Michael: -3.25 To -0.50 Diopter Progress | Shortsighted Podcast Clips | Jake Steiner

Summary

In this podcast, the speaker discusses their journey with myopia, starting in January 2021, when they noticed a worsening in their vision after years of stable prescription. They explored methods like the Bates Method and began experimenting with under-correction, using two sets of glasses for close and distant work. The speaker shares their experience of adjusting to life without glasses, particularly outdoors, and emphasizes how staying actively engaged with vision improvement techniques like active focus has helped. The conversation highlights the excitement and progress that comes with reducing dependency on glasses.

Takeaways

• 👓 The speaker started with a prescription of 3.25 diopters for the right eye and 2.5 diopters for the left eye, along with a cylinder of minus one in January 2021.
• 📉 Over the past two years, the speaker has been undercorrecting their vision and estimates their current diopters to be around minus 1.25.
• 🙅‍♂️ The speaker prefers to be slightly undercorrected and can manage most daily activities without glasses, such as watching TV and reading subtitles.
• 👨‍💻 The speaker works in IT and spends a lot of time in front of the computer, which has made it challenging to go without glasses entirely.
• 🔍 The speaker started researching the Bates Method and stopped wearing glasses in January 2021, transitioning from minus 3 diopters to no glasses.
• 🧐 Over time, the speaker learned to use two sets of glasses—differentials for close-up work and normalized glasses for distance.
• 🎯 Despite initial difficulties with active focus, the speaker continued practicing and eventually began reducing their diopters.
• 👁️ The speaker has been wearing glasses since the age of 12 and finds it exciting to occasionally go without them, especially outdoors.
• 🌥️ In cloudy weather, the speaker tends to wear glasses, but in sunny conditions, they prefer going without them, even though vision is a bit blurry.
• 🌸 The speaker is looking forward to better weather in spring to further improve their vision without glasses through active focus.

Q & A

What were the initial eye prescriptions mentioned by the speaker?

The speaker initially had a prescription of minus 3.25 for the right eye and minus 2.5 for the left eye with a cylinder of minus 1.

How long had the speaker been using glasses before noticing a change in vision?

The speaker had been wearing the same glasses for about five years before noticing a change in vision in January 2021.

What prompted the speaker to stop wearing glasses in January 2021?

The speaker noticed that their vision had worsened despite having new glasses for only six months, which led them to research myopia and stop wearing glasses.

How did the speaker manage working without glasses after stopping their use?

The speaker found it difficult to work on the computer without glasses, as they have an IT job that involves being in front of a computer all day.

What approach did the speaker take to manage myopia after stopping glasses?

The speaker started using two sets of glasses: differentials for close-up work and normalized glasses for distance. They also began reducing diopters gradually.

What is the concept of 'active focus' mentioned in the script?

Active focus is a central concept in improving vision, which involves consciously trying to clear up blurry vision. The speaker found this challenging but essential.

How long has the speaker been wearing glasses overall?

The speaker has been wearing glasses since they were 12 years old.

How does the speaker feel about their current level of undercorrection?

The speaker is content with being slightly undercorrected, currently wearing glasses with a prescription of minus 0.5, and can function without them in certain conditions like sunny weather.

What is the speaker's current experience of going without glasses?

The speaker feels they are getting used to going without glasses in certain situations and is actively engaged in trying to improve their vision by focusing on clearing blurry images.

What is the speaker looking forward to in the future regarding their vision improvement?

The speaker is excited about improving their vision further as the weather improves, particularly during springtime, and is hopeful to see more clearly without glasses.