Back when I wore strong glasses and then thick hard plastic contacts, bright lights seemed like an assault to my eyeballs. It felt like laser beams or daggers were coming toward me, and I recoiled in alarm. The last thing I wanted to do was “welcome the light”!
Many years later when I undertook this vision improvement journey and eventually got out of my contacts and glasses, I was much more comfortable with strong light, as long as it wasn’t coming straight into my eyes. I even taught a few clients how to be more comfortable with bright light and lessen their photo-phobia. You can read one example of this here.
The pupil in a healthy eye automatically expands to let in more light when the surroundings are dim, then constricts if the light is brighter. Turning on the lights indoors as soon as the sun starts going down, or slapping on sunglasses whenever you go outdoors on a sunny day, is interfering with the pupil’s natural adaptation to the level of illumination. Even though I thought I had good visual habits, not wearing sunglasses and letting my eyes easily adjust to light and darkness, glare still bothered me a lot. Driving was stressful enough, and when low bright sun bore into my eyes below my visor, I felt like I was in a war zone. What was I missing?
Although I was put in glasses at 5 years old, my mother has told me she knew I would need them when I was only 3 “because your pupils were so big”. I don’t remember much about that early time, but I’m guessing I was pretty anxious. My younger sister was born a year and 9 months after me, so my mother was probably quite busy, if not overwhelmed, with the 2 of us. She got glasses herself as a teen and never took them off.
A key piece of this is that the pupils in our eyes also expand when we’re frightened, since we need to take in all the information about the threat to deal with it and return to safety. Unfortunately, if bright lights don’t make us feel safe, our pupils will expand, which will make the light brighter and we’ll feel even less safe. As much as I’ve tried to convince my brain that light is a good thing, it never overrode that feeling of fear and danger in my cells, perceiving glare as an enemy.
When I bring to mind a peaceful contented pussycat, sitting in the warmth of the sun and purring, I picture her eyes as slits, barely open. Small pupils indicate relaxation in humans. This may not be the same for cats, though I like this image, conveying “I am safe and all is well”. Once again, the answer to my vision question of how I can move closer to a state of relaxation and away from strain, to help my visual system function optimally, is that I have to feel safe. Then I’ll breathe more deeply and slowly, my shoulders will relax, and I’ll see more easily and clearly, glare or not.
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I wore strong glasses, then contact lenses, from age 5 into my 40s. While making many mistakes, eventually l learned how to improve the way I use my eyes and to see in a more relaxed, healthy manner. It is my pleasure to coach others to do the same. Visit me at https://NancyLNeff.com.
I’m glad you’re posting on this blog Nancy 🙂 …I think it is good to keep it alive.
I like this article. When I’m under stress, bright sunlight on concrete becomes very painful, not just uncomfortable; so I enjoy the feeling of feeling relatively comfortable in bright glary conditions when I’m having a relaxed day.
Hi James — good to hear from you. It’s dim and gray here now, with a lot more snow expected today and tomorrow, so I was craving more brightness when I went out in the car early this morning. Similar to you, the less relaxed I am, the more non-ideal light conditions bother me, and I can feel myself starting to strain to see better which of course has the opposite effect. You probably know Meir Schneider emphasized that the ability of our visual system to adapt to varying levels of illumination is one key component of healthy sight, not just bright light but also dimmer conditions. I take these challenging experiences as a reminder that I need to relax more, which it sounds like you’re doing too. Good for you for your self-awareness, and visual progress! 🙂
Thanks for the compliments 🙂 …I also struggle with blur in dim and dark conditions, so I’ll keep remembering to relax more in the evenings and mornings now that winter is coming to Australia where I live…I’m always so impressed and jealous of how people with good vision can see in the dark.
I’m a bit concerned about good information and personal anecodotes regarding natural vision improvement disappearing from the world. This blog and its Facebook group are, in my opinion, the only good resources left for people who are struggling with their vision or just learning about the existence of natural vision improvement. There’s other stuff on the internet, but it’s either not good information (too concerned with “eye exercises”), or somebody trying to sell something to make money. Also, the books on this subject are not as helpful, and are very old and out of print.
So, I’d like to try sharing some of my experiences, as improving my eyesight has changed my life. Do you think it’s possible for me to write something on this blog? I think it’s important that it stays alive, it’s a bit better than Facebook. I’ve thought a lot about starting a personal blog, but nobody would read it haha.
Take it easy 🙂
Hi James! Happy Spring to those in the northern hemisphere, with a bit more daylight every day, and happy autumn to those in the southern hemisphere like you, a chance to get more comfortable with decreasing light. Yes, I used to be jealous too of people who seemed to have no trouble seeing well when I was struggling. I see now that I may be more sensitive and aware than most, which means I can react negatively to incoming stimuli that doesn’t bother others. So I really need to focus on taking care of my emotional state. I know now that my sensitivity and awareness are gifts, which also allow me to tune in more deeply to the environment, and to other people.
That’s wonderful that you want to share you own improvement experiences more widely, which will encourage others and help them feel less alone in their own situation. You can certainly do this on our Facebook page, or start your own personal Facebook page. I would love to read what you write! 🙂 I also invite you to start your own blog, maybe start growing a small audience. You are free to keep commenting here on my posts (which yes I’d like to be doing more of), yet I’d like you to have your own voice and platform, not appear like you’re under my wing or something. This is supposed to be the year of stepping forward into whatever we want, or into who we’re supposed to be. So go for it, James. I believe in you.
Seeing your sensitivity as a gift is a great reframing of your life experience. I’m slowly getting there. I have learned that sensitive people have a more difficult time in life than others, especially those who have had a traumatic childhood. However, I’m gradually seeing the other side of these cards that I have been dealt, the great potential that they offer, and am looking forward to the future as I learn to manage my anxiety and tension and begin to experience life in a completely new way.
Thanks for your words of encouragement 🙂 …I will begin writing, maybe somebody will benefit 🙂 …At any rate, I feel a need to address the misinformation regarding natural vision improvement, and I believe that chronicles of personal experiences are much more valuable than ‘self-improvement’ books.
I’ll post a link to the Facebook group when I’m ready 😀
Hi James! Your words brought a big smile to my face. I agree that personal stories, detailing our challenges (whether emotional or physical) then what we learned on the way and how we moved forward, inspire and motivate others. This is the hero’s or heroine’s journey. I am very much looking forward to what you have to share. Go James! 🙂
What a fascinating article, Nancy! Although I don’t have a problem with bright sunlight, I think psychologically I am really a winter person, Yet I know that strong light is good for me and during the summer I get plenty of the sunlight. I’m like you as regards the light in my home, I don’t put the light on until it is quite dark outside in the evening. If I’m up before sunrise I quite enjoy having the electric light off and watching it getting brighter outside, noting the sky brightening up and waiting for the streetlights to go off and noting the time. For me, beautiful lights help me to relax, like the colours visible when the white light of the sun strikes a crystal, or the spectrum of the rainbow, or even a solar halo rainbow (yes, I saw one once!). Great post, Nancy. Thanks so much for your thoughts!
Hi Darrel! Thanks so much for reading, and especially for commenting. Yes, I enjoy finding my way around the house in the early morning before sunrise without the lights on inside. The sparkling holiday lights delight me. I’ve seen photos of a circular rainbow taken by someone in a plane, which look like magic. Lots to elicit our sense of wonder, and help us appreciate our vision even more. Take care.