Abstract
M.Tech. (Biotechnology)
Spectacles and contact lenses are the most widely used optical appliances to manage
myopia. Surgical techniques are an alternative but the outcome of surgery can be
unpredictable and the procedures are costly. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a condition
characterised by blurred distant vision. Both a more lasting cure and a more cost-effective
alternative solution in the treatment of myopia are desirable. The effectiveness of the
homoeopathic remedy, Physostigma 30CH on its own, the Bates method on its own and a
combination of the homoeopathic remedy and the Bates method in reducing myopia were
determined.
Thirty suitable myopic subjects between the ages of 21 - 34 years were selected. Subjects were paired in terms of age, race and sex on a double-blind basis.
This research was conducted in three stages of thirty days each. During stage one the
experimental group performed the Bates method, while the control group performed the
modified Bates method. During stage two the experimental group received the
.homoeopathic remedy, Physostigma 30CH, whilst the control group received a placebo.
During stage three the experimental group performed the Bates method and received the
homoeopathic remedy, Physostigma 30CH, whilst the control group performed the
modified Bates method and received the placebo.
Each subject underwent an optometric examination before and after each of the abovementioned
stages. During the eye examination, the aided and unaided visual acuity, left
and right refractions, accommodative flexibility and accommodation amplitude were
determined by a qualified optometrist. After each eye examination a questionnaire was
completed to determine the patient's subjective feelings ofthe treatment.
The data was analyzed using a 2-sample t-test (incorporating the Levence test) for
determining the statistical significance within each different stage of the research. The
significant (2-tailed) p-values for the statistical significance between the two groups were
obtained in order to indicate whether there was a reduction in myopia in either the
experimental or the control group or both.