I am nearsighted and when I remove my glasses I am straining my eyes almost of the time. I know in order to improve I need to get off my glasses as much as possible. How can I relax my eyes?
You don't say what your prescription is, but if it's very strong, taking off your glasses can cause panic (I speak from experience). Find a place where you feel really safe, like sitting in your living room, then take your glasses off for a minute and just glance around the room -- don't test your vision or try to see anything, just notice. If it's really uncomfortable, put your glasses back on, then try it again later when you calm down. Take this slowly as it's a big change, doing things which are safe like walking around the house or getting dressed without glasses, gradually extending your time without them. Yes, you have to break this "addiction" but rushing it and forcing your nervous system before it's ready will just cause it to rebel and make you very afraid. Also, investigate a reduced 20/40 prescription for the times when you really do need a correction to see and function safely (like driving). See if you can notice when you want your glasses because you can't see, and when you want them because you're emotionally uncomfortable.
I don't have much to add to my first answer. The difference between your current prescription and the old one you are wearing is large enough that that alone might be the cause of your strain (the old one is too weak for you now), but this is just a guess.
I think it really depends on what you use them for and how comfortable you are without them. For me, the glasses I use for computer work and TV is about -3.00/-2.25, which is far from -6.00/-4.75. I'd say that most of it has to do with not trying to see what you can't see. Trying to force yourself to see something causes intense strain.
Try not to wear glasses at all, at least in the house. Bates says, it is better to strain and put up with the discomfort caused by not wearing glasses, than to wear any sort of glasses. To ease the strain, try this technique instead:
Carry around with you a small card with a paragraph or poem of your liking or whatever printed on it in very fine print (in black on white background) in the house, think of it as your security blanket. When the strain gets too much, place it close to your eyes and read it, it will relax you. Do this many times a day. Later try covering one eye and reading it with the other then alternate.
Also read the Bates book and come up with your exercise plan. Also, it is not essential to watch TV if one cannot do it without glasses, therefore it should be avoided during the treatment.
Also, Pikachu,
You can do computer work without glasses. For a desktop, you just pull the monitor to the edge of your desk and place the keyboard in your lap. With a laptop, it is easy to get close enough. A little preparation and your eyes will thank you for it! ;-)
