Difference between revisions of Active Focus

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'''Active focus''' is the principle that vision improves in the long term when eyes are given a small [[blur]] challenge that they successfully resolve. Active focus is a habit, not an exercise routine.
[[File:AF car visual aid.png|right|thumb|450x700px|Active Focus lets you break the limitations of the glasses you are wearing. Without AF, blur is static and does not change. With AF, blur becomes malleable and more like a spectrum which you can shift up and down along as you like. You aim for maximum clarity and as little blur as possible.]]
'''Active Focus''' is an essential part of EndMyopia. It can be described as conscious relaxation of the [[ciliary muscle]]. It results in clearer vision, and provides [[stimulus]] to improve eyesight in the long-term. It's probably the largest stumbling block in beginning to improve your eyesight.


Resolvable blur is the stimulus that decreases the [[axial length]] of the eye, reversing [[myopia]]. Conversely, excessive sharpness is the stimulus that increases the axial length of the eye, leading to myopia. These axial length changes take place slowly, over years. It took years for [[myope]]s to become as nearsighted as they are today, so it takes years to completely reverse it. In order to achieve results, active focus must be a habit, something that myopes are always doing without thinking much about it.
Active Focus tends to elude newcomers who try to find it for the first time. You should expect to spend [[Explainer:There's a learning curve|quite some time]] to find it yourself. The experienced EndMyopian is likely to tell the newcomer with delight that it works, how it clears up their vision and the long term [[gains]] they have made. The newcomer will listen on, maybe intrigued, but still will doubt the existence of it completely, until they experience it for themselves. In that sense, finding Active Focus is a little like taking the [[Wikipedia:Red_pill_and_blue_pill|red pill]].
==How it works==
Active Focus resolves a small amount of [[myopic defocus]]. Doing Active Focus provides the necessary stimulus to reverse the effects of [[myopia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://endmyopia.org/faq-items/what-is-active-focus |title=What is Active Focus |last=Steiner |first=Jake |website=Endmyopia |access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Vasudevan |first1=Balamurali |last2=Ciuffreda |first2=Kenneth |date=2009 |title=Accommodative Training to Reduce Nearwork-Induced Transient Myopia |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19786929 |journal=Optometry and Vision Science |volume=86 |issue=11 |pages=1287-1294 |doi=10.1097/OPX.0b013e3181bb44cf |access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref> It is also important in managing eyestrain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://endmyopia.org/active-focus-links/ |title=Active Focus: The Link List (+ Video Explainer) |last=Steiner |first=Jake |website=Endmyopia |access-date=11 June 2020}}</ref>


Active focus is a balancing act. Too much blur, and the eyes will not be able to resolve the blur challenge. When the challenge is unresolved, there is no long-term vision improvement. If the object in focus is too sharp, then [[myopic]] eyes are not getting the necessary stimulus to improve. Wearing a [[full correction]] will result in a [[blur horizon]] of infinity, meaning that the eyes will never get the necessary blur, even if looking as far away as possible. It's best to rarely wear the full prescription, and instead wear [[differential]] and [[normalized]] lenses depending on the situation.
Active Focus attempts to push the distant vision of the eyes slightly further. However, as [[accommodation]] is an involuntary process, achieving Active Focus is not straight forward. While it is easy to move the skeletal muscles of your body, it is not possible to control the [[ciliary muscle]]s in the same way. However, by careful manipulation of the [[blur horizon]], it is possible to encourage the eyes to push slightly harder to achieve focus. This extra push is what Active Focus is about.


