 Jeff Findley <jeff.findley@...>:

> >From what I understand, that's pretty normal.  I was a bit near-sighted in
> high school, but it got much worse in college and the first 10 or so years
> of working behind a computer screen.  The solution I used was to go to the
> optometrist once a year and get a new prescription for my glasses when I
> needed it.
>
> Getting a cubicle with a window seems to have helped since I can re-focus
> on
> something far away every so often.  But that typically doesn't happen where
> I work until you've been promoted about three times.  ;-)
>
> My eyes have stayed pretty much the same over the last 10 years, but now
> I'm
> nearing 40 and can now tell that my books need to be further away than they
> used to.  Pretty soon, the solution will be bi-focals.  :-P
>
> Jeff
> --
> A clever person solves a problem.
> A wise person avoids it. -- Einstein
>
>
>
>
> --
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>
>

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[James Nick Sears-2]

How about a bigger monitor (or monitors) farther away from your eyes?

-n.


On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 3:15 PM, Gökhan SEVER <gstr2005@...> wrote:

> I am a short-sighthed person, too. My left eye is 1.0 and the right is 0.5
> (I am not sure there is a universal agreement on this numbering scheme, and
> I dont know why the left one is more disordered while they both look at a
> same computer screen :) )
>
> I get a slight headache if I spend too much time in front of my laptop.
> Sometimes regularly using glasses prevent this but the pain come back again
> when I keep spending countless hours doing a literature review.
>
> Besides, my sight gets worse especially during nights, that is why I usually
> study important stuff on day-time. As you noted Jeff, I do this
> concentrating on far objects exercise quite often.
>
>
> 2008/7/2 Jeff Findley <jeff.findley@...>:
>
>> >From what I understand, that's pretty normal.  I was a bit near-sighted in
>> high school, but it got much worse in college and the first 10 or so years
>> of working behind a computer screen.  The solution I used was to go to the
>> optometrist once a year and get a new prescription for my glasses when I
>> needed it.
>>
>> Getting a cubicle with a window seems to have helped since I can re-focus
>> on
>> something far away every so often.  But that typically doesn't happen where
>> I work until you've been promoted about three times.  ;-)
>>
>> My eyes have stayed pretty much the same over the last 10 years, but now
>> I'm
>> nearing 40 and can now tell that my books need to be further away than they
>> used to.  Pretty soon, the solution will be bi-focals.  :-P
>>
>> Jeff
>> --
>> A clever person solves a problem.
>> A wise person avoids it. -- Einstein
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
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>> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>>
>>
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[Richard Prosser]

Tomas,

Go see an optician. It could be it's something other than monitor
watching that's causing the problem. In any event he will be able to
advise you of the situation.
 Ask around and try to find one that is recommended by friends or family.

RP

2008/7/3 Gökhan SEVER <gstr2005@...>:

> I am a short-sighthed person, too. My left eye is 1.0 and the right is 0.5
> (I am not sure there is a universal agreement on this numbering scheme, and
> I dont know why the left one is more disordered while they both look at a
> same computer screen :) )
>
> I get a slight headache if I spend too much time in front of my laptop.
> Sometimes regularly using glasses prevent this but the pain come back again
> when I keep spending countless hours doing a literature review.
>
> Besides, my sight gets worse especially during nights, that is why I usually
> study important stuff on day-time. As you noted Jeff, I do this
> concentrating on far objects exercise quite often.
>
>
> 2008/7/2 Jeff Findley <jeff.findley@...>:
>
>> >From what I understand, that's pretty normal.  I was a bit near-sighted in
>> high school, but it got much worse in college and the first 10 or so years
>> of working behind a computer screen.  The solution I used was to go to the
>> optometrist once a year and get a new prescription for my glasses when I
>> needed it.
>>
>> Getting a cubicle with a window seems to have helped since I can re-focus
>> on
>> something far away every so often.  But that typically doesn't happen where
>> I work until you've been promoted about three times.  ;-)
>>
>> My eyes have stayed pretty much the same over the last 10 years, but now
>> I'm
>> nearing 40 and can now tell that my books need to be further away than they
>> used to.  Pretty soon, the solution will be bi-focals.  :-P
>>
>> Jeff
>> --
>> A clever person solves a problem.
>> A wise person avoids it. -- Einstein
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
>> View/change your membership options at
>> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
>>
>>
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[bill.finkle]

