Hi

I was hoping for some input on how to read correctly and still make progress with the Bates method. I use a +1.5 lens, but how far away should i read? So there's some blur, or where i see it clearly? How should my eyes flow over the text? Any experience here?

Dear Scarecrow,

It would help if you posted:

1.  Your current "prescription", and/or

2.  Your current reading of your Snellen.

Also, are you described as being "nearsighted"
or "presbyopic" or "farsighted."

Once that is cleared up, we can provide
some additional support.

Otis

Nearsighted, -2 diopters on each eye. Don't use a snellen, though.

Dear Scarecrow,

Thanks!  Then using Bates, and a relaxing +1.5 diopter is
the way to go (in my opinion).

The suggested method of "reading" is to sit up, and
read at a reasonable distance, through the +1.5 diopter
lens.

At 20 inches, the reading should be reasonably clear for
you, and you should be able to use your computer
also.

I assume that you avoid wearing that -2 diopter lens
as much as possible, and never read with it.

You are required to wear a minus to drive a car,
so keep it on the dash.

How is reading through a +1.5 diopter lens -- comfortable?

I know people who report that the combination of
Bates and that plus has a strong effect, and the
"clear flashes" come stronger an faster if you use
these exercises.

Just on man's opinion.

Otis

Yeah, thanks for that reply. I have been using a +1.5 lens, so we think along the same path. I haven't used my contacts for weeks, and i still have five more weeks practising Bates before school's start. Feeling pretty optimistic about clearing my vision before then, as my vision now is hardly perfect, but usable in most situations, and good clear flashes appear constantly when outside.

Any oppinion on how i should regard the letters? Just let my eyes flow gently over them, try to shift between words from time to time or something?

Thanks

There was a huge discussion on the correct way to read around April.  It got buried and I can't find it.  It was a large thread; maybe someone else knows where it is.

The easiest way is to let your eyes skim over the top of the letters.  You'll find that your eyes naturally glide forward by themselves.  It also doubles your reading speed, when done right.

Paul

Here it is:
It starts of with saccadic eye movements, but we end up discussing speed reading.
http://www.iblindness.org/forum/index.p ... 484.0.html

Paul

Dear Scarecrow,

Subject: Special request for my interest.

You prescription is -2 diopters.

I am attempting to get an average comparison
between a prescription and a person's Snellen,
with respect to people doing Bates and clearing
their vision.

Could you click on this site:


http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/oph/ped/IVAC/IVAC.html

And when it comes up, click on "Display".

Then read the letters, and determine which line
you read 1/2 the letters correctly at 20 feet.

(Get a friend to "click" for new letters and record
the results.)

I think the average comparison is that -2
diopters equals about 20/80 to 20/100, and
I promote this a matter of curiosity.

Please let me know.  I am very
curious about this relationship.

Thanks,

Otis

Using the settings for at 2 meters I was able to read about 20/30 to 20/40, though a lot of blur around the letters. I feel pretty happy about that, that's after using the computer for some minutes.

Don't take my results very seriously as i have been practising Bates for a month in a row and a month about a year ago. So i feel that my vision is coming along.

Dear ScareCrow,

Thanks for your Prescription/Snellen check.

It is of considerable value to me to collect this data.

The published standard for most states is that
you MUST pass the 20/40 line, or read 3/4 inch
letters at 20 feet.

You have now confirmed that fact.

Your vision is considerably better than the -2 diopter
prescription would indicate (since -2 diopter works
out to about 20/100 to 20/140).

You can attribute your success thus far to a
combination of Bates, and your efforts and
perhaps to the additional use of the plus lens.

Only YOU ALONE can judge that issue.

But keep on doing what you are doing, and the
20/30 line will become more reliable and "solid",
with the possible clearing of the 20/25 line.

Looks like Bates "works".

Otis

Yeah, if the settings were correctly set. I should maybe precise that no letters beyond 20/100 or so were clear, but i was able to get the character never the less. If i should summerize my experiences, I would say that Bates has improved my distance vision and removed a lot of the blur, but there's still some blur around the letters which look suprisingly similar at both 3 meters and 10 meters.

Dear ScareCrow,

The commercial judge of passing the 20/20 line
is that you read 1/2 the letters correctly.

It is important that you have a standard -- that
YOU can trust.

Your distant vision is not great -- that it true.

But you can function with no minus lens on
your face 98 percent of the time.

As your vision clears, (gradually, and with
clear-flashes) you will confirm it on your Snellen.

Others have done it (it is slow), and passed
the DMV, and better.

So just be patient.

Otis

The posts on speed reading were very helpful, I have been studying for a geolgoy exam to get my license by reading as many books as possible and I was able to finish one in record time (for me anyways).  Though I still feel as though I am very slow and quite frequently stuble over the words.  I wonder if this would help people with dislexia?  Anyhow, my question concerns columns, like in a newspaper.  Would reading such columns be worse for your eyes than a full size page since your eyes can only flow a short distance?  The next book I am studying is in column format and I am finding it even more difficult to read and even get a headache.  Or perhaps I am simply doing something wrong.

Visited the eye doctor today. I had good feelings waiting for my appointment, reading small signs in the distance, feeling comfortable with my eyes. When i went in and started, i could make out the top line (which is pretty small), but not being able to make out the character the doctor went right up to my previous prescription where i of course made all the charahters. Going back and forth thru lenses she decided that i had about the same strength as before (-2.25), even though i nearly made out the top line without lenses on the first time.

I'm wondering about this development, as i am sure my vision is much better than that. But i think my normal vision without lenses are nearly perfect (needing some work), and walking around i still feel comfortable with my vision. Not enough to use it daily in school, but I am not sure why my diopter's the same. I guess the eyes is so used to -2.25 lenses that i just see perfect with that prescription, sort of a fall-back for the eyes.

Hi Scarecrow,

I wouldn't put too much importance on your current visit.  My vision has been improving with Bates, and with the strength of my original prescription, I've had to go with reducing prescriptions instead of totally discarding glasses.  I've gone from -8.0 to -5.0 in a few months. 

In this process, I've learned that OD's really do over-prescribe.  I've found that when my vision has improved with a reduced prescription, that I don't see as sharp as the OD's prescription.  I've continued to reduce my prescription based on my own experience and intuition.  One NVI teacher said that we miss out in our experience of the world when vision is too sharp through over-prescribed lenses.  I've drawn on that and found it to be true, that the experience is different when there is a softness and some blur.  I've found that when I start to get consistent headaches that my intuition says is from the glasses, it's time to reduce the prescription again.  Also remember, to clear a line on the Snellen, you only have to get half or more of the letters correct.  Most OD's want you to see them crisply and rattle them off in 2 seconds, thus the overprescribing...

_________________
KillerB-RAD