Correcting corneal astigmatism by reinstating the correct neuromuscular message

Med Hypotheses. 2012 Sep;79(3):368-71. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2012.05.039. Epub 2012 Jul 5.

Abstract

The problem: The spasm of the oblique muscles contributes to astigmatism. The visual cortex interprets the tension of the oblique muscles as an eye that is in near focus mode. It overrides the information generated by depth perception to bring a distant image into focus.

Methodology: A plain contact lens "loosens" the oblique muscles by generating a "contact lens draw". This triggers the visual cortex to reinstate the proper neuromotor message to stimulate the ciliary muscle to relax along certain meridians-which in turn "flattens" the crystalline lens along those meridians to bring a distant aberrant image into focus. The design of a special contact lens to treat simple myopic astigmatism is similar to the design of a contact lens to treat mild myopia as outlined in the paper Correcting Mild Myopia by Means of Orthoculogy.

Results: The treatment takes advantage of the ciliary muscle's natural tendency to compensate for some of the distortion of the cornea prior to ortho C by stimulating the ciliary muscle to amplify the compensation. The correction only takes a few minutes because the ciliary muscle of an astigmatic eye was not compromised.

Conclusion: The correct neuromotor message immediately neutralizes the refractive error due to corneal astigmatism. It stimulates the ciliary muscle to offset the astigmatic cornea by modifying the crystalline lens.

MeSH terms

  • Astigmatism / physiopathology
  • Astigmatism / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Visual Cortex / physiopathology