(a) This material is anti-copyright. Permission is hereby granted to freely copy or distribute subject to the condition that only this restriction is placed on such distribution or copying: that this anti-copyright message and the same rights are transmitted and remain intact and complete with any such distribution or copy of this material.
NO WARRANTY: THERE IS _NO_ IMPLIED OR STATED WARRANTY WHATSOEVER.
THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED ON AN AS IS BASIS IN THE HOPE THAT SOME BENEFIT WILL BE DERIVED THEREIN BY THE READER.
FURTHER THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED ON AN INFORMATIONAL AND ON A DO IT YOURSELF ONLY BASIS AS THE PRACTICE OF VISION THERAPY FREQUENTLY OVERLAPS WITH OPTOMETRY, AND THE PRACTICE OF OPTOMETRY WITHOUT A LICENSE IS ILLEGAL IN MOST COUNTRIES.
ALL CARE HAS BEEN TAKEN BUT NO RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE ACCEPTED, FOR INACCURACIES, OMMISIONS OR ERRORS.
This work is dedicated to
His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso The Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
May whatever merit there is in presenting this material on
natural vision serve to benefit each and every sentient being
throughout space.
version 1.1 (Apr 18 1995)
Compiled by: Vic Cinc (vic@cia.com.au)
With help from:
Comments, suggestions, reports of errors, request for inclusions,
ideas:
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The FAQ will be posted occasionally to sci.med, sci.med.vision and alt.self-help.
This FAQ is devoted to bringing up to date information on the process of natural vision and natural vision improvement. The distilation of numerous theories and schools of thought are presented here to maximise the opportunity that you may find the key to your particular individual situation.
The discussion of "why's?" and theory is beyond the scope of this FAQ. Similarly testamonials have not been included due to space considerations. Only methods which have had outstanding results and documented successes have been include here, procedures with uncertainty have been noted as such.
Yes. The US Air Force and many commercial airlines have a programs of training pilots with normal vision to super normal sight. Olympic athletes including the US volleyball and field hockey teams frequently work to improve their sight to beyond normal. Other athletes that do so include tennis champion Virginia Wade, the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yeankees, Val Skinner profesional golfer. Connecticut state police have regular vision improvement training. The list is endless.
Yes. In the majority of cases improvements are possible. Conditions like myopia, astigmatism and hypermetropia can often be corrected fully or better than normal or at least significantly, depending on the individual condition, motivation and the inherant flexibility of the visual systems.
Having said this please do not take anything in this FAQ on faith. Always verify everything for yourself with your own senses and your own experimentations and investigations.
No. Primarily it is a matter of developing good visual habits and intergrating them throughout your normal day to replace bad visual habits.
Vision therapy is not a matter of doing half an hour of exercises a day, and then ten hours of sight adversive activities. Successful vision therapy is about bringing to consciousness bad habits, modifying them to become good habits and repeating them till they become unconcsious. In other words vision therapy is about converting the continuous use of your natural vision to be an ongoing benefical activity and extending or building new neurological pathways in the mind.
Nothing. You can choose to seek help from the various professionals involved in the vision industry who will charge you for their time.
90% of the population of the USA, will at one point or other begin to wear glasses.
It is common experience that wearing contacts and glasses worsens unaided sight.
Glass and plastic lenses in spectacles and contact lenses interfere with the transmission of light. Color is always more intense when seem with the naked eye than with any lens. It can be argued that since color is a major part of the perception of form it follows that in small to medium sight defects form is not as well perceived with glasses. Secondly its possible that glasses actually agravate the eye, by constantly maintaining a degree of refractive error which otherwise would not be there, particularly while in eccentric focusing.
The strong concave glasses required by myopes of high degree make all objects seem much smaller than they really are, while convex glasses enlarge them. Patients with a degree of astigamitism can suffer some very disagreable sensations when they put on glasses. Usually these difficulties are overcome, but often they are not, and it sometimes happens that those who do overcome them during the day never succeed in getting used to them at night.
All glasses contract the field of vision to a greater or lesser degree. Often glasses cause annoying nervous symptoms, such as dizziness and headache, and the frames also interfere with peripheral vision.
Many Russian civilians during WW2 were known to wear negative diopter lenses for several days prior to visual examinations in compuslory enlistments in order to easily fail the tests.
No. Refractive abnormalities are continually changing from day to day, from hour to hour, and from minute to minute. A fact that is easily verified by personal observation. Thus the accurate fitting of glasses or contacts is, of course impossible.
The difficulty of keeping glass clear is one of the minor discomforts of glasses, but is nevertheless a most annoying one.
Likewise reflections of strong light from eyeglasses are often very annoying, and in the street may be very dangerous. Expensive coatings are needed to reduce these effects. In so doing, they reduce the brightness of colors. These coatings also require special cloths to clean, and they scratch easily requiring a hardness coating. Many people have great difficulties with glasses because of the activity of their lives, which not only leads to the breaking of the lenses but often throws them out of focus, particularly in the case of eyeglasses worn for astigmatism.
Contact lenses are difficult to clean and maintain. They are often dropped and lead to various eye diseases if not scrupulously cleaned. Astigmatism is often corrected poorly, due to the lens rotating on the eye. Even the most permeable contacts deprive the eye of oxygen and frequently capilaries begin extending into the cornea as a result. Extended wear lenses are notorious for causing infections and complications.
The progression of myopia often means that a perfect prescription is quickly inadequate and the the patient spends most of his or her time with a noticeable amount of refractive error. (In fact, most optometrists undercorrect myopia to begin with -- contrary to popular belief, 20/20 vision does not mean 100% of the human visual potential, but the average acuity of people living during the time the standard was established.)
In an emergency spectacles and contacts often become a serious hindrance. Droped or broken glasses often aggravate any already difficult situations.
Yes. The lenses generally prescribed by classical optometrist are called compensating lenses, in that only compensate for refractive errors, and have no therapeutic value. In a progressive myopic the lenses quickly become a total addiction.
Start by getting a visual check up and an assessment of the health of your eyes. You will also have a reference point of your original visual acuity to which you can compare progress. It helps to have an optometrist who is open to the idea of natural vision improvement. An optometrist that practices behavioral optometry or syntonics will only be too pleased to help you.
Ask lots of questions about your condition. Only when you know the true state of your "ocular fitness" will you will be able to make the make best use of this FAQ. If you have any doubts as to the safety of any of the practices suggested, by all means discuss it with your eye doctor! This is especially true if you have a serious eye condition.
Since everybody is different, the information this FAQ cannot claim to be the ultimate authority on what you should do. Rather, its suggestions are meant to help you find your unique key to positive and rapid change.
Immediately. If you are myopic, hypermetropic or astigmatic you can demonstrate this by doing a few minutes of palming and noticing the results. The results of palming are at first short lived, but longer term progress will result from the accummulation of these and other shorter positive beneficial effects. Progress is usually measured in months or weeks, depending on the individual case and the degree of flexibility and motivation.
Remember there are no quick answers, no shortcuts. No two people are alike or have exactly the same problems.
A doctor of optometry (O.D.) educated to provide routine eye health care and refraction measurement for the prescription of lenses. A growing number of optometrists, who call themselves Visual Training specialists or Behavioral Optometrists (see below), also incorporate non-surgical therapies for visual problems such as exercises, training lenses, and nutritional counseling.
An optometrist trained in vision therapy, which involes a wide variety of procedures for neuromuscular, neurophysiological or neurosensory visual dysfunction.
A doctor of medicine (M.D.) trained in disease of the eye and surgery. In addition, many ophthalmologists prescribe glasses and contact lenses as well.
A technician who produces and/or dispenses the optical lenses, glasses or other equipment presribed by optometrists and ophthalmologist.
Sight is the process of the eyes to focus an image on the retina, vision is the ability of the brain to give this image meaning.
Behavioral optometry regrds most vision problems as imbalance between the various systems of the bodies, most occur as adaptive responses to enviromental stresses and are present in the brain at an unconscious level. Errors of refraction are seen as symptoms which disapear when the causes are attended to.
Classical optometry regards vision problems as errors of refraction, to be treated with corrective lenses.
A situation where a clear image is not formed on the retina. Myopia, astigmatism, hypermetropia all types of errors of refraction. Most of errors of refraction are very small changes in the eye, often in the order of fraction of millimeters. You only have to look at the difference in thickness in the center of a contact lens and the periphery to begin to appreciate how small the physical problems really are.
Accommodation is the process whereby the eye adapts to bring near objects into focus and relaxes to bring distant objects into focus on the retina. Different ways of altering the eye for accommodation have been observed in different animals. For example in birds, the cornea changes shape, and in fish the entire eye elongates and flattens. In humans, accommodation is generally held to occur by the lens becoming more or less convex, under the control of the ciliary muscle. However, the precise mechanism for human accommodation is still under debate.
The furthest point at which the eye can see clearly.
The nearest point at which the eye can see clearly.
The state where the tensing of the cilliary muscle is sustained, and both the far and near point are brought closer to the eye. Diagnosis by a trained optometrist or opthalmologist is easily performed under the effect of cyclopegics (drugs that paralyze the ciliary) and once diagnosed recovery is quick. Standard treatment includes temporarily minimising near work, and rest to allow the over excited cilliary to recover from its condition of over use.
Should corrective lenses be unwintingly prescribed the condition is usually aggravated.
The causes range from improper or ill fitting spectacles, excessive amount of near work, general ill health, physical or mental. No one is really sure.
Textbooks say a rare condition of spasm in the ciliary muscle which has become out of control. Objects are seen as larger than they normally are.
The condition where the power of the ciliary is below that required for normal vision. Near work is blurred or becomes difficult.
A program of active and passive vision can improve this condition.
If the cause is hardening of the lens than the ciliary may have diffculty overcoming this condition.
This is a milder form of insufficient accommodation, usually during period of ill health or tired eyes. Often found in people who wish to read in the evening or in bed when tired.
Treatment is the same as for insufficient accommodation.
A condition where there is difficulty in changing the range of accommodation. Focusing seems to stick at certain points and difficulty or delay is experienced, when changing depth of focus.
A program of accommodative exercises will releive this condition.
A variety of causes where the cilliary is paralysed, either from medication or trauma. Sometimes a result of diabetes or alcohol toxicity.
Treatment of this condition resolves itself into a treatment of the cause. A medical opinion should be sought.
Vergence is the process of muscular coordination which points each eye at the same point in space to produce binocular vision. To see at the near point, the eyes must cross or "converge", while to see at the far point, the eyes must pull out or "diverge".
Vergence works strongly in coordination with accommodation and pupil dilation. Vergence is principally governed by the medial recti and the pupilary contractions by the sphincter pupillae. The strong synkenetic association between these three is seen by the supply of all these muscles by one nerve called the third cranial.
It is common to find in most vision problems that the three systems are not acting in coherence.
Convergence insufficency is the difficulty in focusing when the near point is less than 11cm from the intra-occular base line. The insuficciency may be in both or one eye and the causes are not well understood. Insufficency is a common cause of reading difficulties, one eye will be looking at a point in space and the other will be looking past it.
Convergence is easily brought under conscious control, and a program of convergence exercises can correct this problem.
Similar to insufficency, but one eye is converging too far, gives the appearance of cross-eyed. Commonly found in hypermetropes, or myopes freshly behind glasses.
Treatment involves learning to obtain a double image and the use of prisms or the use of an amblyoscope.
A diopter a measurement of the power to bend light. One diopter means the ability to converge or bring to focus parallel rays in a distance of one meter. Negative diaopters diverge light.
The cornea is the outer "lens" of the eye, in front of the pupil. It has a power +43d. Its shape is supposedly fixed.
The inner lens, behind the pupil. Is has a power of +20d at rest. Note the total power of the eyes is about +59d
The crystaline lens is thought to be solely responsible for accommodation or the change in focus from near and far objects. The added power of the lens to accomodate varies supposedly declining with age. An "average" 10 year old as around 13d of accommodative power. ie can bring to focus a point 8cm from one eye. An "average" 30 year old as around 9d of accommodative power, and so can bring to to focus a point 11cm from one eye.
Note that 1mm in change to the axial length (front to back distance) of the eye is roughly equal to 3 diopters in power. This gives you an idea of how small any problems actually are.
The pupil is the colored part of the eye which can contract to change the field of vision and reduce the amount of light entering the eye.
The retina is the inside of the rear wall of the eye, which is photoreceptive. Light is focused here from the cornea and crytaline lens.
