To the editor:
Many students become myopic (nearsighted) during their school years. Having to wear glasses the rest of your life is the least of it.
Any amount of myopia, because of the abnormal and irreversible stretching of the eye which occurs, sets the stage for serious eye diseases in later years, such as detached retina, macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataract.
In some highly-literate Far East countries, this has reached an epidemic with over 90 percent of college graduates becoming nearsighted.
The doctors will tell you that this is inherited, but research shows conclusively that it is caused by the unnatural amount of close focusing, such as on books and computer screens, that we must do our modern society.
The use of reading glasses, such as are for sale in any drugstore, is an easy way to prevent this. However, there is a conspiracy (yes, that's the correct word) to hide this information from the public. You owe it to yourselves, and any children you may have in the future, to learn the facts.
As students, you should be able to compare the various sides of this issue and determine which is correct. Just look at the evidence. The whole story is on www.myopia.org. E-mail us from the site if you have questions. We are working for you, not the optical industry.
-Donald Rehm
President
International Myopia
Prevention Assn.