        Hi
               
                With me it was Diabetes

        Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@... [mailto:piclist-bounces@...] On Behalf Of
Richard Prosser
Sent: 02 July 2008 21:03
To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
Subject: Re: [OT] Tips on not going short-sighted

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[Jinx-4]

> Go see an optician

Guess who I bumped into at the opticians

Everybody

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[Marcel Duchamp]

Yeah, I could see that coming...

I was out of work recently due to a vision problem.  I just couldn't see
going to work.

Jinx wrote:
>> Go see an optician
>
> Guess who I bumped into at the opticians
>
> Everybody
>

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[Xiaofan Chen]

On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 11:54 PM, Tomás Ó hÉilidhe <toe@...> wrote:
>> How old are you? The process is basically not reversible after
>> certain age. If you are young enough, get away from the monitor
>> for sometime may help.
>>
> I'm 21. I've been staring at computer screens for a couple of hours a
> day since I was 5, but I've only started to get short-sighted in the
> last three years or so.

In that case, your eyesight has almost no chance of recovery
based on my observation. My eyesight was still quite good
at 17 (1.5/1.2) when I entered University. But then it got
worse and I needed to wear glasses at 19. At 20, my
left eyesight got better but the right eyesight got worse.
I do not need wear a glass after that. After that it kind of keeps
that way.

An optician may help. But myopia is basically not curable.
It is a huge problem in Singapore which has one of the
highest percentage of myopia among students due to heavy
course load and TV/Computing/Gaming.

Xiaofan

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[Xiaofan Chen]

On Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 3:15 AM, Gökhan SEVER <gstr2005@...> wrote:
> I am a short-sighthed person, too. My left eye is 1.0 and the right is 0.5
> (I am not sure there is a universal agreement on this numbering scheme, and
> I dont know why the left one is more disordered while they both look at a
> same computer screen :) )

I have similar eyesight like you. It was 0.7/0.7 when I needed glasses,
later became 1.0/0.4 later after my glasses got broken and I got no money
to replace it at that time. ;-)

My left eye is the "main eye" or "dominant eye". So I have not used glasses
ever since that. The right eyesight became a bit worse now so sometimes
I just shut my left eye and use the right eye for a while.

I believe you do not really need a glass.

Xiaofan

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[Roger, in Bangkok]

Relax and enjoy life in the normal lane guys.  No need to look for excuses,
causes or anything else.  We all went through these same scenarios as kids
... even decades before the advent of computers and TV sets.  Then it would
be blamed on reading ... or too much whittling ... or doin' anything that
you aren't supposed to be doin':-)

Lasik surgery does work, and if you have it done at age 20 you will become
exceedingly far-sighted at middle age or so.

Oh yeah, we were also just as impatient, dissatisfied and complaining back
then as today's youngsters are ... "there's nothing new under the sun" ...
really.

Regards/Roger, in Bangkok

On 7/3/08, Xiaofan Chen <xiaofanc@...> wrote:

>
> On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 11:54 PM, Tomás Ó hÉilidhe <toe@...> wrote:
> >> How old are you? The process is basically not reversible after
> >> certain age. If you are young enough, get away from the monitor
> >> for sometime may help.
> >>
> > I'm 21. I've been staring at computer screens for a couple of hours a
> > day since I was 5, but I've only started to get short-sighted in the
> > last three years or so.
>
>
> In that case, your eyesight has almost no chance of recovery
> based on my observation. My eyesight was still quite good
> at 17 (1.5/1.2) when I entered University. But then it got
> worse and I needed to wear glasses at 19. At 20, my
> left eyesight got better but the right eyesight got worse.
> I do not need wear a glass after that. After that it kind of keeps
> that way.
>
> An optician may help. But myopia is basically not curable.
> It is a huge problem in Singapore which has one of the
> highest percentage of myopia among students due to heavy
> course load and TV/Computing/Gaming.
>
>
> Xiaofan
>
>
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[Moses McKnight]