Also called shortsighted, or nearsighted. Myopia is the inability to see distant object clearly. The physiology is that the image produced by the eye focuses just short of the retina, leaving a blured image to fall on the macula.
Textbooks say the physiology can vary, the axial length from the lens to the retina is too long, or the lens is over accommodating, or the curvature in the cornea has changed, or the lenticular curvature has changed. The lens itself may by displaced of its own accord or the inter occular pressure is too great. Diabetes is known cause of myopia and general ill health; stress, emotional problems can bring on temporary conditions. Some very rare cases result from a genetic pigmentation problem with the retina.
Conventional optometry regards myopia as a hereditary problem contrary to evidence to suggest a strong enviromental factor. COnventional Optometry treats myopia by the use of stronger and stronger presrciptions.
Behavioral optometry regards myopia as a symptom of vision imbalance which is often responsive to vision therapy.
Mypoia is measured in negative spherical diopters. ie -1 D. one diopter is the power of a lens which will focus parallel rays at a distance of one meter.
Astigmatism is the condition where a point focus can not be formed on the retina. The refraction of light is unequal in different meridians. This means lines in one one direction may be blurred while others are not. Astigmatics often report double vision (diplopia) or even multiple images (polypopia) in both eyes or even a single eye.
The physiology is as uncertain as that of myopia. The cornea or lens may not be rotationaly symmetrical, or the eye itself by be assymetric. The extraocular muscles are sometimes responsible for deforming the shape of the eye. Conventional optometry treats astigmatism throught the prescription of lenses. Behavioral optometry regards astigmatism as correctable with vision therapy.
Elliot Forrest O.D. found a relationship between head movement, posture and visual scanning. If you use a computer or read a lot then you will tend to scan from along the horizontal meridian and neglect the vertical meridian, with a resultant astigmatism in that meridian.
Astigamtism may also result from a twisting of the spine, pelvis or neck. Astigmatics often have a tight or restricted posture and movement.
You can quickly tell if you are astigmatic with the astigmatic mirror section [9.21]
Astigmatism is measured in cylindrical diopters. Three numbers are needed. The first number is the power of a spherical lens. The second is the power of cylindrical lens and the last number is the principal meridian in degrees for that lens. Facing a patient: 0 degree or 180 degree is horizontal, 90 degree is vertical, 45 is up right to down left, and 135 degree is up left to down right.
Optometrist usualy use "minus" notation eg +2.25 -0.75 x 175 and ophthalmologist use "plus" notation eg +2.25 +0.75 x 5 These are the same measurement.
so is -1.00 +1.00 x 135 and -1.00 -1.00 x 45
The average astigmatic usually has the horizontal meridian flatter than the vertical meridian.
Also farsighted or longsighted or hyperopia. Hypermetropia is the condition where the eye tends to focus behind the retina. Hypermetropia is usually not a problem as small amounts can be overcome by accommodation. Indeed the majority of people are born hypermetropic.
The physiology is as poorly understood as with all vision problems. The eye may be considered too long, the retina may have detached, accommodation may be insufficient. etc etc etc.
Also old age sight. Presbyopia is a failure in accommodation with the onset of age. It mostly affects near vision, but distance vision is also sometimes affected.
The physiology of presbyopia is considered to be from change in the shape and or structure of the lens are commonly blamed. Less commonly the strength of the ciliary is at fault.
As with all sight problems this is poorly understood.
Emmetropia is the ideal eye where a relaxed flattened lens focuses exactly on the retina. Commonly emmetropia is another word for normal sight. The emmetropic eye is fully rested and display no signs of stress when looking at the far point or the near point.
No eye is perfectly emmetropic all of the time.
The opposite of emmetropia is called ammetropia.
Also "cross-eyes" or, less commonly "squint". A rare condition where the eye turns in, out, up or down. That is the eyes are no longer working as a team. Behavioral optometry beleives that the cause being at a cortical level is treatable. Untreated the condition lead to many emotive dificulites.
Also "lazy eye". A condition where one eye apparently looses clear sharp vision which cannot be compensated for with corrective lenses. A condition best diagnosed by a professional.
Not very. Vision changes continuously and the autorefraction and subject refraction tests performed by optometrists and opthalmologists give only a "snapshot" of your current accuity. Autorefraction gives a sort of "at rest" measurement and subjective refraction measures your ability (some people say "under pressure to perform") to discern what the eyes present to your mind. A score of 20/20 does not include your acuity at the near point.
Many other measurements are not covered by a standard optometry test.
Eye-movement skills, the ability to quickly focus from one object to another.
Eye-teaming skills, converging and diverging, the ability to turn the eyes inward and outward in a coherent way.
Eye focusing skills, the ability to make rapid and accurate shifts in visual inspection with instantaneius clarity and at any distance. Also the ability to maintain focus on a an object. Focusing is about expanding the point of vision not about forcing or trying harder. Effects/reflecfs concentration abilities.
Dynamic visual acuity, the ability the see sharply while an object or person is in motion.
Peripheral vision, the ability to use side horiztonal and vetical vision. Used to position yourself in space and time. Improvements result in better balance and movement.
Binocular fusion, the ability to coordinate the eyes precisely so the brain can "fuse" the input. Dyslexia is a catch all term to label crossed and left/right reversal dificulties. It is about a lack of co-ordination between the left and right hemispheres of the brain and body. Fusion creates depth perception.
Eye-hand co-ordination. Combining the visual and motor systems, if the eye movements are jerky then the hand movements will be too. Effects sprots performance and even handwriting.
Visual form perception. Becoming aware of the shapes features of sensory information. The ability to organize images on the printed page into letters and/or words.
Visualization and Visual memory. How you make and store and recall visual images and imformation. Effects you ability to learn.
To measure acuity with an eye chart: Stand back from an eye chart. Determine the smallest row you can read. Take the distance you are standing from the chart (normally 20 feet or 6 meters) and divide that by the number printed next to the line. This ratio is your acuity. The ability to read black letters on a white background from twenty feet (6m) is known as "Snellen acuity" named after the inventor of the eye chart, and is usually represented with "20" in the numerator. Expressed as a percent, it is your "percent of normal vision". This percent must not be taken as an absolute measurement, since one will have different acuities at different distances.
To measure amount of myopia in diopters: Measure the furthest distance you can see the letters absolutely clear and black (not just readable). This is your focal length. If you measure your focal length in meters, you can compute your refractive error in diopters by taking the negative reciprocal. For example, if things start to blur out at half a meter, you have a refractive error of -2.00 D. The greater the magnitude of this number, the more your myopia. The number you come up with by this means should represent more myopia than what the eye doctor would give you as a prescription, since eye doctors are trained to "under- prescribe".
A subjective measurement of how your vision faired during the day. It is easy to get a good idea of the state of your vision by using a set of daily landmarks or signs to judge its current state. You will also find vision varies quite a bit during the day, so you need to take this in consideration when making your evaluation. Many people find that vision is directly related to their current state of alertness and health. As you become tired during a typical day or are ill your vision reflects this.
Peak daily vision is defined as the "best" subjective point of clarity throughout the day. Most people are surprised to find just how good the peak point of vision during the day actually is.
Yes. While this is not mandatory, it helps you see long term trends, and gives more reliable feedback as you experiment with changes to your lifestyle and undertake various remedies for your vision. Changes over weeks and months are difficult to notice until they reach a large threshold. It is much easier to note down the state of your vision each day, whether you had any clear flashes and what duration they were, rather than to rely on your memory. Include as much detail as you feel necessary. You would also be surpised at how quickly you adjust to better eyesight and forget what poor vision was like. Some people improve without realising they have improved.
The following sections will lead you on a journey that cover all aspects of vision. MASSAGE, PASSIVE VISION, ACTIVE VISION, MENTAL VISION, BEHAVIORAL OPTOMETRY, EMOTIONS AND VISION, EASTERN APROACH, DIET & LIGHT. Its one thing to know how to correct something, its another think to, like the great god Nike said, "Just do it!".
Sight problems are almost always accompanied by patterns of muscle tension and weakness.
For example myopes tend to have pronounced tension in the forehead, jaw neck, shoulders upper arms, lower back and often in the calves.
Better results are gained quicker when the body is treated in a holistic fashion, and the tension in the body and mind is seen to as well as the problems with the eyes.
Massage is an excellent way. Begin with the face, and notice which areas are the most tense. Next the do neck massage and shoulder rotations. And with the aid of someone have back massaged and your legs and calves if you have tension in these areas.
Warm your fingers by rubing them together and begin with your jaw. Always begin very gently and spend a couple of minutes on each area noticing what you feel and what effect it is having on you. Work outward from the point of your chin under and behind the ears. The point directly under the ears is often very tight. Opening and closing the jaw is a good idea as well as yawning. Work from the bridge of the nose outward over the cheekbones and up toward the temples. Use circular strokes on the temples. Continue on the eyebrows, working outward from the center using long strokes. Use your fingertips to strech out the brow, and alternate with picking up the brow with your thumb and forefinger and stretching it out. Often a point between the brow is very tense use small circular motions on this area. Another delicate point is in the indentation outside the bridge of the nose on the inner edge of the eyebrows. Work above and below the brows and finaly use long strokes on the forhead. Notice how your face feels and youe eyes feel. You will find you have your own pattern of tension which you can subsequently pay sepecial attention to.
Turn your head to one side, feel along from behind the ear down to your chest you will find the side neck flexor or sternocleidomastoid. This muscle can become tighter than any other muscle in the body. Some people have mistaken this muscle for a bone. Gently at first till it warms up, palpate, tap and stroke it. Do each side, then massage the back of the neck working out from the spine. The top of the spine at the very base of the skull is often quite tight. finally finish by doing head rotations. Start with small rotations, in each direction do a dozen circles gradualy expanding to your full range of motion. Always do rotations slowly and deliberately
Spend a few minutes at least once or twice a day. Lunch time or evening is always a good opportunity.
Close both eyes tightly, hold your lids shut firmly, squeezing and open them suddenly, arching your brows and stretching your face. Repeat several times.
Look up as far as possible, look down as far as possible, inhale on up, and exhale on down. The blink rapidly a dozen or so times. Look as far right as possible, look as far left as possible and blink rapidly again. Look diagonaly up to left, down to right, up to right, down to left, and blink rapidily. Attempt to look in back of yourself.
Full range of motion eye rotations. Rotate your eyes around the periphery of your vision. Always do these slowly and deliberatly. Concentrate on one eye at a time, then try both. Go around a dozen or so times then go around the other direction the same number of times. Try rotations with your eyes shut.
Whenever you feel them to be tight or constricted or having a limited range of motion. At least several times a day. Some people find that after they have been wearing glasses or contacts and remove them the muscle of the eye are especial "sticky", and dont move freely.
Passive vision is the act of seeing without strain as displayed by the emmotropic eye. To develop passive vision a series of non-exercises have been developed to reduce strain and sensitivity.
Dr. William Bates found that mypoia is in fact always associated with a strain to see distant objects, and that hypermetropia is always associated with a strain to see at the near point. Primarily the strain to see is a strain of the mind.
By straining to see at near or far objects the eye can pass through various stages from emmetropia, in which the eye is spherical, to hypermetropia, in which it is flattened, and if these changes take place unsymmetrically, astigamatism. Bates found that myopia could be induced in dogs by forcing them to strain to to see a distant object.
Bates's remedy is not to avoid either near work or distant vision but to get rid of the mental strain which underlies the imperfect functioning of the eye at both points. The ways in which people strain are infinite, and the methods used to relieve strain must be almost equally varied.
Yes and no. If a person is under mental strain during the day, then this will carry over into sleep. Even during sleep, eyes can still be very active during a period know as REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, a phase of sleep during which dreaming takes place.
Some people find their vision is best in the morning, certainly the result of sleep -- while others find it markedly worse! The effect sleep has on your eyesight may be affected by the tension your eyes are under before you go to sleep, the amount of light in the room while you're sleeping, what you ate before going to sleep, etc. In general, though, if you are able to achieve complete relaxation before you lie down, the effect on your eyes the next morning will be positive.
Unconscious patterns of muscular tension are however generally not cured by sleep, nor are muscular weaknesses.
A few people strain their eyes during sleep causing poor vision in the morning. A program of passive vision non-exercises before bed will help to relieve this condition. Also look into the emotional side of your lifestyle and how this may relate to your night time stress.