Practitioners of active focus may experience fast progress at first, and then slow progress. Eye care professionals may over-prescribe the corrective power of lenses, so dropping the over-prescribed diopters may feel like instant "progress". Pseudomyopia can be treated quickly, so it may be another source of fast initial progress. Beyond over-prescription and pseudomyopia, the speed of the journey to 20/20 is estimated by Jake Steiner to be roughly 0.25 diopters every 3 months.
In order to do this successfully, it is important to introduce appropriate amount of [[blur]] challenge to the eyes. This can be accomplished by the use of [[normalized]] and [[differential]] glasses. As opposed to full correction glasses where everything is always sharp, normalized and differential glasses provide convenient access to a blur horizon. This blur horizon allows for the practice of Active Focus. Again, the blur challenge should not be so much that it is too difficult for the eyes and not so little that it is unnoticeable.
==Implementing Active Focus==


==Just how ''active'' is active focus?==
'''If you feel strained by doing active focus, you can and should take a break.'''
With active focus, the myopia sufferer must ''actively'' adjust '''the distance to objects''' and '''what glasses they are wearing''', to habitually create the optimal challenge. It's really that simple! The eyes take care of the rest. Focus is an ''automatic'' process that the eyes and the visual cortex do on their own.


==What am I doing wrong?==
Active focus is a [[distance vision]] activity.  Practicing active focus should not be viewed as an exercise activity. It should be incorporated to your daily lives so that it becomes habitual.<ref>{{cite web |last=Steiner |first=Jake |title=Minimum Daily Active Focus Time? (PRO TOPIC) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQXqHXtpDp4 |access-date=11 June 2020 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref> With proper use of normalized and differential glasses, opportunities to do active focus throughout your day are everywhere. By turning it into a habit, blur challenges are automatically cleared, thus eliminating the need to "put in effort" to improve. Taking frequent breaks from near visual work to do active focus is critical in preventing ciliary spasm and the worsening of myopia. With consistent practice of active focus, it is estimated that myopia will reverse at a rate of 0.25 diopters every 3 months.
'''My vision doesn't clear up when I look at blurry objects!'''


The blur challenge is too strong. Look at objects that are closer to you, or wear stronger eyeglasses. The blur challenge should be easy to overcome. You will know that your eyes have overcome the blur challenge when an object that at first appears blurry becomes sharp.
<youtube>7BvHDvrk0dQ</youtube>


'''The thing I'm looking at clears up instantly. This is great!'''
==Active Focus in small words==


While it's great that you are seeing that object clearly, the blur challenge is too weak. Look at objects that are farther away, or wear weaker eyeglasses.
* Look at something that is [https://wiki.endmyopia.org/wiki/Blur_horizon only a little blurry].  Make it not blurry.
* Active Focus = Paying attention, that's all. Active Focus =/= Change from Blur to clarity. The latter is a possible but likely outcome of the former.


'''My vision is only clear after I blink!'''
==Arguments against active focus==


Extra forced blinking is not part of active focus. If you find that blinking helps, you may have [[dry eye syndrome]]. Blinking is depositing a fresh tear film on the surface of the eye, creating a perfectly smooth, polished surface that improves vision. You should take steps to resolve your dry eye syndrome, so that your dry eyes do not continue to cause problems when practicing active focus.
* {{PAGENAME}} is known to cause [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/606146580051132448/1083960174991134842/image.png pigment dispersion syndrome]; as such, it might not necessarily be a safe method. Therefore, it is highly recommended to be skeptical and extremely thoroughy research all the possible methods to decide which one to use.


'''My vision is only clear in sunlight!'''
==See also==
* [[print pushing]]
* [[Guide:How to find Active Focus]]


Sunlight causes your pupils to constrict, creating a [[pinhole effect]] that temporarily improves vision. There is nothing bad about the sunlight-induced pinhole effect, and being in the sunlight is encouraged. In order to practice active focus indoors, wear a slightly stronger prescription.
* [[Community:A Million Ways to Find Active Focus|A Million Ways to Find Active Focus]]
* [https://endmyopia.org/active-focus-links Active Focus: The Link List (+ Video Explainer)]


'''I'm not improving!'''
==References==
 
This is a slow process. Keep at it! Make certain that you are getting the necessary blur challenge as often as possible.


