I will be scheduling it soon.
Treatments, desensitization, pills, exercises - solutions
Are we the problem? Is it really our eyes or brains that are "messing up"?
It could be we just have superior visual processing in one way or another.
Those of us sensitive to PWM - it could be we just process visual information faster than other people. Look at all those who don't notice the flicker of an incandescent bulb. Incandescent doesn't cause me pain but I can always tell it's not a steady light most people don't notice this and you have to go out of your way to show them and even then a lot of the time they'll be like "I don't see it". I assume this would be the same reason some of us think we're sensitive to dithering. Generally "normal" people will get the same symptoms as us if the PWM is too low for them albeit at a much lower frequency.
Same with if it's the frequency of light maybe we're just more sensitive to it. There are people who can see UV light, people who see a lot more colours, what if we're just seeing something most people aren't and LEDs are producing it in too high of a quantity for us to be comfortable?
What I'm saying is, we're all looking inside but what if it's not us that's the problem but every body else?
Of course we should be looking at ourselves and trying to figure out if there's something wrong with us that's a problem. However, it could be just our eyes/brain aren't wired right or high rates of flickering causes something akin to a seizure - In some ways it does make me think of epilepsy.
I think the easiest fix would be finding out the true outer cause (the problem with LEDs, the problem with drivers, PWM) to our problems so we can come up with a real work around. Most of us (or all) are not all that sure what our issues are actually caused by just that some things hurt and we do not know exactly why.
It could actually be a defect we have but could it not also just be that we're just better at visual processing in some way?
Soreeyes It could be we just have superior visual processing in one way or another.
I heard someone had issues with PWM start after being struck in the head. I don't know how a TBI is "superior" to someone without a TBI.
Soreeyes However, it could be just our eyes/brain aren't wired right or high rates of flickering causes something akin to a seizure
This does make me think of photosensitive epilepsy. It's very rare in contrast with the general population, and even people with epilepsy.
- Edited
I would say that's a different thing altogether, I mean in that case they literally know what caused their problems. That is an unfortunate situation though.
I don't think most of us have had a TBI. What I'm saying is, those of us who are like this by default which seems to be the majority of us we could possibly just be "better" at processing certain visuals so we see and are bothered by flicker etc where others do not even notice it.
Of course the opposite could be true as well and we're simply worse at processing something or even just "process differently" I guess.
What would be nice is for some studies where people (or even a single person) with issues like us on this site are hooked up to an EEG while using something that causes them symptoms. Has any one here had an electroencephalogram?
So the "close vision" 3 thumbs, I am a CHAMP at that one. But the "far vision" 3 thumbs? Hurts instantly and I can barely get a centimeter of separation before my eyes lose it.
So I'm certain I have a weakness there somewhere.
Interesting, no?
Gurm Really try to find an optometrist who can measure it. Ive read some studies and its way more complicated and individual than a youtube video could convey. You can also have vertical hidden heterophoria instead of horizontal, theres just too many variables you cannot check without proper examination.
martin I want to add, a while ago we discussed here the SCM muscle and stretching it and how in me it produces similar pain in the head. I noticed when I stretch it but dont move my eye muscles to their extreme side positition while doing it, the headache doesnt start. Seems like another pointer to the eye muscles only and it seems that the pieces are finally falling together.
Im writing this with my glasses on iphone 6s plus that was previously unusable. Images and video are fine, reading and writing more difficult, I feel muscle strain there but far from what used to be. The birghtness is about 5% so if pwm was present, it would show. Its been about two hrs looking into the phone now. When I lay it down, the discomfort will soon dissipate.
So there is a clear connection, in me. Id like for everyone to get tested by an optometrist, then we can have our own “research”
Martin, sorry if you've already said but are there special/different lenses for this? Or is it just exercises? I want to know the scope of what I'm asking the optometrist for.
- Edited
martin What do you attribute your successful use of the iPhone 6s to. The prismatic lenses or the exercises or both? Have you tried other devices? What devices did you use comfortable before the prismatic lenses/exercises?
When did you first suspect you had a convergence issue and who diagnoses you (an optometrist or opthamologist)? You originally said you had a divergence insufficiency?
Also came across these new type of lenses: http://visionsource-olmospark.com/neurolenses/
ryans Also came across these new type of lenses
I think that's similar to or the lens that @martin has.
I did some research and there are no doctors in Canada that know of the neurolenses it seems, but there are some doctors in Washington state who know about them. I don't know if they'd help me because I also have nystagmus, but what's the worst that can happen? It just doesn't work.
14 days later
martin Very interesting to hear your experiences, I can relate to almost all of it. It's almost like a mental handicap that people can't see and struggle to empathise with. Sounds like we're in the same boat with convergence/divergence issues, and I totally agree that modern screens are pushing people like us over an eye strain threshold and into migraine town. How are you managing at the moment having used prisms long term and done divergence exercises?
- Edited
Seanicus I will make a separate thread about it, where Ill explain everything so people can get back to it. The glasses help, the first day was very painful but then the muscles relaxed and now they help in about 50%, so its uncomfortable over longer time, but no migraine. Without them, back to day long migraine (tested in apple store).
I havent started the exercises yet, but Ive already been shown what theyre about and I must say, one thats supposed to make me able to use the eye muscles that are completely neglected is extremely difficult and gives me the same pain as the screens. Theyre composed of beads on a string, using various lenses in quick switching and focusing to make my accomodation more flexible, and using 3d glasses and connecting ever more difficult 3d images. Its gonna take about 4-6 months for me to be where my eyes should be.
I asked why I couldnt train that with the diplays themselves. Theyre too challenging and smaller steps and increments need to be taken, also a guidance on how exactly to operate your vision (contrary to what were all trying to do - focus as hard as we can on the screens that gives us issues, its actually about relaxing. But you have to know which muscles and have to learn to feel them).
The theory now is that problematic displays give less or almost none visual cues. So contrary to what people think - that they are better because of higher res and smoothness, it might be the exact opposite. Whether its the glare, polarization technique, dithering that messes with ability to fixate on one point, PWM or all together, eventually you have nothing to hold on to to fix your already tired vision.
I intuitively knew this would be the case or major part of it, and I was trying to consciously relax my eye muscles when looking at the displays. But its just too much to handle at the start apparently and its like trying to lift extremely heavy weight - you always burn out before you can use the muscles that you actually need to.
Ill have a list of trustworthy optometrists in USA, Canada and Europe from the guy. Let me know where you are and I can try to add to it, you can contact them and eventually find someone who can help you if this is your problem.