Wear them only when your safety (or the law) requires it. The less you wear glasses the quicker you can improve.
If you can then yes. You still nead to wear glasses were you _need_ to see perfectly clearly. (Note it is illegal in most countries to drive without glasses if it is indicated on your license)
In some situations you can get by with a fitness pair of glasses correcting to 20/40. In situations were you don't neet glasses dont wear them.
Remember glasses only compensate for vision problems and dont improve them. Many people complain that their eyes feels "tight" or tense and tired when they wear glasses, indicating a possible negative action on the eyes from the lenses.
Glasses which undercorrect an error of refraction. The lowest an optometrist is legaly allowed to prescribe for your sight, this varies from country to country. In most countries it is illegal to prescribe glasses that correct vision worse than 20/40.
If you have worn corrective lenses for a while then the transition might not be easy. The first week is usually the hardest, but you will probably be surprised how quickly you adjust.
The first problem is a psychological one, most people immediately exclaim, "I cant see!", when in fact what they mean is "I cant see clearly". Mental vision now becomes the first priority, that is, learning to differentiate and become aware of what exactly it is you do see.
Once you develop this sense of your vision you will be able to instantly tell the state of your sight. Some people can tell you their Snellen acuity just by looking at any patch of black. Simply because they have learned that with blur, blacks become grey, and the degree of grey indicates the current state of their sight. Become curious about just what is it your are seeing. How is it different from what you want to see? Are lines sharper in one orientation? Are you seeing double or more images? Which part of your visual field is clearer? How do your eyes compare to each other, is one stronger than the other, does this change? How does your vision change during the day?
Relief of mental strain is the cornerstone of the Bates method. Bates found that closing the eyes gives them and the mind a break which can temporarily restore sight. He futher expanded this principle with the non-exercise of palming, which actually comes from the Hatha Yoga tradition.
Do not wear glasses or contacts while palming.
To palm, cover your closed eyes with the cupped palms of the hand with the fingers overlaping in the center of the forehead. Do not touch or put any pressure on the eyes. Then meditate over something pleasant and relax. Some people like to warm up the palms first by rubing them briskly together.
Palming relaxes the optic nerves, enhances blood circulation, and relieves muscular rigidity in the eyes.
At first most people find they see a myriad of patterns lights and colors etc. When a high degree of relaxation is attained these tend to give way to just black. Bates advised to just imagine black to encourage this process, however if this proves difficult then to just rest while palming.
The first thing you will notice when you have finished palming is the sense of peace, relaxation and warmth in the eyes and the muscles around the eyes. The second is an increase in clarity, which slowly reverts back to your abnormal sight. Permanent sight improvement is based on the cumulative beneficial effects of these temporary improvements.
30 minutes a day is a good goal. If you have busy schedule then break it up into lots of 5 minutes. You can mix palming with a quick facial massage.
No. Even if you do one or more hours a day, Bates found this still produced beneficial results.
Bates advocated sunning as an important component of vision therapy. Sunning simply involves being in the sun, closing the eyes and just moving the head from the side to side while allowing the sun to shine on the closed lids. Do NOT wear contacts or lenses while sunning. As you become accustomed to light you can stretch out your eyelid and allow more light through the tranculecent skin.
Looking directly at the sun is of course NEVER recomended. If you have a high sensitivity, work mostly indoors under fluorescents or wear sunglasses often, then you might find that normal daylight hurts your eyes. Sunning is an excellent way of reducing any light sensitivity.
Once you are used to light sunning will give a soft, warm, pleasant and very relaxed feeling to the eyes.
If direct sunlight isn't availlable, artifical full-spectrum lights can be used.
Skying is milder form of sunning when the sensitivity to light is great or no sun is availlable. Instead of looking at the sun use a poriton of the sky with no sun. Once this has been mastered then graduate to sunning.
As much as you can. Start of with a few minutes per day and build up to half an hour, or break sunning up into smaller chunks if time is pressing. Eating lunch outdoors is a good time for sunning provided you dont live under the hole in the ozone layer or in the tropics.
There are contra indications to sunning. If you are albino or have certain skin diseases or any problems in or around your eyes, then consult your doctor. But if your healthy then the answer is yes. As it is, many people don't get enough sun, which can be a factor in causing depression, vitamin D deficiency, and calcium absorption problems.
If you are concerned about exposing yourself to too much UV light, there are things you can do. First, always sun with your eyes closed. Also, keep in mind: all frequencies of light are less intense in late afternoon or early morning -- you can do your sunning then. And, if you feel you need to, you can always wear a sun block on your face (don't forget your eyelids!).
Always start with as brief a period that you are comfortabale with and slowly extend this to the desired time. Remember in controled short periods of exposure the sun can only do good, and its only when you haven't built up exposure or haven't spent extended time in the sun that problems can occur as a result of sun-hypersensitivity.
Do however take extra care if you live under the holes in the ozone layer or in the tropics.
Yes. The lens of the eye filters out UV light on its own accord. Sunglasses are really only useful in high glare situations. If you need sunglasses use top-quality full-spectrum neutral gray as manufactured by Keystone Optical Laboratory or Enviromental Lighting Concepts. If you find daylight or strong light painful this may be an aspect of your vision dysfunction.
Remember to blink and blink often. People with refractive errors tend to blink much less than the average 20 blinks a minute. Reduced blinking leads to staring or squinting, so remember to blink often. Deliberate blinking momentarily rests the eyes, stretches the extra occular muscles, massages the eye balls and forces the pupil to contract and expand.
Working with computer video displays tends to dry out the eyes and blinking is even more important in these situations to help return much needed moisture to the eye. Some people like to put up a small note to remind themselves to blink frequently.
Yes. Deliberate or exagerated yawning relaxes all the facial muscles, encouraging fuller breathing and oxygenates the blood. Yawn frequently, especially when tired. Many people report greatly enhanced clarity while deep yawning.
The eyes use one third as much oxygen as the heart. If your breathing is shallow or weak than you should look into aerobic exercises.
John Selby devised an exercise that combines breathing, mental imagery, relaxation and awareness of your eyes in a single practice called Eye Breathing. Sit comfortably in a chair close your eyes, back straight, body relaxed. Breathe calmly through the nose and imagine that your eye is inhaling and exhaling air as part of this same rhythmic cycle of the breath, as if your eyes have become lungs. Also imagine that health, vitality, healing, relaxtion flow into your eyes with every breath.
John Selby devised an exercise that combines breathing, mental imagery, relaxation and awareness of your eyes in a single practice called Eye Breathing. Sit comfortably in a chair close your eyes, back straight, body relaxed. Breathe calmly through the nose and imagine that your eye are inhaling and exhaling air as part of this same rhythmic cycle of the breath, as if your eyes have become lungs. Also imagine that health, vitality, healing, relaxtion flow into your eyes with every breath.
Yoga breathing exrecise.
Cool breathing. Open oyur mouth to make an 'O' shape with your lips, and stick your tongue out over your teeth and past your lips. Inhale over the tongue, then after a full inhale. close your mouth and block your right nostril and breath out as slowly you can through your left. repeat alternating nostrils.
Subtle Energy breathing. Close your eyes. start with your left eye. Become aware of tis sensation, and try to bring it alive with feeling. Imagine your left eye is capable of breathing in prana/energy as you breath in through your nose. As you breath out, imagine the energy being transfered into your right out. Aternate for five minutes.
Breathing with the grain. stimulates the parasympathietic system and calms the sympathetic system. Hold your breath for 10 seconds. Block the left nostril with your left index finger and partially block the right with your right index finger. Exhale long and slwoly through the right nostril. Inhale long and deeply through both nostrils, and reapeat the above but swap nostrils. Practice 8-10 cycles.
This is your starting point. Become aware of what you see, without judging its relative merits. Simply note the degree of bluriness, whether you see a single image, or double or more images. How uniform is your field of vision? What happens if you stare at point too long? Are lines clearer in any one direction? Is one eye clearer then the other? Do you see the same colour through your eyes? How does your vision change during the day? How is your vision related to mood and general health?
Become really curious about your sight.
Orthoptics is a system of exercises that work the muscles involved in the visual system, especially with stereo viewers. Orthoptics has been mostly superseded by Behavioral Optometry.
Vision that involves the use of muscles and muscular coordination. Active vision exercises build up muscular strength and coordination and help stretch tight and constricted muscles. Almost all visual use comes under the category of active vision, but for the purpose of this FAQ, active vision is defined as deliberate use of the eyes for the purpose of enhancing vision.
ALWAYS perform visual exercises WITHOUT glasses or contacts unless otherwise stated.
Unlike a camera, the retina, the light sensitive area at the back of the eye has a central point of maximum sensitivity, called the fovea centralis, literally the "central pit". The retina itself is highly complex and has many layers, one of which is composed of rod and cone like cells which vary in distribution. The rod cells function mainly in vision under conditions of low light intensity (scotopic vision) and the cone cells function under conditions of high light intensity. In the center of the retina is a small circular elevation known as the macula lutea, literally the "yellow spot". In the center of this spot is the fovea, a deep depression of darker color. In the center of this depression there are few rods and the cones are pressed very close together. As we withdraw from this spot the acuteness of the visual perceptions rapidly decreases.
The eye with normal vision, therefore sees one part of everything it looks at best, and all other parts not as well, in proportion to their distance from the point of maximum vision, and it is an invariable symptom of all abnormal conditions of the eyes that this central fixation is lost.
Contrary to what is generally believed the part seen best when the sight is normal is extremely small. Textbooks say that at twenty feet an area having a diameter of half an inch can be seen with maximum vision. When building up an image the mind places the eye in constant motion over an object, giving us the illusion of very wide clarity.
When the eye possesses central fixation, it not only possesses impecable sight but is perfectly at rest and can be used indefinitely without fatigue. It is open and quiet, no nervous movements are observable, and when it regards a point at a distance the visual axes are parallel. In other words ther are no muscular insufficiencies. The muscles of the face and of the whole body are also at rest, and when the condition is habitual there are no wrinkles or dark circles around the eyes.
In most cases of eccentric fixation, on the contrary, the eye tires quickly and its appearance, is expressive of effort and strain. The eyeball moves at irregular intervals, in all directions. Nervous movements of the eyelids may also be noted, either by ordinary inspection or by lightly toucing the lid of one eye while the regards an object at the near point or the distance.The visual axes are are never parallel, and redness of the conjunctiva and of the margins of the lids, wrinkles around the eyes, dark cirlce beneath them, and the tearing are other symptoms of eccentric fixation.
The Bates method of central fixation has two parts. Firstly to find where in the visual field you are seeing clearest and with some simple games to retrain this point back onto the macula.
Secondly by learning to concentrate on as small a point as possible to develop overall clarity. Trying to make a large area clear is to struggle against the natural focusing mechanisms. By focusing on as small a detail as possible this will allow the overall greater clarity to start returning.
Bates often used an eye chart for this purpose. This exercise however does not require an eyechart and can be easily sloted in to your daily routine with virtually any object. Practice one eye at a time, then do both.
When looking at the top of the largest letter on an eye chart, the bottom of that letter should be less clear than the top. In visual problems this is rarely the case.
Look around the letter and find the point at which you look which will make the top of the largest letter clearer. Some people find that by still looking at the a point and moving their head around they can find a location which makes this noticeable. A few people find that the point of central fixation looking at an eye chart twenty feet away is displaced by several feet!
Learning to be aware of what you see is a fundamental skill in restoring perfect vision. Some people find that everything they see is equally indistinct, which cannot be the case. The subtle distinctions in the visual field requires close srutinity with the mind. In this case it is simply a matter of learning to enhance mental vision first.
Once you locate this point of greatest clarity then shift your gaze back and forward to the top of the largest letter and your current point of maximum clarity. Do this a half a dozen times and palm for a minute or so, then repeat as many times as you are comfortable with.
Gradually the distance bewteen where you are looking and where your point of greatest clarity will become shorter and eventually return at the macula.
An important aspect of central fixation is that allowing the larger visual field to be indisctinct creates greater relaxation which will be rewarded with greater clarity in the overall visual field.
In some difficult cases Bates used a point of light instead of text to greater attract the attention of the mind. If your seeing everything with the same degree of blur and not having much success finding your point of greatest clarity then you could try this approach.
In high degrees of mypoia, it is sometimes best to attempt to locate the point of maximum clarity at the near point by looking at a page of text. When looking straight ahead at a letter, you may notice another letter in the line above or below or in an adjacent word jumping out at you.
