Nearsightedness also is known as myopia medically is a refractive disorder of the eyes that causes the distant objects to appear blurred or unclear. In nearsightedness, the light rays do not focus on the retina but fall in front of it and hence a blurred image is processed by the brain. It commonly affects children and its incidence is increasing with time and raising a serious health concern. High-grade myopia has become one of the leading causes of blindness or loss of vision.(1)
Can Nearsightedness Go Away On Its Own?
Nearsightedness may not go away on its own. A number of experiments have been done to limit the progress of nearsightedness with age and also prevent its complications. None of them, however, have been proven beneficial in all the patients. In some cases, the vision correction programs have helped with vision improvement and reversal of nearsightedness. But ophthalmologists and researchers have dismissed these programs as ineffective. Since it is a refractive error and it advances with age so it cannot be simply cured with exercises and home remedies. It requires medical intervention and use of corrective lenses and spectacles to improve the eyesight and in some cases limit the progress of the condition. Once the condition has been diagnosed the optician will prescribe spectacles and lenses to sharpen the vision and prevent co-morbidities from occurring.
Pathological nearsightedness is a serious condition that can lead to massive progression of the condition and due to this other disorders also affect the eye and ultimately leading to loss of vision. These disorders include cataract, retinal detachment, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Some people also prefer to undergo surgery to permanently limit the use of spectacles and lens and reduce the power of the lens. LASIK eye surgery is a commonly performed procedure for long term resolution. It is however not definitive and a certain degree of nearsightedness can return even after surgery. Orthokeratology is also widely being used to reshape the surface of the cornea but it is a temporary method and is not a cure for nearsightedness.(1)
What Are Its Natural Remedies?
Nearsightedness cannot be reversed or cured but natural remedies but it can help in prevention in early stages. A healthy diet and lifestyle also prevent complications from occurring that can lead to vision loss. Consuming a diet rich in vitamins and minerals has shown to improve eyesight. Vitamins A, D, and E are needed to maintain good eyesight. These can be abundantly found in foods and vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, apples, red peppers, fishes and green leafy vegetables. Other foods rich in vitamins and minerals are nuts, dried fruits, and red berries. They are also rich in anti-oxidants and free radicals that prevent eye damage and enhance vision. They prevent the formation of cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration.(2)
Some traditional Ayurvedic medications involving the use of triphala is also beneficial for the vision. Triphala includes the fruits beleric myrobalan, gooseberry, and chebulic myrobalan. A mixture of these fruits is known to enhance vision and help in preventing damage caused by UV rays on the eyes. Consuming coconut with almond and anise seed is also good for improving nearsightedness. Other than these foods exercises and massaging of the eyeballs have also shown to stimulate the capillaries supplying blood and nutrients to the eyes.(2)
Apart from these natural remedies, it is also important to visit a doctor for regular eye checkups to rule out other eye disorders that might hamper the quality of vision. Any alarming symptoms of eye pain, halos and aura should not be ignored as they might indicate underlying pathology. It is important to identify these diseases in the early stages so that the destruction of the eyeball can be prevented. The medicines and prescribed spectacles should be regularly used to prevent nearsightedness from progressing. Injury to the eye should be avoided and direct exposure of the eye to UV rays can be harmful to the cornea and must be prevented.
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