Above:  Mostly B.S.  

First, make sure you read and remember the criteria from #69.

If you are a low myope, and you are meeting all criteria outlined in #69, here is how you might consider proceeding:

For a case where you are at -2.25D or lower, and your astigmatism prescription is -0.75D or lower, take a week of Snellen readings, using your normalized prescription.  Which lines can you read?  Can you get past 20/20?  If at any of the readings you manage 20/20 or better, and you meet all the previously mentioned criteria (!), you may reduce your astigmatism prescription by -0.50 diopters.

If you have been improving consistently, and feel good about your ability to stay on top of breaks, you are getting outdoor time, you got to the 20/20 line about half of your readings, and you feel aggressive, you can even completely eliminate your astigmatism prescription.

Be aware, that being too aggressive will slow your progress.  So if your eyes are improving at a more relaxed pace, your lifestyle is busy, and you are feeling more confident in taking smaller steps, listen to your gut feelings.  Even a -0.25 diopter reduction can make sense, especially if your budget allows.  You might just reduce again in 60-120 days, which is a very safe, low eye strain, and productive way to work on astigmatism prescription reduction.

So we have the whole gamut of choices for this low myope example case.  If I know you through one-on-one, I can suggest how aggressive or conservative of an approach will suit you best.  Still, if you are honest with yourself, you will also reach the correct conclusion.

If you are higher myope, you didn’t meet the criteria from #69, or your astigmatism prescription is above -1D, look for coming installments for recommendations.

The main consideration is that we want to balance reducing prescription complexity (#68), with minimizing eye strain from prescription changes, and your individual physiology and lifestyle factors that drive your ability to improve your vision.  If you throw out the astigmatism prescription before you are ready, you will just get error in your image.  This accomplishes nothing, just as we discussed early on in the program, not wearing glasses at all offers no benefit.

Likewise, if you are still not towards the end of your current normalized prescription (ie. can barely make out 20/30 on the Snellen, on a good day), the astigmatism reduction will just introduce too much blur into your prescription.

Don’t think of this as a race – all reduction you still have available to you, is all just opportunity.  You are working up to where you are ready for it, at whatever pace suits you.  Consider the many years of life you get to enjoy improved vision for – whether it takes a month or two years, it is well worth the very little daily effort you are putting into your eyesight health.

I say this to caution the eager ones among you to jump the proverbial gun.  You want your daily vision sharpness average to be at a level where you enjoy your eyesight.  If things are constantly blurred, if you are always fighting pulling focus, you are missing out on the real benefit of the program – allow yourself to grow into your current normalized prescription, so that you are relaxed and ready for the next prescription change challenge, and have enjoyed the fruits of your labor, before jumping into the next reduction.

Let’s cover some higher myopia astigmatism examples in the next installments.

Also, a quick reminder, be sure to keep up with a cup or two of carrot juice, at least every other week.  Get some outdoor time.  Put a centimeter measurement or two in your log, sometimes.  Keep on grooming those habits.

Cheers,

-Jake

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