Conscious, slow-motion versions of saccadic movements. If you improve your ability to shift consciously, you will improve your saccadic movements.
Tiny movements of the eye used to survey the current mental point of interest. The eye can move up to 70 times a second when building up a complex imagine in the visual cortex. If you get up close to someone with normal vision you can see the eye is in constant motion, this give the eye the appearance of sparkling energy and is a sign that clear vision is happening.
In imperfect sight the saccades are slow, jerky and the excurisons are wider and made with more apparent effort.
It is imposible for the eye to fix a point longer than a fraction of a second without a noticeable decrease in acuity. An easy test is to fix the gaze at an object, it will quickly blur or even disappear and sometimes even produce pain.
Most of the time we are not aware of these tiny high speed movements of the eye.
Normal sight is impossible without saccadic motion. A person with imperfect sight tries to do the impossible and stares at one point for an extended length of time in order to see it better. One of the best methods of improving sight is to retrain this unconscious shifting. During a shift the point just departed should be less clear than the point arrived at and a swing or motion of the object should occur in the opposite direction of the motion of the eye. At first these may be difficult to notice, but with a combination of palming and shifting, they will reassert themselves. The speed at wich one should shift is dependent on the state of the vision. The aim is to stay relaxed while shifting and swinging, so at first this can be done slowly, and as improvement is made it can be done quicker.
When a normal eye shifts over an object such as a letter in a direction the letter will be seen to move in the opposite direction. This is what Bates called swinging.
When the sight or saccade is imperfect this swinging is irregular. Depending on the problem, moving the eye is one direction will make the object either not move or move in the same direction as the eye.
Examine the following exercises and adapt them to suit your daily routine. Shifting can be practised at any time with any object.
Eye Chart. Look at a letter on the eye chart. Shift on the same line so the first is seen less clearly. Shift back to the first so the second is seen less clearly. Alternate for half a dozen shifts.
Notice if the letter seem to move in the opposite direction to the eye. Also notice if both letters improve after half a dozen shifts. If any strain or effort is involved in causing the letters to swing in the oposite direction to the eye then rest and palm for a few minutes, then try again. Shifting is often very much sucessful when combined with palming. Variations: if the point shifted to does not leave the point departed less clear then try a larger shift. You may need to shift across lines or even away from the chart. Again pay attention to the swing in the letters. In myopes this exercise can be first attempted at the near point, where vision better. If the shift doesnt cause a coresponding opposite swing in a few attempts, then rest and palm. With practive the shift is made progressively shorter and quicker, yielding a corresponding improvement in overall clarity
Edging. Developed by Lisette Scholl. Sit comfortably without lenses, and identify an object just outside your range of seeing clearly. slowly and precisely trace the edges of the object, following its contours. Use your nose a pointer and move your head naturaly as you trace out objects. Then back trace the object, if you traced clockwise then retrate counter-clockwise.
Books, newspapers, magazines. Developed by Meir Schneider. Take a book and turn it upside down and edge the letters. Dont try to recognise the letters just follow contours. Blink frequently and breath constantly.
Nose drawing. Imagine there is a long pencil attached to your nose and edge moving your entire head.
General Electric game. Do nose drawing but imagine that you nose pencil become an electricity-bestowing wand. first hold your thumb at arm's length and edge sketch it with your nose pencil. Next imagine that a hidden light globe is in your thumb which glows when your nose pencil touches it. Repeat this with other objects in your visual field.
Long Standing Swing. Developed by William Bates. Swinging is gentle rocking motion that releases neck, shoulder lower back and spine tension. and exercise the whole body. Swinging makes the eyes more mobile, increase blood circulation and calms the central nervous system. Stand with your feet parallel and 6-12 inches apart, arms hanging loosely by your side. With your eyes facing straight ahead, sway from left to right, without pivoting the torso by shifting you body weight from one foot to the other in a rhytmic fashio. Then swing your body swing your body to the right by gently rotating your torso in that direction. Your weight shifts to your right foot and your left heels is raised slightly. The swing to the left in the same way. Pivot your torso while turning you head in the direction of the swing. Keep your head level, and allow your eyes to remian entirely at rest, open and unfocused. Just allow the scene moving past you in the ooposite direction to fly past without trying to make out details, dont pause to analyze, stare or squint. You'll know an increase in fovea vision is taking place when the scene is slides past you in the opposite direction. Swinging is not a high speed aerobic exercise, aim for a shit to take a couple of seconds at least.
Short swing.
Same idea as long swing, except you move your neck instead of your torso, shaking "no", nodding "yes", tracing figure-8's.
Notched circle. Developed by John Selby.
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The use of side and up and down vision. Binocular peripheral vision is what you use to let you know where you are, and is used to sense size, time and spatial concepts. Is an esential ability for driving.
See the Brock String Test.
Moving the fingers of your arms stretched out to your sides, while looking straight ahead. Moving dripless candles or lights in a similar way. Note that your peripheral vision is very sensitive to motion, and has very limited colour perception. Stimulating peripheral vision is good for computer work and other near work.
Juggling, ball tossing, table tennis. Juggling is an excellent way of working your focusing and developing cooperation between the visual systems. Always stay loose and relaxed and remember to breath when doing any exercise like juggling.
Thumb zooming. Extend an arm straight out with the thumb pointed up. Focus on this thumb, note the detail of your thumb against the detail of the background. Shift your focus to the distant background and note that your thumb has split into 2 images. zoom back and forth between your thumb and the background.
Whipping. This exercise is strongly recomended by Lisette Scholl for helping spasmed cilliary muscles. Cup your right hand over your left eye and extend your left arm out, palm facing your eyes, as far to the left as to be still seen by the right eye. Focus on your palm with the right eye while you briskly move the palm to within a few inches of oyur right eye. And whip it just as briskly back to its starting position. Forcing the right eye to nimbly change focus. Whip a few times then reverse sides.
Tromboning. Developed by Janet Goodrich. On a table tennis paddle or anything similar stick some brightly coloured shapes or images. Close your left eye with your left hand and hold out your paddle with your right arm. Remeber to breath calmly as you move your paddle in two inch increments towards your eye as if it were a tromboon shank. Trombone slowly at first allowing the eye to accomodate at each stop then more briskly with random and wider stoping points, perhaps in time to a pleasant tune you can recall.
Eye chart work. There are numerous variations on the use of simple eye chart. The simplest is to put up the wall a Snellen eye chart. stand back so that the chart is mostly in your eye chart so you can make some of it out but not all. Read the smallest letters you can. Trace the outlines of edge of each letter. Close your eyes and imagine the shape of each letter as big, black and solid. Open your eyes again, palm the right eye and the read the chart with your left eye. Reverse.
Reverse newspaper reading. Developed by Vic Cinc, useful to learn to let go and relax accomodation. Find a page in a newspaper or magazine where there is a long continuous column of text with a good readable typefont. Sit straight and comfortably at a table. Position the paper in front of you so that you can make out the words at the bottom of the column and around the top half is in your blur zone. Make a mental note as to how far up you can read the text. Palm your left eye and begin reading and working your way up the column into the blur. Once you start having difficulty making out words look for single letters. Only go up a line if you can make out a letter clearly. When you can't make out any more letters, just scan around the last letter you are on and sometimes a letter from the line above will come of the blur. If you lose your place just go back down till you can make out a letter and then keep going back up again. When you have gone as far as you can. Swap eyes and start from the bottom again and then try it with both eyes. If your near sighted then just read down the column.
Yes. There is a biofeedback device called the Accommotrac that helps you to develop this ability. It responds with different tones depending on your focus. However, it's an expensive device, and only a few clinics have it. Developing conscious control of accommodation without such a device is possible though, depending on ones abilites of self-perception.
Fusion is the mental process of taking the two slghtly different images from each eye and "fusing" them to build up a rich three dimensional field of binocular vision. Often in errors of refraction or when one eye is weak, binocular vision is poor and there is a general degeneration of fusion and the spacial 3D effect.
Stereograms are an excellent way. Another is learning to bring convergence under conscious control by going cross eyed.
Brock String drill. An extremely useful exercise deveoped by Frederick Brock. Using a piece of string about ten feet long thread different coloured beads or buttons every 8 or so inches. Position the first bead about a foot from one end. Attach the other at eye level to a door or some other convenient handle, you can do this standing or sitting comfortably. Wrap the other end around your fingers and hold the string tight up to the middle of your nose. The Brock string be held still or rotated for focusing and teaming work. Look at the bead closest to you. If you are using both eyes together at the same time and aiming accurately at the first bead it will look as if there are two strings joining in a V at the bead. The strings seem to go into the beads and come out the other side, thus they form an X. Each string should be of equal quality, not become fuzzy or indistinct at any place as you continue to watch it.
If the strings meet before the bead you have a tendency to fixate or aim inaccurately or overconverge. This will cause you to hold your reading material too close. If the strings meet behind the bead you are diverging. If you see two beads side by side, you have difficulty converging, which means you probably hold your reading too far away. Where ther is a lack of teaming, you would tend to use first one eye then the other.
Spend about 30 seconds on each bead, and observe the results. If you dont see two steady unchanging strings you need to work with the brock string on a daily basis to build up your binocular skills.
By focusing on the beads you can also develop eye-teaming skills. Slowly move down the string pausing at each bead. Once you have reached the end, retrace your steps. The jump from the nearest to the furthest several times. Then Jump around at random, vocering as many combinations as you can, spend extra time on the difficult jumps. IF strain develops, stop, relax, blink, palm, and try again.
Yardstick fusion. Use a yardstick or meter instead of the beads, stopping at the black mark on the ruler. Or tape colored pieces of paper to the stick.
Thumb Fusion. Holding your arms out straight with your thumbs up, and knuckles touching at eye level. Look between both thumbs at apoint half way between you thumbs and you nose, and an illusory third thumb will appear between your two thumbs. Notice your breathing during this exercise, and concentrate on breathing evenly and smoothly. Keep the third thumb there for a mintue or so. Then switch focus to a point behind your two thumbs and a new illusory thumb wil appear. Alternate between near and far illusory thumbs.
The Swinging Ball. Developed by Robert-Michael Kaplan. supend a tennis ball on a string so that it hangs about 16 inches from your eyes as you lie down somewhere. First observe the ball as a clear image against a fuzzy background. Practice spliting the ball into two images by looking through it. Then set the ball swinging from left to right and keep tracking it, without straining or moving your head. Breath normally and constantly, as the ball crosses the midline of your vision you might experience the hemispehric switching of perception between your left and right brain. Follow the ball for about 20-50 breaths.
Yes. If you don't know how to cross you eyes at will, try imagining a fly coming up and landing on your nose.
Absolutely! This is one of the fundamental keys to natural vision. Using the principals outlined for the type of exercise you need, by all means, devise an exercise that fits into your life style and your daily routines.
You need to strike a balance between passive vision (rest, palming etc) and active exercises. Always start off slowly with active work and allow plenty of rest. Once strength returns you can gradually increase the work load to suit your condition. Muscles that are not worked atrophy, muscles that are overworked can become damaged. You must become atuned to the state of your eyes and develop a sense of what they require.
Remember any strengthening benefit that will be derived from exercise always occurs not during the exercise itself but in the rest period after the exercise.
Very often during simple exercises you may find that super clear vision has re-asserted itself. At first these "clear flashes" are short lived but they will gradually last longer and longer and your average daily vision will improve along with them.
A clear flash will very often bring on a large amount of strain to "hang on to" it. This of course is self defeating. A useful mantra to repeat to yourself when you have a clear flash is "I did it once, I can do it again" and you will.
There are three categories of clear flashes:
a) The tear film has changed your refraction. While this doesnt count as a clear flash its usefull to do when you need to see clearly in a hurry and you dont have glasses handy. Its easy to spot as you can feel excess moisture on your eye. Tear film clarity is not even and usually it only occurs for a split second and is moved around by blinking.
b) Voluntary control. Often after having many involuntary clear flashes some people learn that by relaxing in a particular way and playing with some of the muscles in their eyes they can "bring on" a clear flash. Again this is very useful when you need to see in a hurry and no glasses are handy.
c) Involuntary clarity. Sometimes you just look up and "oh my god I can see!". This is usually accompanied by a deep sense of peace, comfort, relief and relaxtion in the eyes. The duration can be from seconds to extended periods of time. This is your natural vision and as you progess, it will be occur more and more frequently and the durations will increase. During a clear flash you will notice that black is very black. Memorize it. Detail is phenomenal as central fixation is taking place. There is a strong sense of 3D, as your eyes are working as a team.
