I have been trying the "Power Vision System" for eye correction that involves ocular muscle stretching. I have had a weird effect that i have noticed over the last few days "I only started the exercises a week ago". I have noticed that when I'm going to bed that i get a sort of flickering lights in both eyes, its there for a second and then goes away, then maybe a few minutes later it comes back, each time only lasting about 6-10 seconds. Its not a bright flash, just like the color light brown and then dark again flickering at about a rate of 6-7 times a second. I have this effect in both of my eyes. I have also noted a kind of soreness/stiffness in my left eye sort of at the bottom of the eye and behind it. I don't have the same problem with my right eye. If its any help my current prescription is (-6) on both eyes.
Is your vision improving (even temporarily), or do your eyes feel more relaxed? If so I'd assume that what you are doing is helping. I'm wondering if it's a release of long-held tension: is it sore? Note it may be soreness that's always been there you're just becoming aware of, or soreness from the exercises by doing too much. Maybe try doing them less vigorously and see if it's any better. The flickering could just be your visual system re-calibrating, trying to settle into a different state, too.
Doing the exercises does seem to sharpen my focusing even if slight. I am getting the tenseness in my right eye now. Its kinda seems to shift about. It may have been long held tension, I have been focusing on my eyes a lot lately. I find on both eyes it seems to be like at the bottom of the eye that the stress/tension is. In my left eye its also when bad like a tickling all the way down under my neck sometimes. I had it so bad the first few nights using under corrections and stretching exercises that i had to take paracetamol to sleep, it feels really tight.
So you think these are safe things and nothing i should be really worried about?
Common sense would say: stop doing whatever you are doing to stress your visual system, and see if after a few day the strange lights stop. You'll know you're doing something probably not very healthy. If it continues, see an ophthalmologist to make sure nothing odd is going on. Things like the 'power vision system' are based on very shaky claims, and false premises. The notion that extraocular muscle is just like other skeletal muscles, and that they need strength and flexibility to overcome refractive errors is grossly exaggerated. If you study any physiology and histology of EOs, you'll find EO is fundamentally distinct from other skeletal muscle, corresponding to the dual demand for quick contractions/saccades, and for slow, sustained contraction activity. EO even lacks a stretch reflex. If you're looking for a physical fix, you're going to be disappointed, and may even put risky stress on the visual system.
I would be very careful.
Flickering lights can be harmless. But it can also be an indication for some stress in your retina.
The retina has no sensation of pain and if it is affected in a way that would cause pain (like in other parts of the body) it reacts by producing light symptoms instead.
Flickering lights occur for example in the case of posterior vitreous detachment:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posterior_vitreous_detachment">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posterior_ ... detachment</a><!-- m -->
(usualyl in advanced age, but myopic people can have it in younger age)
That means that the membrane of the vitreous body is very much connected with the retina (often in a highly myopic eye, which is a bit longer than normal) and it may tear when it it pulled with strength.
"the vitreous membrane may be abnormally adherent to the retina. If enough traction occurs the retina may tear at these points. If there are only small point tears, these can allow glial cells to enter the vitreous and proliferate to create a thin epiretinal membrane that distorts vision. In more severe cases, vitreous fluid may seep under the tear, separating the retina from the back of the eye, creating a retinal detachment. Trauma can be any form from a blunt force trauma to the face such as a boxer's punch or even in some cases has been known to be from extremely vigorous blowing of the nose.
When this occurs there is a characteristic pattern of symptoms:
Flashes of light (photopsia)...."
So, in any case, I would be careful with stretching exercises for a myopic eye. And if the symptoms persist after stopping the exercise better see an eye doctor.
My cousin had symptms of flickering lights (as a sign of posterior vitreous detachment) and she was not allowed to carry heavy weight nor to do sports during some time to avoid a retinal detachment.
I didn't want to say that unexplainable flickering of light is always dangerous and that it is necessarily a sign of posterior vitreous detachment.
But you should take is as a symptom equal to 'pain' in other parts of your body. It may be harmless, but it can also indicate a bad effect of some sort of an exaggerated manipulation. And the retina is not a muscle, so 'pain' in this area is never a good sign of 'strenghtening by exercise'.
Quote:why its happening in both eyes at the same time if what your saying is the case?
Do you stretch only the muscles of one eye at a time? Eye movements are usually done simoultaneously on both sides, even if you cover or close one eye.
