BS: Left-Handism

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Jul 11 - 12:32 AM

I'm sure that I am lefthanded because my right eye only sees things in focus for about six inches. It was such a useless view of the world that my left eye and then my left hand took over.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 22 Jul 11 - 06:41 PM

Leenia -

There is a vision defect called "lazy eye syndrome" in which one eye doesn't focus with a view consistent with the other, and the "better" eye becomes so dominant that the other one just sort of "gives up."

A treatment a century ago, and at least until perhaps the 50s in some parts of the US was to put a patch over the good eye to force the weaker one to work, on the theory that it might "catch up." Although that treatment apparently had some success, it apparently worked best for the very young and I don't believe it's used much any more.

One "explanation" I've heard of claims that "lazy eye" is usually associated with a "convergence error." The eye must adjust the lens to focus at a certain distance, and both eyes must, ideally, focus at the same distance in order to both see the same object. In addition, for a near object each eyeball must "rotate inward" to "point at" the object.

If the two eyes are focused to the same distance but are "pointing in different directions," the view is obviously going to be messed up. If both eyeballs point at the same object, but focus at different distances, the result is pretty much the same. The "convergence angle" between the directions the two eyes point must match the focus distance in order for the two views to be consistent.

A consistent "convergence error" might sometimes be corrected with a "wedge lens" that bends the direction for one eye to bring the two views together, and claims have been seen that this can help recover a weakened "lazy eye." It's been far too long since I've looked at this subject though to be able to guess whether that's still considered a viable approach to the problem, and I certainly have no way to guess whether your "eyeball discrepancies" are in any way related.

Nearly everyone has some difference in focal range of their two eyes, but an extreme difference suggests a need to look at whether there's some subtle cause for which some corrective action is available.

I would presume that you do get regular examinations and consultations from a qualified vision professional, of course.(?)

John

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Deckman
Date: 23 Jul 11 - 04:49 AM

John ... you are exactly correct. As a youngster, some 100 years ago, I had a "lazy eye." The treatment back in the 1940's was "eye excersizes (spelling?). I would follow my finger tip, and other objects, for hours a day.

Today, I wear "prism lenses" in my eyeglasses, which seem to work perfectly for me. CHEERS, bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 23 Jul 11 - 07:21 AM

Deckman -

I possibly would never have heard of the lazy eye problem except that my sister wore a patch on one eye for about a year, and then on the other eye for a few months 'cause they decided they'd "overcorrected." I was only 5 or 6 y.o. then, but it did make me "aware" enough to notice comments about it later as treatment seemed to change some.

Much later, I was acquainted with "an elder" who had no treatment, and perhaps as a consequence was very nearly blind in the eye that "refused to point where he was looking."

Unlike for a jackrabbit, being able to look in two different directions at the same time doesn't seem to be a very useful thing for us peoples.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Jul 11 - 01:43 PM

Hi, John. Yes, I have a great eye doctor.

My eye problems were ignored till I was way past the age when anything could be done about them. I was doing well in school, so nothing could be wrong - that was my parent's attitude. They were wrong.

I think the best thing that happened to my weak eye was wearing contact lenses for many years. They do a better job than glasses, and when my weak eye started seeing better, my brain begin to pay more attention to what it was reporting. It was biofeedback, I believe.

With good glasses I see pretty well. I also amaze my friends by taking my glasses off and seeing remarkably tiny things with my weak eye.

One effect of the problem is that I'm left-handed. I write with my hand curved towards me, and the books say that that is the mark of a person whose brain is right-handed but who writes with the left. I think that anybody who writes like that should be allowed to do it. The brain knows what it needs.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 23 Jul 11 - 11:03 PM

The writing position you describe, if I visualize it correctly from your description, is one of a couple of positions taught to lefties "back when ..." ... (by the relatively few enlightened enough not to try to force them to change).

Writing with a "wet ink" pen, or even with early ballpoints, it was about the only way a left handed person could avoid dragging the hand through what was written before it had time to dry enough to resist smudging and becoming illegible. The positions that some call "more normal," have the same smudging problem even with a pencil, if the lead isn't fairly "hard." The "curled" position is also well suited to being able to see what you've just written, without having to move the "pen" (or whatever) away from where you'll continue writing.

The reason they were taught is because they were close to what was "natural" for the kids trying to learn worked out as "the best way to get it done."

Your books were probably written by imature illiterate children (i.e. any people under 50, who grew up with "progressive" education and hence didn't learn much?) who don't know any traditional lore very well.

Maybe they should get out of education and take up a religion calling where "explanations that aren't" are more universally loved and appreciated.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: skipy
Date: 24 Jul 11 - 05:54 PM

When I was in the Mob (RAF) I had a left handed respirator, otherwise I could not aim a 762 as the gas canister got in the way.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Jul 11 - 10:26 AM

I'm sure nobody taught me to hold my hand the way I do. I do it because it feels right. (When I'm not in a hurry, I have very nice handwriting.) Modern pens, which dry instantly, are a real blessing, of course.

Early on, baffling remarks were made to the effect that "It's backwards." So I watched carefully when we learned writing. When we started writing, the teacher and all the other kids picked up their pencils, moved to the edge of the paper across from their hands, and started writing. So I did the same.

Later my mother told me that she and my father asked an experienced teacher about my mirror writing, and she said, "Just leave her alone. She'll turn it around on her own." And I did.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Jul 11 - 10:33 AM

Let's just come out and admit it: being left-handed is the mark of Satan and yer all his minions.



Drop 'round, minions are more fun than angels.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Jul 11 - 01:19 PM

Later my mother told me that she and my father asked an experienced teacher about my mirror writing, and she said, "Just leave her alone. She'll turn it around on her own." And I did.

So you were smarter than Leonardo? He never turned his around. Of course there were a lot fewer people (who could read OR write) around to argue with him in his day (and maybe he wasn't much interested in anything "they" had to say?).

John

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Jul 11 - 04:00 PM

I can do mirror with either hand. Used to do it on postcards to avoid the postie reading it - not that anything was inappropriate. I was writing to a leftie, so knew the recipient would be able to manage it.

What I can't do is write different things at the same time with opposite hands, which I have heard of.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 25 Jul 11 - 04:12 PM

Writing different things at the same time using both hands is said to have been a favourite trick of Branwell Brontë.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: Penny S.
Date: 26 Jul 11 - 08:36 AM

Maybe if he had written one thing with one hand he could have got published too!

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: MikeL2
Date: 26 Jul 11 - 10:16 AM

Hi

I am a complete right hander at everything.....er except when I wear long sleeved shirts I find it easier to button/unbutton the right arm with my left hand than the other way round !!!

Is that strange????

Cheers

Mikel2

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Jul 11 - 02:44 PM

And how do you cut the nails on your right hand, put a watch on your right wrist, scratch a mosquito bite on your right arm, or rub your right elbow?

If you do any of that with your right hand, then it would be strange.

Subject: RE: BS: Left-Handism
From: MikeL2
Date: 27 Jul 11 - 10:38 AM

hi lennia

Of course I do all those things with my left hand.......but not as well as when I use the right hand on the left arm. But buttoning the right arm with my left comes easier than the others......!!!???

My wife says that I am just awkward....lol

Regards

Mike