Several methods of treating and correcting vision problems have been developed. Refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism can be treated effectively with eyeglasses, contact lenses and refractive surgeries.
Eyeglasses
Eyeglasses are the most widely used and the oldest method for vision correction. Corrective lenses are used to lighten the effects of refractive errors. Enhancing the vision of the wearer, corrective lens glasses also reduce the intensity and frequency of problems like headaches. Single vision lenses are used to correct only one distance. For example, if a person uses single vision eyeglasses for reading purposes he will not be able to use them to look at things from a distance.
Contact Lenses
A contact lens is a thin lens made of different materials depending on the usage and severity of one’s visual problems. When compared with eyeglasses, contact lenses or simply contacts have a number of advantages. With better peripheral vision and compatibility with other gear such as sunglasses and goggles, contacts are being preferred more widely.
Also worn for cosmetic purposes, the main purpose of cosmetic lenses is to change the appearance of the eye, but they also help reduce refractive errors. Durable with a long life, contact lenses can be worn for up to 7 days.
For people that suffer from certain color deficiencies, ChromaGen lenses are used. These lenses do not exactly perfect the color vision but individuals that have used these lenses say they are able to distinguish between them better now. Due to some problems at night and during darkness, extended use of ChromaGen lenses is discouraged.
Surgeries
Refractive surgeries such as Lasik are among the most popular options for a permanent treatment of refractive errors. They are painless and with most of them, the improvement in vision is almost immediate. A staggering 96% of patients have their desired results after Lasik eye surgery. With guaranteed precision and accuracy due to computer guidance, Lasik reduces or diminishes all dependency on contacts and eyeglasses. Refractive laser surgeries can also be redone to enhance vision further if the problem reappears with age.
The main function of laser vision correction surgeries is to reshape the cornea, the lucid front part of the eye. This allows the light travelling through it to focus onto the retina, located in the back of the eye.
Natural Vision Correction Methods
Conventional treatments like the Bates Method encourage people to opt for a more natural way of treating their vision problems. Primarily focusing on relaxation, Bates’ techniques include palming (rubbing hands together to make them warm and covering closed eyes with them), sitting in the sun with closed eyes, exercising your eyes and looking for particular colors.
Although doctors and researchers nowadays say the Bates Method has no scientifically proven results, some doctors believe he was partially right, though they too admit he went too far. Some eye doctors suggest exercising the eye to prevent conditions like nearsightedness and farsightedness. Eye specialists who discourage the use of eyeglasses and contacts also recommend looking at 3-D images to alleviate the effects of visual errors.