Yes and no. Fear and avoidance of light is a general cause/aggravator of vision problems. Natural sunlight is of benefit to the eyes. Excessive indoor work, particulary under fluorescent lights deprives the eye of a full range of frequencies and we find in people with sight problems am unnatural sensitivity to light. Bates claimed that adverse lighting conditions are of benefit to the eyes. The trouble comes not from the adverse conditions themselves, but the strain that such conditions induce in a person who does not posess central fixation.
Exposing the eyes to a variety of conditions is a necessecity for optimal function. Even occasionally reading in dim light can be of benefit, training and extending the mental act of borederline perception. Keep in mind that you need to strike a balance between exercise and rest.
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Is an indispensible tool for eliminating astigmatism.
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You will need an A4 sheet of paper, a ruler, a protractor, a compass, a pencil and a 0.2mm black marker. Find the center of the paper, and using a pencil draw a circle almost as large as the paper (diameter 20cm) wiht the center of the circle at the center of the paper. draw another smaller circle from the same central point about radius 1cm. Then draw a line cutting the large cirle in two, but not crossing over the inner small circle. ie Leave the inner small circle blank. Then divide the two pies you have in two again. Again not drawing inside the inner circle. Now you have 4 pie shapes. Then divide each of these in two again, so you have eight wedges, and then again so you have 16 and then one final time. So you have a spoke every 10 degrees. The result looks like a bicycle wheel. Now using your marker draw over the spokes of the wheel with nice sharp dark black lines, make sure all the lines are the same darkness.
Now you have your black on white wheel. Use a bright yellow and bright orange fluoro highlighter. The colours aren't important and you can even just leave it black and white. Outline each spoke of the wheel with the orange highlighter and fill in the gaps between spokes with yellow. Leave the inner circle white. Later you can experiment and choose colours that pleases you. The bright colours are usefull cause they attract the mind, and stimulate all the visual meridians.
So now you have a picture of what looks like the iris of the eye. Place it on a window at eye height, and get back far enough so you can still make out most of the lines with your glasses/contacts off.
Okay Look at the lines near the center. What do you notice? If you are astigmatic you will notice that some of the lines are darker in some directions than others. Get used to the wheel for a little while and experiment with it. Try tilting your hear or looking at it sideways. Try looking around the inner or outer circle. Try just staring blankly past the wheel. Notice what happens in each case. Try blinking or yawning. Try palming for a minute or two. Try covering each eye with a hand quickly to see what the difference is between your eyes.
If you a "typical" astigmatic, you may the lines near the horizontal are clearer and darker than the lines vertically. You may also find the lines near the horizontal are spaced further apart and the vertical spaced closer together. You might also find the inner circle in not quite round.
Try looking at it with your glasses on. If your glasses fully correct astigmatism, then *all* the lines should be the same darkness and distance apart. If your glasses do not correct the astigmatism properly than you will still see some lines darker than others.
The astigmatic mirror gives you a direct and accurate record of your condition. You can use it as a direct feedback device, a mirror in which any changes you can make and learn to make will be instantly displayed.
Say you find the lines that are horizontal to be darker. Your aim is to make the vertical lines darker. So begin by removing any glasses/contacts, relaxing and taking a few deep breaths. Blinking naturaly and breathing normaly, find the line which is the faintest, and move your eye slowly and deliberatly up and down that line, imagining it to be getting darker and darker. Tell your self to relax, relax. And imagine that line to be getting darker and darker. The key is to _relax_ your eye has much as you can. You may want to start by massaging around the eye, and maybe doing a couple of minutes of palming.
With a bit of practice you will be able to make the lines in any orientation darker than the rest, but your goal is to make them _all_ equally dark.
If you are myopic its worthwhile to place your wheel on a window, as you get a lot of contrast between the black and fluoro colours of your wheel, and also you can check out the window to see what effect playing with the wheel is having on your vision.
Its also _very_ worthwhile putting one up at work and at home and whenever you get a break you can play with it and see what happens.
The astigmatic mirror allows you to leverage your own visual distortion to work for your benefit.
Bates found that the ability to recall was inversly proportional to the strain experienced by the mind. The more one strains the slower things can be recalled. Memory comes to the aid of sight in various ways. It is easier to see when something when it is clearly remembered, and remembering something like a point of pure black seems to relieve some strain when looking at an eye chart for black letters.
At an obvious level knowing what one is looking for, allows the mind to know when it has hit a correct focus. Looking at something which in unknown, lets the focusing mechanism thrash around while the mind looks for pattern matches. Bates advised patients to imagine a tiny black dot on one part of the letter they were trying to see. The memory of this perfect black dot encourages the mind in the right directions. The patient can also compare the darkeness of this imagined black dot against the color of the print.
Seeing is largely a function of the mind. Seeing is our interpretation of the impressions on the retina. Bates said that when the eye is out of focus the mind is also out of focus. Imagining that you can see well, will direct the mind in that direction. Imagination is based on memory and its use in regaining goos sight is similar. Patience is an important skill to learn in colaboration with the Bates method. Straining for improvement is counterproductive, it is better to use the imagination and allow change to happen at its own pace.
Perceptual integration. John Selby has developed an excellent exercise to expand your perception. Selby categorises four types of perception: perception of movement, perception of form, perception of colour and perception of volume or space. Often we limit our awareness from its full potential and concentrate on only one or two of the four types. Memorize the words to your self 'movement' and scan your enviroment with the awareness of motion or lack thereof. With the second breath repeat 'form' add the awareness of form or the shapes, lines textures of objects. With the third breath repeat 'colour' add the perception of colour. Finaly with the fourth breath repeat to everything else and its location in space and the space itself. This becomes a very enjoyable experience.
You can aply this formula to any object and you can easily practice this every hour or so until it becomes an unconsious habit.
Movies. One of Aldous Huxley's favourite preception enhancing pastime was seeing his favorite big screen movies again without glasses and just using the motion and colour to stimulate his visual sense.
Flashing. Glance breifly at a scene or object, close your eyes and replay in your mind what you saw. flashing is like the perceptual reverse of blinking.
The black dot. Draw a black dot using the blackest ink you can find. Examine the colour of this dot and become totaly familiar with it, so that you can bring it into your mind from memory at any time. Examine a letter on an eyechart and superimpose the black dot on a part of the letter. Compare the difference in colour. Close your eyes and again imagine the black dot, open your eyes and again superimpose it on the eye chart letter. Repeat with other letters.
The O shuttle. Developed by Margaret Corbett. Close your eyes and imagine a large, black. round letter O. AS if the O were a clockface and place a a large black dot at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. With your nose pencil and your eyes still closed, follow the outline of the O back and forward between the 12 and 8 oclock points. Next put a point at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions, and reapeat the shutlling.
Domino Memory. Developed by Rosanes-Berrett. Using a standard dominoes with white dots against black, stand the dominoes an inch apart at face level, left to right, whit the white dots facing you. Position yourself at the edge of your blur zone. Examine the domino furthest to one side, then close you eyes and imagine that your visualising it from the back of your brain. Intensify its image till its sharp and crisp. Open your eyes and look at the same domino. Repeat six times, then work along the rest of the dominoes. Variations include palying cards or older style calendars.
Coloring The eyes. Developed by Martin Sussman. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and breath naturaly. Visualise that your left eye is filled with a bright yellow light as if the sun were glowing into it. Slowly move this yellow sunlight back up the opitc nerve into the visual cortex of your left brain, then into your right brain, then the right optic nerve and finally back into your right eye.
Hypnosis can be used to reprogram and resolve many aspects of sight at un unconscious level. If you are interested in this avenue seek a trained hypnotist who will be able to advise you further. All habits were once conscious choice and behavior, and through repeated use drop out of consciousness and become part of the unconsious mind. You can reprogram these now at an unconscious level and achieve apparently startling results, just as you once learnt to walk, one step at a time so too can you change habits into a source of continuous positive adjustement for yourself.
The success level is mixed. If this avenue interests you consult a profesional medical hypnotist.
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Mental triggers are programmed/imbedded into the mind at the alpha brainwave level. For example "Each Time I blink my eyes, my eyes focus correctly like the lens of a camera". The actually phrase is not important, but it should be repeated 5-6 times while in the alpha wave state. The normal level of brain wave function is called Beta (14+ cycles/second). A mild trance/introverted/meditative state results in alpha waves (7-14 cycles/second). Slower and deeper levels Theta and Delta are associated with deep meditative trances and sleep. Palming and eye exercises are also recomended.
Entering the alpha state can be done with meditation, mantra or a pre-programmed mind machine.
Optometric vision therapy is an organised therapeutic regimen designed to treat neuromuscular, neurophysicological and neurosensory conditions that interfer with vision function.
An eye patch, or taped up lens in spectacles, used to cover a dominant or stronger or eye, to force the weaker eye to wake up. Some advise use only while there is a noticeable difference between the eyes, while others, in particular Robert-Michael Kaplan, advise alternate patching when both eyes see about the same.
Stenopaeic glasses. Dveloped in Germany in 1896. Glasses with black plastic with around 170 little pinholes in them. The narrow rays of light cause smaller blur circles and hence allow some clear vision. Pinholes are ideal for people that have difficulty reading. Not to be used whilst driving or at night.
Glasses with one red and one green lens. Used to separate the signals going into the brain. Promotes 3-d images in the mind. Should only be used under the supervision of a behavioral optometrist.
Glasses that allow only axis of polarisation, in behavioral optometry each lens has a different polarasation, typically 45degree and 135degree. Should only be used under the supervision of a behavioral optometrist.
Glasses that have special prisms incorporated to rearanage your spatial perceptions. Should only be used under the supervision of a behavioral optometrist.
A biofeedback device developed by Dr Joseph N. Trachtman, a behavioural optometrist in Brooklyn Heights, New York. The patient uses it to learn to control his or her accommodation. Excellent results are possible for myopes. The theory behind the AVT is that when a person learns to relax to keep the cilliary relax during focusing substantial improvement in vision can occur.
Each of us see the world though a set of metaphores. These metaphores represent our beliefs systems, and how we perceive and make sense of the world as presented to our senses. Everybody has the right to their own individual set of metaphores. No one can say that one is more correct or more right than in an absolute or fundamental sense. Belief systems are all relative to each other, some may be more appropriate in some conditions than others.
Vision therapy is about gaining outsight by gaining insight into yourself your emotions and the metaphores you use to run your body and your life. The nature of your metaphores are reflected in the nature of your physical problems, and vice versa.
short questionaire.
What was happening with you and around you at the time you very first started wearing glasses or contacts?
Why do you want to improve you sight and vision?
What has been your relationship with your eye doctor(s)?
What are your fears? How do these fears affect what you don't want to see?
How does your present vision hinder you?
What benefits do you get from your present vision?
What was your expereince of learning how to read?
What is your relationship with your glasses or contacts?
What is your parents vision like?
Myopia is a contraction and withdrawl from the world. Myopia is about not trusting what one sees, and about seing the world through a fear filter. Myopia often indicates a lack of security in ones self and in general trying too hard to acheive and to see.
Myopia is also about being more critical, analytical, judgemental and having excessive attention to detail. The lenses of myopes are negative and make myopes feel negative. The lens also concentrates light on the macula depriving the rest of the retina from participating in the visual process. The peripheral vision is used to position ourselves in space and time and a myope will tend to numb themselves in that process.
Children that are abused tend to develop high myopia.
As myopia receeds more light falls over the retina and a greater part of the brain is reactivated.
In the USA well over 100,000,000 people are myopic.
Hypermetropia is about distancing ones self from the present and the here and now. Hypermetropia can be about seeing through an anger filter. Hyperopes may avoid crowded places and prefer solitude. Attention is focused in the future and elsewhere.
Astigmatism is about being out of balance, and dealing with conflicting nessages from for example your parents. The inner nature reflects that twisting and confusion in the outer world. There is tightness and restriction.
Presbyopia is about a loss of flexibility, physical and emotional. Fear of intimicay and focusing in on the self.
A person with macular degeneration tends to lose the wider perspective in life. The peripheral vision often shuts down in sympathy with teh central vision. There is a loss of ability to focus on issues and follow through.