==Articles from the blog==
[https://endmyopia.org/faq-items/what-is-active-focus/ What is Active Focus?]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Articles]]
[[Category:Articles]]

Latest revision as of 17:31, 11 April 2023

Active Focus lets you break the limitations of the glasses you are wearing. Without AF, blur is static and does not change. With AF, blur becomes malleable and more like a spectrum which you can shift up and down along as you like. You aim for maximum clarity and as little blur as possible.

Active Focus is an essential part of EndMyopia. It can be described as conscious relaxation of the ciliary muscle. It results in clearer vision, and provides stimulus to improve eyesight in the long-term. It's probably the largest stumbling block in beginning to improve your eyesight.

Active Focus tends to elude newcomers who try to find it for the first time. You should expect to spend quite some time to find it yourself. The experienced EndMyopian is likely to tell the newcomer with delight that it works, how it clears up their vision and the long term gains they have made. The newcomer will listen on, maybe intrigued, but still will doubt the existence of it completely, until they experience it for themselves. In that sense, finding Active Focus is a little like taking the red pill.

How it works

Active Focus resolves a small amount of myopic defocus. Doing Active Focus provides the necessary stimulus to reverse the effects of myopia.[1][2] It is also important in managing eyestrain.[3]

Active Focus attempts to push the distant vision of the eyes slightly further. However, as accommodation is an involuntary process, achieving Active Focus is not straight forward. While it is easy to move the skeletal muscles of your body, it is not possible to control the ciliary muscles in the same way. However, by careful manipulation of the blur horizon, it is possible to encourage the eyes to push slightly harder to achieve focus. This extra push is what Active Focus is about.

In order to do this successfully, it is important to introduce appropriate amount of blur challenge to the eyes. This can be accomplished by the use of normalized and differential glasses. As opposed to full correction glasses where everything is always sharp, normalized and differential glasses provide convenient access to a blur horizon. This blur horizon allows for the practice of Active Focus. Again, the blur challenge should not be so much that it is too difficult for the eyes and not so little that it is unnoticeable.

Implementing Active Focus

If you feel strained by doing active focus, you can and should take a break.

Active focus is a distance vision activity. Practicing active focus should not be viewed as an exercise activity. It should be incorporated to your daily lives so that it becomes habitual.[4] With proper use of normalized and differential glasses, opportunities to do active focus throughout your day are everywhere. By turning it into a habit, blur challenges are automatically cleared, thus eliminating the need to "put in effort" to improve. Taking frequent breaks from near visual work to do active focus is critical in preventing ciliary spasm and the worsening of myopia. With consistent practice of active focus, it is estimated that myopia will reverse at a rate of 0.25 diopters every 3 months.

Active Focus in small words

  • Look at something that is only a little blurry. Make it not blurry.
  • Active Focus = Paying attention, that's all. Active Focus =/= Change from Blur to clarity. The latter is a possible but likely outcome of the former.

Arguments against active focus

  • Active Focus is known to cause pigment dispersion syndrome; as such, it might not necessarily be a safe method. Therefore, it is highly recommended to be skeptical and extremely thoroughy research all the possible methods to decide which one to use.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Steiner, Jake. "What is Active Focus". Endmyopia. Retrieved 11 June 2020.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.
  2. ↑ Vasudevan, Balamurali; Ciuffreda, Kenneth (2009). "Accommodative Training to Reduce Nearwork-Induced Transient Myopia". Optometry and Vision Science. 86 (11): 1287–1294. doi:10.1097/OPX.0b013e3181bb44cf. Retrieved 11 June 2020.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.
  3. ↑ Steiner, Jake. "Active Focus: The Link List (+ Video Explainer)". Endmyopia. Retrieved 11 June 2020.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.
  4. ↑ Steiner, Jake. "Minimum Daily Active Focus Time? (PRO TOPIC)". YouTube. Retrieved 11 June 2020.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.
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