Vision improvement is common. There are many factors involved including diet, lifestyle, habits, stress, etc. etc. etc.
I once saw a patient who improved his nearsightedness from -4.00 to -1.50. His last eye exam had been 3 years previous to this one. He said the only thing he changed is that he and his wife had become vegetarians. Many people have vision improvement when they quit working at jobs in which they were working at a computer for 8+ hours per day. Many people go nearsighted from the use of computers and reading when it is done for the majority of their day. When they are no longer straining their eyes the vision improves. Many people over 40 experience improved myopia (nearsightedness) once they begin wearing bifocals because the bifocal lens relaxes the eye when reading and allows it to go back to its original shape. The eye muscles are no longer being pulled and strained which elongates the eye. On the contrary, people who go to medical school, law school or doctorate programs in which hours and hours of study are required are more likely to go nearsighted than someone who works in sales or a career in which not as much near work is required.
To recreate this effect for yourself I recommend you engage in a vision improvement program, either on your own or under the direction of a behavioral optometrist who specializes in vision therapy.
To find a doctor
-1.75 is not a very high prescription. You will do well with a vision improvement program if you are willing to do what it takes to reach your goals.

The length of the eye is not the only factor in eye prescription. Refractive error is a result of the mismatch between the various refractive components of the eye including front and back curve of cornea, corneal thickness, front and back curve of lens, lens thickness, lens density, anterior chamber depth and posterior chamber length.

It is highly unlikely that your friend had a change in eye length, but she well may have had a change in corneal curvature, lens density or lens shape. These changes occur naturally, especially in the lens which continues to grow throughtout life.

You cannot make these kinds of changes happen in yourself.

Sounds very odd. Can’t explain it all. I hope one of the qualified optoms on here will answer it.

But the older lady, yes that makes sense, although it doesn’t usually happen until after 40. It’s normal then for nearsighted eyes to “improve”. After 40 people tend to become more farsighted.

I’m this way, too, and have been since I was 10 years old. That was almost 40 years ago. The condition itself can’t be reversed due to the curvature of the eyeball but you can improve your vision through laser surgery. One of the few advantages I have found from being nearsighted is that I have not developed the farsightedness associated with getting older. I can still see well close up without reading glasses.