A lazy eye has often unconsious fear or anger assocaited with it. Ther is aloss of stimulous and nourishment with the lazy eye.
strabimus often causes a self-esteem problem, due to the cosmetic effect. In crossed eyes (esotropia) there is a rigidity and inflexibility. A pulling inwards and away from the world. In wall-eyes (exotropia) there is indecision and dificulty folowing through, and a fear of intimacy.
Glaucoma is about Internalisation of feelings resulting in pressure from within.
Cataracts is about uncertainty and inability to clarify inner thoughts.
This problem is often accompanied with resignation from and fear of life.
Associated with unresolved grief, sadness or pain.
The eastern approach is from a different viewpoint to that of the west. In China students perform eye exercises twice a day, for about ten minutes, as do factory workers. As a result China has a much lower rate of myopia than the U.S.
Acupressure is excellent for relieving eye strain and fatigue. You may find that these points are very tender if you are suffering eye fatigue or strain.
Technique: Form pressure, apply gradually and hold without movement for three minutes. One minute of steady pressure calms and relaxes. To stimulate an area, apply pressure for only four to five seconds. The pressure should be somewhere between firm and outright pain. The more developed the muscles the more pressure can be applied.
The points:
Drilling Bamboo. (B2) In the indentations outside the bridge of the nose on the inner edge of the eyebrows.
Four Whites. (St2) 1/2 an inch below the center of the lower eye ridge in an indentation of the cheek.
Facial Beauty (St3) At the bottom of the cheek bone directly in line with the puil of the eye.
Heavenly Pillar. (B10) 1/2 inch below the base of the skull on the ropy muscles 1/2 inch outward from the spine.
Wind Mansion. (GV16) At the top of the spinal colum in the large hollow under the base of the skull.
Third Eye Point. (GV24.5) Directly between the eyebrows, in the indentation wher the bridge of the nose meets the forehead.
Bigger Rushing. (Lv3) On the top of the foot, in the webbing between the big toe and the second toe.
Exercises:
1) Press B2. Place your thumbs on the upper ridge of your eye sockets close to the bridge of the nose. Press upward into the indentations of the eye sockets as you breath deeeply for one minute.
2) Hold St & St3. Place your index fingers in the center of your cheks below the lower ridge of the eyes, in line with the pupil. Then place your index fingers directly below your index fingers, underneath the cheekbones. With your eyes closed, apply light pressure and breathe deeply for a minute.
3) press B10. Curve your fingers to firmly press B10 on the ropy muscles that run parrallel to the spine. Hold for one minute as you breath deeply.
4) Hold GV16 and GV24.5. Place the middle finger of your left hand on GV16 in the large hollow in the middle of the base of your skull. Use the middle finger og your right hand to lightly touch GV24.5 and focue your attention on that spot with your eyes closed. Breathe deeply as you hold this powerful healing point for one minute.
5) Stimulate Lv3. Slip your shoes off. Starting between your large and second toes on both feet, slide your middle and index fingers up the foot in the valley between the bones. Pres firmly into the indentation just before the bones join to form a V shape. Rub against the skin to stimulate these eyestrian relief points.
yes. In the eastern model, vision problems are symptoms of reduced liver and possibly kidney energy. The liver governs the free flow of energy through the body, the cirucaltion of qi, the discharge of digective bil, and anything that moves you emotionally. The liver governs the muscles and tendons and all anatomical movement. Acupuncture works better on fresh vision problems, patients who have been wearing glasses for many years respond poorly to treatment.
Do not perform acupuncture on yourself, consultant a profesional acupuncturist. :)
Meditation is about expanding the space between thoughts and experiencing the inner nature of mind that is found there.
Meditation is an excellent way to relax your mind deeply.
Sit comfortably and relaxed. You can sit in the lotus position if your agile enough, but for our puposes sitting on a chair will be fine.
Focus in on your breathing. Just pay attention to your breath, as it moves in and then out of your nostrils. Note to yourself each in breath by saying to yourself "in", and each out breath by saying "out". As thoughts arise and you find yourself getting diverted, gently bring your self back to just noticing you breathing, and noting each in and out breath. Dont try to force or control your breathing, just be an impartial observer. If a though arises just note it, dont cling to it, or associate with it, or chase it up and follow it. Allow yourself to just drop thoughts the same way, back into the stillness, they arose from. If a sensation arises just note it and let it go. If you find yourself drfiting off into conversation with yourself, just drop that too and return to noting your breaths.
Stay aware and mindfull, meditation is not about drifting off to sleep, but about stilling the waves within your mental ocean.
Usually come as complex mixtures. Consult a chinese herbalist for more details.
Xi Gan Ming Mu. Gardenia and Vitex combination. contains 19 herbs that benefit that dispel the "wind and heat" that produce eye disorders.
Zi Shen Ming Mu Tang. Chrystanthenum combination. tonifies qi and heals eye problems resulting from liver and kidney yin deficiency.
Ming Mu Shang Qing Pian. Bright Eyes Upper Clearing tablets. sedate liver fire that upsets the eyes.
Nei Zhang Ming Yan Wan. Inner Obstruction to Eyesight Pills. encourage visual clarity. Nourishes liver and kidney yin.
Shi Hu Ye Guang Wan. Dendrobium Leaf Night Sight Pills. Nourish qi and blood and tonify the liver and kidney. Aid blurry or dizzy sight, hypersensitivoty and intraoccular pressure.
Ming Mu Di Huang Wan, Bright Eyes Rehmannia Pills. replenish liver and kidney, nourish blood, sedate liver fire and wind.
Walking, Jogging, aerobics, Yoga, Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement classes.
Yes. Vision affects posture and posture affects your vision. Pay attention to your head position and its relation to you vision and the objects of your vision.
Experiment with your posture and note what effect different positions have on your sight.
Hold up a finger six inches from your face and stare past ir, so the finger splits into 2 images. Is one lower than the other? try tilting your head around observe what happens.
Often myopes tend to lean forward towards things to see them clearer. Hyperopes tend to lean back or move things further away. This sometimes necessitates looking up or down and causes your eyes to diverge or converge, leading to accommodation/vergence disruptions. Be aware of leaning your head forward or back. Often rapid change in vision occurs simply from correcting poor posture and head position.
In rare cases the head is turned to one side.
To sit up straight, imagine there is a piece of string tied to the very top of your head, pulling you up, you will find as you allow your self to be pulled up you will be stting in your natural position. Your spine has a natural S shape. When sitting your lower back should be in, and you should be on your "sitting" bones, chest out, shoulders back and head upright. Your feet should be flat on the ground, if your chair is too high, use telephone books under your feet. Your thighs should be straight and parrallel to the ground. When you are sitting in a natural position, your knees are free to move from side to side. If you sit to far forward or back your thighs are pushed against your chair and your knees have no freedom of movement. A common misconception is that the spine should be straight and to this end poorly designed chair backs are straight, use a lumbar cushion to correct this error in design.
In a "correct" position it is possible to sit for an hour or more without any discomfort. If you find yourself slouching, leaning, or not sitting properly, get up, walk around give yourself a break and then start again when you are refreshed. If you find yourself unable to maintain a good siting posture then its time to have along break.
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Craniosacral therapy is used in visual problems where there is a problem with the bone structure of the skull or cloging of the holes in the skull which may result in pressure on the optic nerve.
Vitamin A is the most important vitamin in vision, and lack can also be a cause of generaly poor sight and poor night vision. Symptoms of lack of Vitamin A include poor rapid dark-adaptation, pink or inflamed eyelids and dryness of the cornea. RDA is 4000-5000 IU or 800-1000 RE. High sources are fish-liver oil, calf liver. Fat soluble and therefore stored up in the body, you should be carefull not to overdose on Vitamin A. Beta Caroteine is an alternative (precursor) which does not accumulate in the body. The mineral Zinc is a strong co-factor with Vitamin A.
An effective dose (under supervision of a doctor) for night blindness is 15000 IU per day Beta Caroteine for one month with 20 mg zinc per day.
B group Vitamins, should be taken as a complex.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is the most important of the B group vitamins. Symptoms of lack of B1 include burning or bloodshot eyes, unclear or double vision, conjunctivitis, eye fatigue, sensitivity ot light and dark spots in visual field. RDA is 1.0- 1.5mg.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Symptoms of lack of B2 are burning or bloodhsot eyes, conjunctivitis, eye fatigue, sensitivity to light, puli dilation, twilight blindness and dark spots in the visula field. RDA is 1.2-1.7 mg.
Vitamin B6 may be involved in regulating eye pressure and may help prevetn glaucoma. RDA is 1.6-2.0mg.
Vitamin B12. Symptoms of lack of B12 may include a general dimming of vision. RDA is 2mcg.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Super vitamin. The sclera of the eye depends on Vitamin C, and cataracts may begin when Vitamin C becomes deficient. Glaucoma may also be treated by Vitamin C, 2gm daily for six days. RDA is 60mg. There is no know toxic dose. Vitamin C should be taken with bioflavinoids.
Vitamin D and Calcium. Another important combination. There is evidence linking childhood deficiency to myopia. Vitamin D is needed for the asimilation of calcium, and the prevention of waterlogged sclera. if the fibrous tunic around the eye has excess water, the interoccular pressure may build up leading to elongation and myopia. Vitamin D and calcium has been shown to dehydrate the water from the scelar and reduce elongation. optometrist Ben Lane showed myopic children tended to have a diet higher in refined carbohydrates and animal protein than clear seeing children. Resulting in a deficiency of minerals, vitamins, calcium and chromium, and an overabundance of phosphorus. High phosphorus reduces calcium levels. RDA for Vitamin D is 200-400IU. Vitamin D is easy to overdose on, producing elevated levels of calcium in the blood and possibly hypercalcemia. RDA for calcium is 800-1200mg.
Vitamin E. Has been shown to have a positive effect on vision problems. More then 600 IU per day will however interfer with Vitamin A absorption. RDA is 9-10IU.
Zinc. Dark adaption may be impaired by zinc deficiency. Taken in conjuction with Vitamin A has been shown to aleviate macular degeneration, and poor night vision. RDA is 12-15mg. Make sure that suplemental zinc is mixed with copper and selenium.
Chromium. Vital for bodily regulation of energy. Deficiencies are caused by excess sugar in diet. dose is 200 to 500mg/day.
Accommodation has been shown to depend to be sensitive to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Sensitivities to certain foods are reflected in the state of the eyes. Leafy green vegetables are excelent for the eyes, having a detoxifying effect on the liver. Fatty foods, sugary foods, stimulants and antibiotics have a negative effect on the eyes.
Yes. In Russia full spectrum lighting is mandated in many workplaces and schools. In West Germany the government restricts the use of low spectrum light in public buildings. Look for Neodymium bulbs (ones from finland are highly recomended) which make ideal reading lamps.
Dr John Ott has shown that extended exposure to cool-white lighting such as fluorescent lights leads in high body levels of metabolic hormones related to stress. Dr Ott has also shown a link between full=spectrum lighting and recovery from various illnesses, and that negative health factors can result from habitual wearing of sunglasses.
Yes. Unless there is a good reason for having them. Tinted lenses and glasses contribute towards light sensitivity.
The optic nerve has two major pathways, one transmitting photoelectric impluses to the brains cortex (visual perception), and the other is a non visual or energetic pathway that leads to the hypothalmus, pineal and pituatary glands. Thes regulate endocrine and autonomic function and are responsible for physical and emotiional changes.
Syntonics is a branch of optometry dealing in the relationship between various frequencies of light and neurophysiological responses. Syntonics is used in the treatement of vision problems by shining pencil thin beams of coloured lights onto the retina to activate healing responses from the autonomic nervous system. Good results are obtainable for the treatment of myopia, astigmatism and hypermotropia. Consult a syntonic optometrist for more details.
Blue-green light has been shown to be beneficial as therapy for myopes. You can do this at home using coloured lighting gels and a flashlight. You can experiment with different colours to elicit an emotional response. Often colour therapy will trigger the release of bottled up emotions and memories.
Yes. Each indivudal would be treated according to his or her overall unique set of symptoms and there isnt a generic remedy. Consult a homeopathic practitioner for more details.
Euphrasia Officinalis. A native herb of Europe with a long history of use in vision. Recomended for eye inflamations, stinging or weeping eyes, and hypersensitivity ot light. Can also be applied topically.
Vaccinium myrtillus. Bilbery is know to improve night vision and visual accuity. Also used in relief from eye fatigue such as from prolonged reading, day blindness (hemeralopoia), and some disturbances of the retina.
