July 23, 2012
You are wrong on this, Dr. Richard G. Shugarman
I chanced upon this post at EyeSmart.
The question was:
My teenager is experiencing eye pain when watching TV, using the computer monitor, and playing video games. When he is not doing these activities his eye is not in pain. What could be wrong?
The answer Richard G. Shugarman, MD gave was
Answer:
Your teenager is spending too much time at these activities. It would be helpful to have him blink his eyes during these activities and focus at a distance for 20 seconds for every 20 minutes of activity. Your child may have dry eyes, convergence insufficiency, or another condition, but these are not harmful or fatal. Send him out to play ball, swim, or hike or anything that does not require lots of near work, as this is the only time these things bother him. If you can't change your child's habits, see an Eye M.D. for treatment.
This is a WRONG answer.
The correct answer is that the teenager's eyeball muscles have gotten cramped and strained, and he requires significant eye exercises.
Big thumbs up to your post.
The Doctor's response – in content and meaning – is similar to what I have been advised from various optometrists and ophthalmologists (and in vision therapy). That's unfortunate.
I find it painful to "pop" my eyeballs out. Could this potentionally be damaging instead of helpful?
Only push within reason. I’m advising based on my own experience. Use common sense and caution. Don’t go overboard.
Thank you so much for this – I dont understand why doctors don't talk about this more often but it would have really helped me if they had discussed preventative measures!
I have pretty much the same problem, but I've been advised rest, exercise and 8 hours sleep by the eleventh ophthalmologist I met. Your hypothesis of the brain stem is very likely wrong, because my brother is a doctor and says it can't have an effect on the eyes. Yours and my case is just plain RSI. I've been told it'll take a long time for me to recover from a year's worth of RSI. No idea how far it's true. I've been unable to wear the correct power spectacles, and am managing with lower power spectacles now. Strain gets lesser with proper sleep, but it never completely goes away. In my humble opinion, you really shouldn't have published the names of all those doctors. No matter how much they couldn't help you. Even the ophthalmologists I went to, were unable to diagnose me.