Editorial

The idea of using slight undercorrection and active focus to improve myopia is based on principles of vision training and neuroplasticity. These methods aim to retrain your eyes and brain to adjust their focus more effectively, potentially reducing the degree of myopia over time.

While this approach is not officially endorsed as a medical “cure” for myopia by mainstream ophthalmology, anecdotal evidence from practitioners of methods like Endmyopia suggests that conscious eye training can help reduce reliance on corrective lenses and even improve vision in some cases.

How Undercorrection and Active Focus Work

1. Slight Undercorrection

• Undercorrection means using glasses or contact lenses that are slightly weaker (less diopters) than your full prescription.
• This intentionally leaves a small amount of blur when looking at distant objects. The blur acts as a stimulus for your eyes to work harder to focus.
• The idea is to encourage your eyes to adapt and improve their focusing ability over time.

2. Active Focus

• Active focus is a conscious process where you train your eyes to clear up blurry vision by focusing on objects at the edge of clarity.
• This is done by:
  • Looking at a slightly blurred object or text (e.g., a sign or a book held farther away than usual).
  • Relaxing your eyes and attempting to “clear up” the blur without squinting.
  • Repeating this process regularly to stimulate the eye’s focusing mechanism.
• Active focus engages the ciliary muscles (which control the lens shape) and the brain’s neural processing of vision, training them to improve focus.

Steps to Use This Method

Step 1: Get a Slightly Undercorrected Prescription

• Visit an optometrist and ask for a prescription that is 0.25 to 0.50 diopters weaker than your full correction for distance vision.
• Example: If your prescription is -3.00 D, you might use -2.75 D for this practice.
• Alternatively, you can purchase lower diopter lenses online, but consult a professional to ensure safety.

Step 2: Practice Active Focus

• Set Up a Target: Use distant objects like a road sign, a clock, or printed text slightly beyond your clear focus range.
• Relax Your Eyes: Avoid squinting or straining. Let your eyes relax and try to “pull” the object into clarity.
• Blink and Reset: If the blur doesn’t clear, blink a few times and try again. Over time, your eyes will adapt to this challenge.
• Repeat Regularly: Dedicate 15–30 minutes daily to practicing active focus.

Step 3: Use Progressive Challenges

• Gradually increase the distance of the target or reduce your lens strength over months as your vision improves.
• For near work (e.g., reading or using screens), you can also use weaker lenses or none at all to reduce strain and encourage natural focus.

Scientific Basis and Limitations

How It Might Work:

• Stimulating the Eye’s Focusing System: The process encourages the ciliary muscles and lens to work harder, potentially improving their function over time.
• Reducing Eye Elongation: Active focus may reduce the tendency for the eyeball to elongate further, which is the root cause of myopia.
• Neuroplasticity: The brain can adapt to process visual information more effectively through repeated practice.

Limitations:

• This method has limited scientific validation. Most evidence is anecdotal or based on small-scale studies.
• Undercorrection may not work for everyone and can even cause strain or discomfort if done incorrectly.
• Severe myopia (e.g., beyond -6.00 D) may be less responsive to these techniques due to structural changes in the eye.

Precautions

1. Avoid Overcorrection: Overcorrecting your prescription (e.g., using stronger lenses than needed) can increase eye strain and worsen myopia.
2. Don’t Go Too Weak: Using lenses that are far too undercorrected can lead to eye strain, headaches, and difficulty with daily tasks.
3. Monitor Progress: Track changes in your vision over months using tools like a Snellen chart or diopter measurements.
4. Consult a Professional: Always involve an optometrist or ophthalmologist to ensure your eyes are healthy and to avoid potential complications.

Expected Outcomes

• Short-Term: You may notice slight improvements in focusing ability and reduced strain.
• Long-Term: With consistent practice, some individuals report a reduction of 0.50 to 1.00 diopters or more in their myopia over several months to years.

While this method is not guaranteed to “cure” myopia, it can be a valuable tool for those seeking non-invasive, natural ways to manage and improve their vision.