>From Robert Bidleman's "Wildcrafter's Barrow" -- for original document as well as references to scientific studies on bilberry (and a chance to order some!) go to...
http://www.c2.org/~robbee/herbal.html
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Bilberry, Huckleberry, Whortleberry, etc.
(NOTE- Some of the species called blueberry are actually myrtillus and not corymbosum)
Found in cooler areas of North America and Eurasia, usually acid soils in wooded areas, heaths and barren places. Usually found in moist soils. Can be found under the canopies of larger tress, especially old growth.
Used by the Kashaya Pomo in Northern California for diabetes and eye dis- orders. Mentioned in many older texts in Buryatia, Europe, China as an herb valuable for it's powerful ability to correct many diseases of the digestive system, circulatory system and eyes.
It is unclear whether significant amounts of the active constituents of V.Myrtillus are also present in V.Corymbosum but it appears that people of the North East USA have used the leaves for diabetes successfully for many years. Most of the research has been done on Vaccinium Myrtillus.
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For centuries Bilberry/Huckleberry has been used as a circulatory enhancer and diabetic aid. The following has been found in Bilberry: Ericolin, arbutin, beta-amyrin, nonacosane, anthocyanosides, notably myrtocyan. Anthocyanosides are a type of bioflavonoid which causes the deep blue-red color of many berries. These anthocyanosides protect the vascular system by strengthening the capillary walls. This produces many of the secondary benefits such as lowering of blood pressure, reduction of clots, reducing varicosities and bruising, reversing poor blood supply and improving blood supply specifically to the nervous system. Bilberry is used in Europe before surgery to prevent excessive bleeding and hemorrhaging. A recent German medical journal reports Bilberry effective in reducing execcesive bleeding by 71%. Bilberry also thins the blood by inhibiting the platelets from adhesion to themselves. This combination of actions;
1 Improving capillary strength
2 Reduction of capillary leakage
3 Blood thinning
results in improved blood flow and dramatically reduces clotting related health risks.
During World War II RAF pilots were forced to fly at night in order to accomplish any deep assault on Germany. Many pilots and their crew members complained of the poor visibility and its effects on their performance. It was just simply very difficult to work in the dark. One of the families of a flight leader had an older woman who suggested using Bilberry jam as an aid to night vision. Researchers found fifty years later what the RAF already knew, Bilberry's powerful effects increased retinal purple by dramatic amounts in just twenty minutes . Further research showed that the RAF pilots who survived and continued consuming the jam or other Bilberry products had several remarkable aspects to their health. The most noticeable was perfect vision both near and far as well as a complete absence of eye disorders throughout their lives. The group was absent of any circulatory or digestive disorders in their medical histories. Another study showed Bilberry to improve eyesight and increase occular blood supply in 75% of patients. It improved nearsightedness after 5 months of regular use while an 83% improvement in visual acuity was recorded after only 15 days. One of the more encouraging statistics regarding Bilberry's visual enhancing properties is that over 80% of the people taking Bilberry for the first time improved on their visual acuity exam and passed a night vision test within 3 minutes of ingestion. Long term improvements took an average of 6 weeks with regular doses.
The anthocyanosides of Bilberry which may vary in amounts from one variety to another have been proven to be one of the more powerful antioxidants. Ranked higher in activity than vitamins E and C by Dr. Pierre Braquet, a well known phyto researcheranthocyanosides prevent free radical damage to collagen and collagenous tissue, making it one of the most important agents to treat diseases such as osteoarthritis, gout, and periodontal diseases. Vaccinium Myrtillus' anthocyanosides proved consistently to increase the acetylcholine-induced relaxation of isolated coronary arteries. This is a promising update to the already impressive list of benefits of Bilberry.
Another quality of Bilberry is the effect it has on the digestive system most notably, the stomach. Bilberry increases the secretion of the mucuous layer that protects the stomach from damage. A recent study showed Bilberry to inhibit ulcers in 63% of patients at risk .
One of the most beneficial aspects to Bilberry's circulatory effects is the fact that the most affected are the areas which are usually the last to be improved, scalp, eyes, dental and peripheral areas such as extremities. This is one of the dual actions that diabetes patients value in Bilberry; it's proven action on the circulatory system which complicates diabetes and the modification of blood sugar levels in type I and type II diabetes.
The fresh or dried berries are useful for a feverish liver and are useful as an adjunct in stomach conditions. In Russia the berries are called affectionately by the name "Chernika" and are used with the leaves in tinctures for gastric colitis and other digestive problems. It has a legendary reputation as aid to an diabetics.
by Robert Bidleman
courtesy of Karen deWeeger (kyd@EBay.Sun.COM)
-------------------------------- BILBERRY ANTHOCYANOSIDES
The chemical composition of bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) has been studied by many authors who have found glucosides of cyanidine, malvidine, delphynidine, petunidine and peonidine. The interest in Bilberry anthocyanisides was first aroused in view of the fact that bilberry extracts administered to healthy subjects were apt to improve night-time visual aquity, and accomplish a quick adjustment to darkness and fast restoration of visual acuity after glaring. It was later found that these anthocyanosides exert a dual action on blood capillaries by increasing their resistance and reducing their permeability.
PHARMACOLOGY
Tests conducted by Alfieri and Sole (1964) on rabbits showed Bilberry anthocyanosides to speed up the regeneration of retinal purple and adaptation to darkness when administered intravenously. Their activities on capillary permeability was studied by Demure (1964) on rabbits through the Blue Trypan Test according to the Ambrose and De Eds technique. After injecting the dyeing agent into the vein and rubbing the depilated skin with chloroform, a local irritation sets on facilitating the spreading of the dyeing agent outside the capillaries. The subsequent appearance of a blue stain on the skin can be considerably delayed in rabbits pre- treated with intravenously injected Bilberry anthocyanosides which have greater intensity and duration of action than other P-Vitamin factors. The activity of Bilberry anthocyanosides on capillary resistance was tested on guinea pigs, rats, and mice as reported by Bastide (1968), by measuring the vacuum rate required to cause the failure of surface vessels. The test was conducted before and after administration of anthocyanosides and confirmed their protective action on vasal walls. Pourrat et al. (1967) made acute toxicity tests on mice and rats by administrating anthocyanosides intraperitoneally, intravenously, and orally. LD 50 in the first two cases was 2.35 - 4.11 g/kg, and 0.24 - 0.848 g/kg, respectively. Anthocyanosides showed no toxicity in the third case. These results are particularly satisfactory in that oral administration is the preferred way in current therapeutical applications. Chronic toxicity tests have also confirmed the high degree of harmlessness of bilberry anthocyanosides. At the same time, the Authors tested the general effects, the P-Vitamin activity, and the action on retinal purple, and confirmed previous results.
CLINICAL STUDIES
The first clinical experiment in ophtalmology was conducted by Jayle and Aubert (1964) on 37 healthy subjects. The results, which were also studied statistically, showed a marked improvement in the retinal adaptation curve and some improvement in vision aquity in dimlight. The most conspicuous changes appeared four hours after the oral administration of the substances and disappeared in 24 hours. Overlapping results were obtained by Volpi and Bertoni (1964) who used existing information to study the effect of Bilberry anthocyanosides on the retinal sensitivity to light in healthy subjects. Florini et al. (1965) used Bilberry anthocyanosides to treat diseased cases - most of them affected by pigmentary retinis - as well as healthy subjects. Their findings showed an enlargement of the vision range in addition to a higher adaptation curve, this being a remarkable result in diseased patients. Through the favourable action of Bilberry anthocyanosides on vision appeared to be finally established, some Authors intended to provide a further contribution in this field. In particular, studies were conducted by Mercier (1965), Scialdone (1966), Alfieri and sole (1966), Magnasco (1966), Gloria and Perla (1966), and Urso (1967) who restricted their investigations to the effects following a short-duration per os treatment.
Zavarise (1968) thought it useful to study a number of hemeralopia patients and subjected them to a similar treatment during a longer period of time. This approach would permit to observe the constancy of the effect during the treatment, its duration after discontinuance, and any side-effects.
On the second day of treatment, the patients already showed an improvement in the retinal luminous sensitivity that remained virtually constant during three months' treatment, although it gradually decreased when the drug was discontinued as shown by the return of the adaptation curve to its original condition.
The same patients, when subjected to a new treating cycle, again showed values overlapping those previously found and never evidenced side-effects. Juneman (1968) was successfull in a similar case of hemeralopia which at first seemed unsolvable.
Around the same time as the early experiments in ophtalmology, the effectiveness of orally administered Bilberry anthocyanosides was more generally tested on all those tissues which are particularly sensitive to disturbances in the capillary blood systems.
Terrasse and Moinade (1964) obtained satisfactory results in patients affected by blood purpuras and various encephalic circulation disturbances. They also treated cases subjected to anti-coagulating measures and varicose vein patients.
In the same year, Demure reported on 124 cases affected by arterious and venous troubles from various origins, and 10 capillary fragility subjects. All were treated with anthocyanosides. The results obtained were very satisfactory, even from the standpoint of tolerance to the product used. Cuvellier et al. (1966) made a deep study into capillary permeability and determined its pathological increase by an appropriate technique.
The patients selected for the purpose had a common complaint in an unbalanced water and plasmatic protein distribution on both sides of the capillary wall. The anthocyanoside-based treatment produced a marked improvement and reduced hyperpermeability in most cases.
Romeuf (1967) studied the effect of Bilberry anthocyanosides exclusively on microscopic hematuriae caused by diffuse and kidney glomerule capillary fragility.
Sixty per cent of a variety of kidney patients showed appreciable reduction in hematuria. Failures in the remaining cases were explained by taking into consideration more serious conditions and advanced stages in specific deceses.
Satisfactory results were obtained by Baudon et al (1968) in obstetrics. They experimented with an association based on Bilberry anthocyanosides and vitamin E. The clinical pattern improved in 35 pregnant women, most of them affected by varices and various blood troubles. The drug was well tolerated and no side effects were found in either the mother and the infant.
Canivet and Passa (1971) were also successful in associating Bilberry anthocyanosides with such other active principles as nicotinic acid, papaverine, and phenobarbital.
The product was administered as a vasodilator, hypotensor and capillary wall protector to diabetes patients and subjects affected by artery hypertension and arteritis.
A number of Authors followed the course of Vitamin P factors - particularly Bilberry anthocyanosides - in the body.
In the light of earlier investigations, Bastide (1968) stated that these are largely found in the form of metabolites in urines and originated by the activity of liver and kidney enzymes.
The pharmacological and clinical surveys reported here clearly evidence the effectiveness of Bilberry anthocyanosides in all arterial and venous troubles which are accompanied by capillary fragility or hyperpermeability.
Succus Cineraria Maritima. Has been shown to increase the circulation between the tissues of the eye. Has also been shown to reduce of the opacity in cataracts.
Spirulina. A rich source of protein, beta caroteine, B-complex vitamins, iron, magnesium, selenium, enzymes, DNA, RNA, and potasium.
For more details on Native American herbs consult.
Los Remedios. Traditional Herbal Remedies of the Southwest. by Micheal Moore.
Earth Medicine Earth food: Plant remedies, Drugs, and Natural Foods of the North American Indians. by Micheal A. Weiner.
Reading can easily be turned into a beneficial activity by following some common sense principals.
Always take regular breaks when reading, chapters are often a convenient break point, and you may want to take breaks more often. This is a good time to do half a minute of palming. Make sure you vary your accomodative distances, ie look out of the book frequently. Vary the distance to the book itself frequently. Vary the lighting conditions, but keep the bulk comfortable, read outdoors or especially under a full-spectrum light.
Pay close attention to what your eyes tell you during reading, and pay close attention to your head and body posture. You need to continuously monitor your posture.
After reading for an extended period of time its a good idea to do a few minutes of near far shifting. You can use a finger at about a foot and an object beyond it at a few meters. Shift your focus from your finger to the distant object. Start slowly and deliberately and then go a bit faster then slow down again. Repeat the cycle unitl your eyes feel and not as tight.
Take frequent breaks at least every twenty minutes and look into the distance. Sit near a window to receive full range light and so you can do frequent far to near shifts, ie look into the distance.
Position the screen about just slightly about 20 degrees below eye level. Locate keyboard so wrist and lower arm are parallel to floor. Feet should be flat on the floor and thighs parrallel to floor. see [14.4] on sitting up straight.
Use an antiglare filter for your screen.
