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Don't want to side-track the discussion, but is there any method/exercise that people can use to strengthen their eyes and improve their vision?
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no.
and if someone tells you yes, they are a charlatan.
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Hmmm. I've often heard that a lot of reading & computer-use related eye problems is caused by spending too much time focused in the near plane, and even if you can't fix problems you can at least prevent damage by forcing yourself to focus on things that are far away. Some people recommend an exercise where switch between far & near focus several times.
Quackwatch definitely agrees with you :
http://www.quackwatch.org/01Quackery.../eyequack.html
The quacks have tons of scientific papers to back them up but there are lots of sites like this and they definitely have the reek of nonsense :
http://www.vision-therapy.com/vt_research_studies.htm
(BTW several businesses like this one were actually shut down for false medical claims)
Wikipedia says :
A 2005 review of the literature on eye exercises concluded that: "Small controlled trials and a large number of cases support the (use of eye exercises in) treatment of convergence insufficiency. Less robust, but believable, evidence indicates visual training may be useful in developing fine stereoscopic skills and improving visual field remnants after brain damage."[2] However, the report also concluded that "no clear scientific evidence" exists for the efficacy of eye exercises in the treatment of "vergence problems, ocular motility disorders, accommodative dysfunction, amblyopia, learning disabilities, dyslexia, asthenopia, myopia, motion sickness, sports performance, visual acuity, and general well-being." [2]
Though :
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6117
lifestyle definitely causes myopia so presumably you can also prevent it with behavior.