I agree with Arthur and Nini that you should be careful. I didn't like the "Power Vision" title, envisioning huge weight-lifters throwing plates of iron around, NOT the approach you want for your sensitive eyes! When you mentioned "eye stretching" I was thinking of gentle eye circles, but even those can overdone. My end-gaining sister gave herself a black eye from forcing eye stretches years ago! (Happy ending -- she does not wear glasses at all now when the eye doctor said she was ready for bifocals!) Vision improvement is about awareness improvement much more than muscular "conditioning". Proceed cautiously with this method if you stay with it, and pay attention to how relaxed your eyes feel and how clear (or not) your vision is to tell whether it's helping.
It may be a sign of stress as others have pointed out. But the Power Vision System is based on the adaptation to induced demand (blur) and I am guessing that you are not only doing extraocular muscle stretching. So it can be from the other aspects of doing the method.
From a personal standpoint, I hope extraocular muscle stretching is not harmful. I am a moderator in a strabismus forum and one member has posted about having had some success using the PVS method to deal with his strabismus. He practiced doing fusion at the edge of peripheral vision which involves stretching the EO muscles at different angles and trying to fuse both the left and right eye images. This hopefully leads to better directional control of the eyes and achieve better fusion. I see it as a more natural approach than surgical cutting and repositioning of the eye muscles. I have tried stretching my eye muscles at times just to try it out (before I would even ask my strabismic daughter to try) and have not experienced any flickering lights. (I am not trying the other aspects of PVS...plus lens, inducement of blur, etc.)
The aching in one eye may be because it is working harder (straining) than the other eye to see clearly. Does one eye have better vision than the other?
I was waiting for the lower prescriptions to come in the post, and have only been doing the stretching. I find that the flashing lessens greatly after sleeping and comes back after computer use.
I really get sad sometimes. The eyes are so important and so hard to make better.
IndigoGhost Wrote:I really get sad sometimes. The eyes are so important and so hard to make better.
The hill I faced (-4.25D) was not as high as yours (-6D), so perhaps I may not understand your situation as well. But don't be discouraged. The process of improving vision itself is actually fun no matter what stage you are at. Being able to see lines that are 1.75mm apart at 20 feet (20/20 vision) doesn't have to be the goal. I think becoming less reliant on eyeglasses (in frequency of use and optical strength) is a fine pursuit and good for you, so relax and don't try so hard.
I have some news. I am not really sure what to think about it.
I went to an optometrist and he took pictures of the back of my eyes, and did an air puffing test and had a look manually at the back of my eyes. He said the pictures were normal the air puff test was within normal ranger and his manual check he said was normal as far as he could see. He did refer me to the hospital to make sure i was okay since i had been experiencing the flashes and some floaters. I went yesterday and they dilated my eyes and again used a puff test and manually looked at the back of my dilated eyes with a strong magnification. The Doctor that was looking at my eyes said they had no retinal detachment or tears but she said that i had PVD in both of my eyes, and that it was common for my level of myopia and should not worry me and it should correct itself. She said for me to come back again in 6-8 weeks, and that it can take up to 2 months for the flashing to stop as that's when the retina starts to ignore the signals.
I am confused though as its been about a week since the start of the flashing and now its almost completely gone, very very mild at night and not even noticeable if not focusing on it. The Doctor also said i had PVD in both of my eyes. I kinda wonder if she actually saw PVD or if she just assumed that was what i had due to the symptoms of myopia and the flashing and seeing my retina was fine. I am not sure if they can see PVD with the magnification or if its just a logical assumption.
Anyways, anyone else here have PVD? Or do you have any advice for me of how i should continue bates / and or how i should make my supposed PVD better/ Not progress?
Quote:My cousin had symptms of flickering lights (as a sign of posterior vitreous detachment) and she was not allowed to carry heavy weight nor to do sports during some time to avoid a retinal detachment.
You should be aware of the fact, that
Quote:the vitreous membrane may be abnormally adherent to the retina. If enough traction occurs the retina may tear at these points.
That means, until the vitreous membrane is completely detached, you should be careful nut to increase the tractation which already exists, that may be by carrying heavy weight or some sports (jogging or trampoline jumping for example is not advised, because of the shocks).
Did the doctor not give any advice?
I would avoid excessive eye stretching.
Every exercise relaxing the eyes like palming can't do any harm, on the contrary. So better do this kind of exercises until the doctor tells you, that the detatchment is complete, then there won't be any more danger.
I think, you can keep up eye chart practice, if you want.