Use CRT flickering or fluorescent lighting to stimulate peripheral vision, turn occasionaly so that the source of flicker can be perceived in you peripheral vision.
Watch your posture, as your eyes get tired you may develop a tendency to lean towards your screen. Avoid slumping or sitting at odd angles, if you do, get up stretch and walk around. Get a chiropracticaly designed chair if possible or a chair with good lumbar support.
Palm frequently. Put up a note reminding you to blink often. Use the potent acupressure eye points to relieve fatigue. Do regular breathing exercises. Get plenty of other exercise.
Short term patching. Plenty of teaming work. Make sure fusion is working cohesively.
[to be completed]
Use an eye drop made from Aloe Vera, this plant has many soothing effects. Examine your visual lifestyle, are you blinking often enough? Do you give your eyes constant breaks? Smoking is a well known cause of eye iritation and so are contact lenses. Some people find air-conditioning and contact lenses is a major ocular hazard. Vitamin A drops are also availlable to help restore banlance to dry eyes.
Find the weakest link in your visual system and improve it.
[to be completed]
Relaxation and passive work. Meditation. Yoga. Body work such as Feldenkrais if you posture needs reconfiguring. eg if you lean too far forward.
Palming. Brock string exercise. Select favorite exercises for: Extending accommodation out into the blur zone. Work on saccadic motion. central fixation.
Stretch mucles of the eyes. Breathing and blinking. Massaging around eyes, acupressure for stress releif.
Address the emotional aspects of withdrawal from far vision.
Blue-green light therapy. 15 minutes a day.
Wear no glasses when possible, use fitness 20/40 where full correction is not needed. Only wear glasses where absolutely needed.
Pay attention to nutrition. supplement Vitamin A/Zinc, Calcium/Vitamin D, B-complex, Bilbery. Avoid processed and refined foods. Minimise sugars, animal fats, stimulants and drug use.
Spend as much time with the astigmatic mirror as your comfortable.
Same as myopia. Pay special attention to posture and imbalances in posture and emotions.
Feldenkrais lesson or other body work to reconfigure your posture. Chiropractic work if problems are structural/chronic.
Near-far focus. moving focus within the blur zone. Brock string exercise.
same nutrition as for myopes.
Use pinhole glasses for reading. (15 mins a day) Brock string exercise. three-dimensional postcards books. move then sideways, and up and down.
Otherwise same aas myopia.
Eye massage. Stretching the eye muscles. Relaxation and passive work
Eye massage. Palming. Brock String exercise. relaxation.
Eye massage. stretching eye muscles. Relaxation. Blue-green light therapy. (30min twice a day) Proper nutrition. and extra Vitamin C each day.
All eye injuries are potentially serious. Even superficial grazes cam lead to scarring of the surface of the eye (cornea) or infection with possible deterioration of eyesight amd even blindness.
Symptons and Signs:
+ partial or total loss of vision of the affected eye, even with no visible injury.
+ pain, eyelid spasm and watering of the eye.
+loss of blood or clear fluid from the eye wound, possibly with flattening of the eyeball.
Aim: Proctect the eye and seek medical aid.
Treatement:
1 Help the casualty into the most comfortable position. Support the head and advise the to keep as still as possible. DO NOT attempt to remove _embedded_ foreign bodies.
2 Ask the casualty to close the injured eye and gently cover it with an eye pad or a sterile unmedicated dressing. Secure the pad lightly in position with bandage or adhesive tape.
3 Advise the casualty to keep the sound eye still because movement will cause the injured eye to move.
4 Transfer to hospital by ambulance maintaining the treatment position.
Corrosive chemicals, both liquid and solid can easily enter the eye and rapidly damage its surface causing severe scarring and even blindness.
Aim: Wash the chemicals away as quickly as possible and transfer to hospital.
Symptoms and Signs:
+ Intense pain in the affected eye.
+ Damaged cannot tolerate light.
+ Affected eye may be tightly closed.
+ The eye may be reddened, swollen or watering excessively.
Treatement: 1 Hold the affected side of the casualties face under gently running water for at leat 10-15 minutes so that cold water drains away from the face. Alternatively let the casualty put the affect side of the face in a bowl of cold water and ask the casualty to blink.
NB check that both surfaces of the eyelids have been well irrigated. If the eye is shut in a spasm of pain, you may have to pull the lids firmly. but gently, open.
If this is not possible, sit or lay the casualty down with the head tilted back and turned towards the affected side. Protect the uninjured eye, gently pour sterile water or saline over it. If these solutions are not availlable, use a cup of tap water.
2 Lightly dress the eye with a sterile eye pad, or if this is not availlable, a pad of clean, non-fluffy material.
3 Transfer to hospital immediately.
All eye injuries are potentially serious because particles may perforate the eyball resulting in internal damage and possible infection. Particles of dust or grit or loose eyelashes are the most common foreign bodies found in the eyes. They stick to the outer surface of the eyeball or become lodged under the eyelid, normally the upper lid, causing considerable discomfort and imflamation. In most cases these can be removed. However DO NOT attempt to remove a foreign body if it is on the coloured part of the eye, or embedded in the eyeball. In these cases seek medical aid immediately.
Symptomps and Signs:
+ Casualty's eye is painfull and itches.
+ Casualty's vision may be impaired.
+ Watering of affected eye.
+ Casualty's eye is red.
Aim: Remove particle gently. If unsuccessful, transfer the casualty to hospital.
NOTE: CONTACT LENSES
Many people now wear contact lenses instead of glasses and occasinally these cause extra problems in an an emergency. If conscious, help the casualty to remove them, and place them safely in their container and ensure they remain with the casualty. Never try to remove lenses from a casualty's eye yourself. If a casualty is know to be wearing lenses, report this to the ambulance officer, nurse or doctor attending the incident.
Treatment:
1 Advise the casualty NOT to rub the eye (the casualty will almost certainly be doing so).
2 Ask the casualty to sit in a chair facing the light and lean back.
3 Stand behind the casualty. Hold the chin in one hand and use the index finger and the thumb of your other hand to separate the affected lids. Ask the casualty to look right, left up and down so that you can examine every part of the eye properly.
4 If you can see the foreign body try to wash it out with sterile saline solution. If this is not availlable, irrigate the eye with tap water. Incline the head towards the injured side so that the water will drain out over the cheek away from teh sound eye; pour water from a jug or place the casualties head under a tap.
5 If this is unsuccessful or no water is availlbale and the foreign body is not sticking to the eye, lift the foreing body off using a moistened swab or the damp corner of a clean handkercheif.
6 If the foreign body is under the upper lid, ask the casualy to look down. Grasp the eyelashes and pull the upper lid downwards and outwards over the lower lid. If the lashes of the lower lid do not brush the foreign body off, get the casualty to blink under water in the hope that it will float off.
7 If you cannot remove the foreign body, cover the affected eye with an eye pad or a piece of gauze wrapped around a soft pad of cotton wool. Secure it lightly in place and seek mdeical aid.
If the foreign body is on the coloured part of the eye or is imbedded in or sticking to the eyeball DO NO ATTEMPT TO REMOVE IT. Cover it with an eye pad. Transfer to hospital for treatment.
online: I_SEE mailing list. Maintained by Alex Eulenberg
(alex@indiana.edu). to join, send "subscribe i_see" to
IRL:
American Optometry Association, Communications Center, 243 North Lindbergh Blvd, St Louis. MO 63141. (314) 991 4100 fax (314) 991 4101
American Chiropractic Association. 1701 Claredon Blvd., Arlington VA 22209 (703) 276-8800
for a referal to an osteopath specialising in Craniosacral therapy consult:
Cranial Academy. 3500 Depaw Boulevard. Indianapolis, Indiana 46268 (317) 879-0713
Bastyr College oF Natural Health Sciences 144 N.E. 54th Seattle WA 98105 (206) 523-9585.
Cambridge Institution for Better Vision, Martin Sussman Director, 65 Wenham Rd, Topsfield MA 01983 (508) 887-3883
Center for Self-healing Meir Schneider, Director 1718 Taraval St San Francisco CA 94116 (415) 665-9574
College of Syntonic Optometry.
Jacob Lieberman. O.D. President. PO Box 4058 Aspen CO 81612.
Solomon K Slobbins O.D. 1200 Robeson Street, Fall River, MA 02720 (508) 673-1251
(Pin hole glasses) Diana Deimel, 563 Third Street, Fillmore CA 93015 (805)524-2620
(Full spectrum lighting) Enviromental Lighting Concepts, 3932 Coconut Palm, Tampa, FL 33619 (800) 842-8848
Feldenkrais Guild PO Box 489 Albany OR 97321 (503) 926-9081
Janet Goodrich, Crystal Waters Permaculture Village MS-16 Maleny Queensland 4552 Australia (74) 944 657 Natural Vision Improvement 1032 Irving St, suite 233 San Francisco CA 94122 (415) 386-1550
Meridian Traditional Herbal Products 44 Linden St Brookline MA 02146 (800) 356-6003
Natural Vision International Ltd PO Box 157 Manitowoc WI 54221 (800) 255-4715
(3d postcards, posters and books) N.E.Thing Enterprises. 19A Crossby Drive, Bedford, MA 01730, (617) 275-6960.
North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique. PO Box 3992 Champaign IL 61826 (217) 359-3529
Parents Active for Vision Education (P.A.V.E.) 9620 Chesapeake Drive, Suite 105, San Diego, CA 92123, (619) 467-9620
Rolf Institue of Structural Integration Po Box 1686 Boulder CO 80306 (303) 449-5903
Seeing Beyond 20/20 Robert-Michael Kaplan O.D M.Ed. 3236 West 7th Ave Vancouver B.C. CANADA V6K 2A2 (604) 737-2043
Cathy Stern O.D. Brookline Vision Associates 56 Harvard St Brookline MA 02146 (617) 277-7754.
see also College of Syntonic Optometry above.
For referals to a behavioral optometrist contact:
USA: The Optometric Extension Program Foundation 2912 South Daimler Street Santa Ana. CA 92705 (714) 250-8070
College of Optometrists in Vision Development PO Box 285, Chula Vista, CA 91912-0285 (619) 425 6191
Australia:
The Australian Optometrical Association. 26 Ridge Rd. North Sydney. (02) 922 2566.
The Cure of Imperfect Sight by Treatment Without Glasses. W.H. Bates M.D. 1920.
Better Eyesight Without Glasses. William H. Bates M.D. 1943. (abridged version of The Cure of Imperfect...)
Better Sight Without Glasses. Harry Benjamin. 1929.
The Art of seeing. Aldous Huxley. 1943.
Help yourself to better Sight. Margaret Darst Corbett. 1949.
Human Antomy. Johnson, Schmidt, Solomon, Davis. 1985.
Natural Vision Improvement. Janet Goodrich Ph.D. 1985.
The Visual Handbook. John Selby. 1987.
Acupressure's Potent Points. Micheal Reed Gach. 1990.
Australian Red Cross First Aid Manual. 1990.
Suddenly Successful. How Behavioral Optometry Helps you overcome Learning, Health and Behavior Problems. Hazel Dawkins. Dr Ellis Edelman. Dr Constantine Forkiotis. 1991.
Light Medicine of the Future. Jacob Liberman, O.D. Phd. 1991.
Manual Of Ocular Diagnosis and Therapy. (3rd edition) Deborah Pavan-Langston M.D. F.A.C.S. 1991.
Seven Steps to Better Vision. Richard Leviton. 1992.
Duke-Elder's Practice of Refraction, 10th edition. 1993. Revised by David Abrams.
Silva Mind Mastery for the '90s. Dr Tag Powell, Dr Jufith Powell. 1993.
The Handbook of Self-Healing. Meir Schneider and Mauren Larkin with Dror Schneider. 1994.
Alternative Medicine. The definitive guide. Compiled by the Goldberg group. 1994.
Creating Your Personal Vision. A mind body guide for better eyesight. Dr Samuel A Berne. 1994.
Current Medical diagnosis and Treament. 3rd edition. edited by Tierny, McPhee, Papadakis. 1995.
note for vic: books to look up.
Kaplan Robert-Micheal. The power behind your eyes. 1994. Kaplan Robert-Micheal. Seeing woithout glasses. 1995.
Liberman Jacob. Take off your glasses and see. 1995. Forest Elliot. Stress and Vision. 1988.
Handbook of Ocular Drug therapy and Ocular side effects of Systemic drugs. D. Pavan-Langstone and E. Dunkel. 1991.
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