So I was practiving vision improvement over the summer, and when trying to practice and experience central fixation, I was getting some pretty awful headaches. I found I was diffusing rather than centralising . I started again on September 1st and I am feeling a lot better now. Just a fwe reminders though.
When I sketch do I need to move my head all the time? I seem to look like a raving loonatic when I do it, and my parents think I am having some kind of seizure (It doesn't help that I relax my face by having my mouth open though )
For the first few days should I make a conscious effort wih all of the techniques, and then leave them to develop on their own, or should I maybe practice it for a day, and then it willl have broken the habit?
Should I be practicing abdominal breathing all of the time? I find it hard to without really concentrating on it.
Does anyone have any ideas for ways of remembering to practice the habits? I tend to be doing really well for two or three days and then forget to do something
What you call "sketch" I call "shift", and shifts can be very small distances, from the top of a letter to the bottom. See if you can shift smaller distances when you practice, and then you'll hardly be moving your head at all. Yes, big shifts will involve a corresponding head movement -- the brain (attention) leads, the eyes and body(head, then torso) follow. Also, you shouldn't have to have your mouth open -- put your attention, gently, on what you are looking at rather than what your face is doing.
Natural easy looking (and breathing) should happen all the time. You practice consciously to get your body and mind used to doing this unconsciously. To remember a practice schedule, tie it to something else you always do, like right after you brush your teeth or get up or have lunch or whatever else works for you.
I have just today had the idea that when I am at school, I could "reward" myself after every lesson by spending a minute or two palming or practicing the long swing in the restroom. I am going to try that tomorrow. I also notice that when I close my eyes even for just a second, but longer than blinking, I have a clear flash.
Next thing - when doing the long swing or sway, do I need to consciously centralise on one objectby locking on, or should the whole scene just move past me - I watched a video by Leo Angart who said that you shouldn't focus on anything when swinging, such as long swing etc. because the lack of visual attention realxes the mind - surely this is diffusion though?
Another thought. I noticed that in my physics class the number of people who actually wear glasses or contacts is about half and half - maths is the same, but out of all the people in my geography class, not one person wears glasses or contacts, and in fact there is only me at the minute who is myopic - everyone else has 20/20 or better, one friend has 20/10, something I know I will achieve soon
Yes, the long slow blinks can be very relaxing, like a mini-palming session. Reward yourself with this as much as possible!
When doing the long swing your body and eyes and gaze should flow smoothly across and past the scene that is flowing in the opposite direction of your movement. If you're "grabbing" with your eyes it's good to notice this (it's strain!), then see if you can stop doing it.
There does seem to be a correlation between the "hard" sciences like math and physics and engineering and stronger myopia, though of course there are exceptions in both directions. Maybe these disciplines encourage more straining trying mental habits. You can be the exception -- don't worry about the statistics or anyone else -- just keep doing what you're doing. You can tell it's working.
Haha - thanks. I'm really glad I have "re-started", even though I have been doing it all of this time ( one and a half years) I am now seeing (get it!!!) where I was going wrong.
I have stuck two pieces of paper up on my oven tonight, opposite where I do my homework, at a distance of about 3 metres, and about 8cm in size. At first I was centralising just noticing one clearer than the other, then I could suddenly do it with one side of the paper and the other !!! THe best bit is, I can still do it and imagine it moving
I feel the strain when I am in classes though - we have really got going again now, and my maths teacher today was talking ten to the dozen for 45 minutes. I find maths a real strain, physics next, but not to the same extent, and then geography is the best, most relaxed subject - I could stay there all day. I can definitely see further in geoggers as well soon It will be 20/10 or better in all though.
I did a personality test, it showed I was a finisher - I will never give up, but everything I do has to be perfect. It pretty much summed me up. I am really trying to block out my serious NEED for perfectionism and competitiveness, but its hard
Thanks guys. Im going to long swing now.
Oh yeh, and when I was palming last night, for about 15 minutes, I was imagining these little guys in my head sat with reins for my eye muscles, like for a horse, and when I mentally removed these guys, I got the best feeling in my eyes - I can explain it, but it was good.
