Eyesight + Living In Confined Space

[barry1010]

If a person lives in a restricted space for any length of time, such as those confined to bed for months following a serious accident or illness, is the  eyesight affected?

I am thinking they won't have the opportunity to focus on far distance. 

[douglas9401]

Unless they look out of the window.

[barry1010]

If they did look out of the window they might only be able to see a few feet.  I'm referring to lack of distance vision.  I do know of people who have been flat on their backs in orthopaedic wards for many months, only being able to look straight up at the ceiling or the tv in their eye line.  

[Barsel]

I used to wonder how people in an iron lung due to polio could lie there in that same position and not be able to move for a very long time.

[douglas9401]

As someone once said, righto.  🙄

A tree on a hill, the moon, a passing plane. Please include terms and conditions in your original posts to avoid confusion.

Thank you.

[barry1010]

Me too, Barsel.  Must have a literal pain in the backside 

[bhg481]

I had my cataracts removed last year which involves the lens being replaced by a plastic one of fixed focal length. I chose the lens to be focussed on distance and now, without specs, I can comfortably drive the car and read both the instruments and the road ahead; I can also watch TV at a distance of about 2 metres. As far as the eye is concerned anything beyond a metre or so is infinity. Putting it the other way round the eye is normally focussed on distance and uses muscles to squash the lens to allow it to focus on closer objects.

[barry1010]

Thanks, bhg. I'm glad your op is a success, must make a big difference to your life.

I know cataract removal is a relatively straightforward op and I believe the results are permanent, your eyesight won't deteriorate.

Why don't people opt for that instead of laser treatment when they prefer not to wear glasses?

 

[bhg481]

Laser treatment serves a different purpose. If God(or your mum) supplies you with the wrong lens in your eye you are either long or short sighted and need to wear specs to correct. Laser treatment shaves bits off the lens to change its focal length so that you can see clearly without specs at all distances. The original lens remains in place and can still develop cataracts later in life. Cataract removal replaces the lens with the cataract with a clear plastic one and they take the chance to correct long/short sight and astigmatism whilst they are at it.

[davebro3]

I think you become more sensitive to light. My mum was confined indoors due to a stroke & needed to wear sunglasses whenever she went outside.

[barry1010]

I've got cataracts, at the moment they don't bother me and I hope it stays like that.  I have other eye conditions that means I can't have the usual cataract operation and would have to have a corneal transplant at the same time

[wrongtupelo]

After a serious accident I was lying in the same position on a hospital bed for several weeks, pretty much in the same position looking at the ceiling. When I was finally able to move to the outside world focusing was not a problem, however adjusting to colour was another matter. Flowers, trees, fields etc. in full colour took quite a while to adjust to. 

[barry1010]

That's interesting, thanks.  

[Peter Pedant]

oh is that Fuchs diesease ? ( not enough layers of the cornea?)

I think the idea of the eye getting tired and myopic with disuse is based in the idea in the fifties that children werent squinty and short sighted - -  they needed eye exercises ! ( lazy blighters, beat them!)

anyway, didnt work

No, Florence Nightingale who spent the  last twenty y of her life on a day bed ( o god her secretaries went scribble  scribble scribble) was short sighted for other reasons ( age) ( than looking at the wall)

[Scarlett]

I have been pretty much housebound for the last few years. I rarely get outside. My eyes have really gone downhill. I'm sure it's because they don't have to work as hard, because I'm only ever focusing on a phone.

[barry1010]

I'm sorry to hear that, Scarlett.