Behavioural Optometry is a branch of
Optometry that takes a
holistic view of eyecare. Rather than just concentrating on correcting
eyesight problems through prescribing
spectacles and
contact lenses, the Behavioural Optometrist also looks at things such as
hygiene, eye
exercises and situations where you
shouldn't wear your spectacles.
There are some critics of Behavioural Optometry that believe that our behaviour does not affect our eyesight.
It has been my personal experience that eyesight can certainly be improved through making a few lifestyle changes.
For years, my short-sightedness was getting worse and worse. I noticed that after getting a new pair of (stronger) spectacles, my eyesight would be fantastic, but after a few months I would again have problems seeing distant signs, etc.
It came to the crunch when I started working full time as a computer programmer. My visual acuity plummeted. Although I'd been told previously by an optometrist that wearing spectacles should not affect my eyesight, I decided to get an old (weaker) pair of spectacles re-framed, and use them when I was programming (my eyesight at this stage was so bad that I could not read a book without my spectacles, even though I was short-sighted!).
Luckily, this seems to have done the trick. The last few times I have got a new prescription, it has actually been for slightly weaker spectacles! So from me, anyhow, there is certainly anecdotal evidence that behavioural optometry works.