Eye sight got worse in last 3 months from - 1.25 to a 2.50. Any thoughts? My doc doesnt know why !!?

Question

My eye power last year this time was - 0.75, In January of 2008 it was -1.25 and now its -2.50. I didnt know till i started getting extreme headaches. The doc has no clue why coz I am only 28 years old and its very unusual. I got blood test done but I dont have diabetes. I do use a lot of computer and read most of the dat due to nature of my work. Can anyone help?? why its happening and what I can do to prevent it??? please help. I am very worried. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

OMG mines r the same as u, like same same same number, my number grew rapidly in the past year, and now im up to -2.5, i just got lenses like a week ago and they are really good, i dont have to wear stupid glasses anymore, my doc. told me it grew so fact b/c i never wore my glasses, u had to wear them constantly and i only wore then in the house, b/c i was too shy to wear them outside, now that i got contacts i can wear them anywhere anytime

Answer 2

Most likely it is a heredity thing and you will stop when your body stops. The problem with Myopia is that there is not any rhym nor reason to its progression in most cases. Usually this happens in the teen years, but it can happen in your 28's as well! I wish you well!

Answer 3

When you say doctor do you mean an optician or an optometrist?  If you are getting your eyes checked by an optician then get to an optometrist.  Either way, you should go to a second optometrist to see if there are any answers.  As one of the other responders said, I also went through a few years of massive changes in my eyesight and then it stabilized.  This can be very common.   However, it may be that you could alleviate some eye strain by getting glasses/contacts for use with a computer as that can have a big impact in ruining your eyesight--I speak from experience.  Good luck.

Answer 4

This sounds like a classic accommodative problem.  In order clearly see things up close your eyes have to adjust their focus, temporarily causing more + power.  Normally this would then relax when you look at distance.  Over extended periods of near-work, this system can become "locked up", known as accommodative excess/spasm.  If the system is maintaining an abnormal amount of + because of this spasm, then your prescription will show more and more minus.  This same system is activated if you are given excessive minus power in your Rx, which can make it even worse.  This constant excessive focusing by your visual system can cause symptoms such as headaches or "eyestrain."  

Your optometrist should do a cycloplegic or "wet" refraction.  Eyedrops are used to temporarily block the accommodative system (usually the same ones that are used to dilate the pupil), and then the refraction is repeated.  If it turns up a lower Rx than before, then you know that it was the accommodative system over-working and causing the change before.  There are things that can be done to get things more relaxed and back to normal if this really is the cause.

In the meantime, proper "near hygiene" is a good idea.  Follow the rule of 20's: Every 20 minutes take a short break from near-work and look at something far away (at least 20 feet) for 20 seconds.  This will help relax your focusing system.  You also want to pay attention to keeping your reading materials and computer at a comfortable distance (not too close!) and with good lighting to minimize eyestrain as well.

Answer 5

take a few days off the comp and catch up on some sleep perhaps :P (helps my vision)

Answer 6

My eyesight was still rapidly getting worse till i was about age 32, then it finally stopped and stabilized.

Your prescription numbers themselves aren't that bad at all. I wish mine were that good! LOL

Although i can understand why you're concerned about the fairly quick change, i wouldn't be too worried because i have been there at the same age.  My eye doctor said it wasn't that big of a deal, and it's possible that the previous prescription was a bit too "light" and maybe on your most recent visit, your eyes were a bit tired or teary or sore or irritated and it gave you s slightly "heavier" test result.  

Remember, eye exam results are not gospel. There can be slight errors made by the doctor or by you (when you read the letters) and the results can vary more than you think.

One time, i got a prescription that i know was probably wrong, because two years later, i went to a different doctor and he said my previous prescription was probably totally innacurate!