08-10-2007, 12:21 PM
Another forum member recently e-mailed me this question in regard to my post regarding my first clearing. I thought I would post my answer for others to read.
Question: ââ∠âWhen you talk about gradual improvement up until your sudden brief clearing, what is your currently average visual acuity?âââ¬ï¿½
The quick answer to this question is that I donâââ‰â¢t know my current average visual acuity. Until retirement--please donâââ‰â¢t groan, I know Iâââ‰â¢m old enough to be the grandmother of most of you but cut me some slack as weâââ‰â¢re all in this vision thing together--I spent my life in academic and work settings where counting and measuring was the approach of choice. In retirement, Iâââ‰â¢ve learned other ways of viewing the world. Most especially, Iâââ‰â¢ve learned to look internally for feedback and to not always rely on external authority.
So I observe my progress by the additional detail I see in the picture across the living room or by which signs I can read with my glasses off at the gas station. I love my Snellen for practicing better visual habits but testing myself to see what line I can now read only causes me to strain to meet the some external standard, my habitual way of approaching the world and part of how I got so myopic in the first place.
Now, with all that said, I also realize that when a person is just starting vision improvement and is quite myopic, there is a deep desire to have some sense of the journey.
So, here are some quick factsâââ‰â¬Â
I started out with -8.25/-8.0 glasses with astigmatism correction. I think my vision was somewhere around 20/400.
After about 5 months, my vision improved to 20/200, meaning I could make out which direction the 200 E pointed.
Shortly after I had my first clearing, I did measure my vision at 20 feet. Iâââ‰â¢m sorry I did. I was hoping I had reached 20/100 but I hadnâââ‰â¢t which was a downer. I may have reached 20/150 or so but that isnâââ‰â¢t on the chart.
I did check my vision with my 20/70 (-6.0/-6.0) lenses which my understanding optometrist prescribed several months ago for non-driving uses. My vision in them had improved to 20/50 by my measurement. That felt good.
When I practice better vision using the Snellen, I try not to use the lines for measurement but itâââ‰â¢s hard not to take note. When I have clearings now, Iâââ‰â¢m usually somewhere between 4 and 8 feet away and clear to somewhere between 20/30 and 20/15 depending upon the light and on how successful Iâââ‰â¢ve been.
I hope all of this helps somehow. A final thought, I didnâââ‰â¢t get the feeling that my first clearing was related to either how long I had been working to improve my vision or to my acuity at the time it happened. I think it was more related to some cranial-sacral therapy/muscle balancing work Iâââ‰â¢ve had done in combination with beginning to use the Snellen. Iâââ‰â¢ll write more on that another time.
Best wishes to all, especially the person who wrote me, as you progress on the exciting journey of recovering your vision.
Question: ââ∠âWhen you talk about gradual improvement up until your sudden brief clearing, what is your currently average visual acuity?âââ¬ï¿½
The quick answer to this question is that I donâââ‰â¢t know my current average visual acuity. Until retirement--please donâââ‰â¢t groan, I know Iâââ‰â¢m old enough to be the grandmother of most of you but cut me some slack as weâââ‰â¢re all in this vision thing together--I spent my life in academic and work settings where counting and measuring was the approach of choice. In retirement, Iâââ‰â¢ve learned other ways of viewing the world. Most especially, Iâââ‰â¢ve learned to look internally for feedback and to not always rely on external authority.
So I observe my progress by the additional detail I see in the picture across the living room or by which signs I can read with my glasses off at the gas station. I love my Snellen for practicing better visual habits but testing myself to see what line I can now read only causes me to strain to meet the some external standard, my habitual way of approaching the world and part of how I got so myopic in the first place.
Now, with all that said, I also realize that when a person is just starting vision improvement and is quite myopic, there is a deep desire to have some sense of the journey.
So, here are some quick factsâââ‰â¬Â
I started out with -8.25/-8.0 glasses with astigmatism correction. I think my vision was somewhere around 20/400.
After about 5 months, my vision improved to 20/200, meaning I could make out which direction the 200 E pointed.
Shortly after I had my first clearing, I did measure my vision at 20 feet. Iâââ‰â¢m sorry I did. I was hoping I had reached 20/100 but I hadnâââ‰â¢t which was a downer. I may have reached 20/150 or so but that isnâââ‰â¢t on the chart.
I did check my vision with my 20/70 (-6.0/-6.0) lenses which my understanding optometrist prescribed several months ago for non-driving uses. My vision in them had improved to 20/50 by my measurement. That felt good.
When I practice better vision using the Snellen, I try not to use the lines for measurement but itâââ‰â¢s hard not to take note. When I have clearings now, Iâââ‰â¢m usually somewhere between 4 and 8 feet away and clear to somewhere between 20/30 and 20/15 depending upon the light and on how successful Iâââ‰â¢ve been.
I hope all of this helps somehow. A final thought, I didnâââ‰â¢t get the feeling that my first clearing was related to either how long I had been working to improve my vision or to my acuity at the time it happened. I think it was more related to some cranial-sacral therapy/muscle balancing work Iâââ‰â¢ve had done in combination with beginning to use the Snellen. Iâââ‰â¢ll write more on that another time.
Best wishes to all, especially the person who wrote me, as you progress on the exciting journey of recovering your vision.