One thing you might look up is the Bates Method.  It's basically
exercises to help your eyes.  I've known several people who have used
this and it definitely improved their vision.


On Wed, 2008-07-02 at 16:54 +0100, Tomás Ó hÉilidhe wrote:

>
> Xiaofan Chen wrote:
> > How old are you? The process is basically not reversible after
> > certain age. If you are young enough, get away from the monitor
> > for sometime may help.
> >  
>
> I'm 21. I've been staring at computer screens for a couple of hours a
> day since I was 5, but I've only started to get short-sighted in the
> last three years or so.
>
> When I was 16, I had no problem reading subtitles watching the
> television (sitting maybe 3 metres away), but now the subtitles are kind
> of blury to me and I've to struggle to read them.
>
> > Of course some operation like LASIK (laser eye surgery) will
> > help. But it is not recommended if your eyesight is still not too bad.
> > There are risks involved and long term effect of the operation
> > is not fully understood.
>
> I might be wise to go into an opticians and ask them what the craic is,
> but the of course there's the side of me that's weary of being ripped off.
>

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[Bruce-76]

One for the PC gurus I suspect, but is there a bus signal on a PC bus one
can intercept/control that will disable/enable video output to a monitor?

I have an existing device, using an LF initiator coil, that enables the AFE of a
PIC16F639 in an ID badge worn by the user. The LF data from the initiator sends
an 8-bit challenge code to the PIC16F639, wakes up the controller, which then
transmits via UHF (if the challenge code matches) to a receiver that makes or
breaks a video signal (hardware connection between video card & monitor) using
a small DIP relay.

This works fine, but I would prefer to build a card with the receiver that inserts
directly into a PC card slot VS the mechanical relay option.

Is this do-able?

Regards,

-Bruce


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[Justin Richards]

Sometime ago work was 100% computer based and I remember coming out of
the building and everything in the distance was very blury adn I
always had to ask my wife to read street signs.

My work then changed to mainly driving long distances in the country
and I found i was always focusing on objects in the distance.  After a
a couple of months I could read the signs better than my wife.

So for me it was reversible and I was about 33 at the time I am back
to computer based work for about 50% of the time and have noticed a
slow deteriation

No optician seems to want to entertain the possibility as it opens up
a huge can of worms for compensation etc.

There are also eye excercises that seem to help me and include rolling
my eyes to the extremes in all directions.  I have been told that the
same muscles that we use to move our eyes are also used for focusing.
Not 100% sure about this.

Justin
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[Jake Anderson-2]

Bruce wrote:

> One for the PC gurus I suspect, but is there a bus signal on a PC bus one
> can intercept/control that will disable/enable video output to a monitor?
>
> I have an existing device, using an LF initiator coil, that enables the AFE of a
> PIC16F639 in an ID badge worn by the user. The LF data from the initiator sends
> an 8-bit challenge code to the PIC16F639, wakes up the controller, which then
> transmits via UHF (if the challenge code matches) to a receiver that makes or
> breaks a video signal (hardware connection between video card & monitor) using
> a small DIP relay.
>
> This works fine, but I would prefer to build a card with the receiver that inserts
> directly into a PC card slot VS the mechanical relay option.
>
> Is this do-able?
>
> Regards,
>
> -Bruce
>
>
>  

Not easily (read, practically impossible).
Best bet is probably to make a little serial/usb module then use a tiny
program on the PC itself to just trigger the screen saver or something
similar.
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