Assuming people (like me) were very near-sighted thousands of years ago how did they survive?

Question

If I'm not wearing my contacts I can't see a thing. Assuming that my nearsightedness came from my ancestors I'm wondering how those ancestors survived (thousands of years ago) since one has to see to be able to hunt.

Answer 1

It is most likely that once humans began to organize tribal and family society, those with problems, like nearsightedness, were the first tradesmen. They probably stayed at home making spear points, weaving baskets, tanning hides, and things of that nature. They would have used the abilities they had and traded for the things they needed.

Something like knapping flint into the fine points we find occasionally, which are 10 to 15 thousand years old, would be a skill taking years to learn from a master. Your average hunter would have been happy to trade a rabbit or deer for a fine point or blade. He would only have made crude stone tools for himself in an emergency situation.

Answer 2

Probably they didn't do so well. The most common form of nearsightedness (myopia) is caused by an inherited genetic mutation. It is thought to have occurred near the beginning of recorded history, about 10 thousand years ago or less.

I've also heard the those who wear corrective glasses, as a group, average 7-9 points higher on IQ tests than those with normal eyesight. So the old geek with glasses stereotype may be true. Also, the percentage of myopia on college campuses is slightly higher than the overall population.

Answer 3

They probably were the first to get eaten by the sabertooths.

Long ago, like a million years from now, people lived and hunted together. The other members would have told him when somehting dangerous was coming.

Answer 4

They called them "tender-eyed" and they depended on others to survive. They were pretty much the same as blind people.

I'm also very thankful for my corrective lenses, because my vision is like 20/200 without them. (20/15 with.)

Answer 5

I have wondered the same thing myself. I can see up close OK, but not at a distance without my specs. The invention of glasses and contacts is a wonder of science.

Answer 6

I think our eye problems are often exacerbated by reading and looking at computer screens. Our primitive ancestors would not have had this problem

Answer 7

Hundreds of years ago, they wore glasses just like today.

Thousands of years ago, either someone took care of them or, they died. Natural selection, if you can't see the lion running at you, then you were dinner.

Answer 8

well, every human is equiped with hearing (unless ur deaf, then ur screwed) witch is the reason they can hunt.