Oh my goodness - today I could see the board in Maths, not 20/20 but it was amazing. I was easily sketching everything. I've noticed a slight decrease in ability this evening because I am sooo tired, and I don't know why - it could be a bit of jet lag still combined with the stress school TRIES to force upon me, but I won't let it. I can long swing sooo easily - I can't believe I ever wanted to lock onto everything I passed whilst doing it. I also have changed my homework habits, Last year and every other year, I was thinking to myself that I absolutely must get all homework and notes done every night, but 2 days ago I realised it doesn't matter - I will get it done. There is no point staying up until midnight, doing homework when I have study time at school. I have to get up at 6AM anyway, so I may as well go to sleep early. I have a maximum working time now of half 9. After that I just stop and get ready for bed at 10PM latest. I then do some body excercises (my eyes aren't the only thing that need help for my class 1 medical - I also need to put on weight) and then palm for 15 minutes, or until my arms start to ache under the pillows, and go to sleep.
Does anyone else find that when they get tired, their ability to practice the habits decreases?
Also I noticed that after my stressful maths lesson yesterday, abdominal breathing really does help. I have been doing it all day, but interestingly when I am tired it is harder to do. I had PE at school today and went to the same gym as last year and it definitely seemed clearer which is always a good sign. Also I think that my right eye, which is a bit worse at the moment has had a peripheral awareness. I can notice loads of stuff out of the corner of my eye on the right side - don't worry, im not diffusing. It also seems to be becoming more active again.
My mum has -10 eyesight!!!! and I have noticed that even though I tell her to stop staring, she just ccan't at the minute. She has promised me that when I get 20/20 she will start - I told her to get ready to start by the end of the year then. I have found that a very important thing is realising that I am not superhuman (like my mum tries to make me be) and that the easier I make my life, the better my eyesight will be.
I am so excited about this - I feel like I am reading someone elses post, I am so amazed at how much easier everything is becoming already, 8 days after I restarted. In another 8 days who knows - I could even have 20/20 or better by my birthday on september 21st!!!! I am not saying how far I want to go - Ill just go to whatever I can manage, I'm done with setting myself targets with everything, not just eyesight. This time 2 months ago I would be trying to plan what time I would finish each tiny bit of homework and stuff like that, and then stressing myself out if I didn't manage it. I am trying to see the bright side in everything as well - my maths class is one of the places where there is loads of complaining, worrying and stress, and it is where everyone is myopic (NOT ME FOR LONG). My geography class is full of cheer, and it just so happens that everyone is emmetropic (even the teachers). My biggest downfall is that I aas trying to rush the results of the improvement, and by doing so straining and then lowering my vision. I know I will get 20/20 or better if I continue like this, and I just have to be patient - something that is quite uncommon in todays soceity, which is why everyone uses glasses as it is a "quick fix" for eyesight.
WOW - Tis is sooo long, better go now - I'm off to bed
Quote:Does anyone else find that when they get tired, their ability to practice the habits decreases?
Yeah, I've had a similar problem. When you're tired, you should go to sleep. It's probably not so good to force your eyes to do something when they want to close for a few hours. The other part to it is that as you practice the habits, you're trying to incorporate something consciously into your subconscious, which takes time. When you're paying attention, you can practice the habits fairly effectively, but when you want to go to sleep, it's understandable that it would be more difficult.
Ok guys - great news. I have an eyechart up in my kitchen opposite to the back door, so when I re-enter I always just check my eyesight in a glance. It has increased from 20/100 after school last year at night time to 20/50, which I am really pleased with. My night vision, as in my other post is also getting there - my problem is I am still subconsciously ignoring the blur instead of confronting it. When I think about my eye habits I can confront it at this stage. The blur after school, even from monday has completely gone - when I did my homewoek in the kitchen at the beginning of the week I would get so frustrated because it would be scarily blurry.
I am constantly telling myself now that it doesn't matter what I can see, it is how I practice seeing that counts.
Quote:Does anyone else find that when they get tired, their ability to practice the habits decreases?
Yeah, I've had a similar problem. When you're tired, you should go to sleep. It's probably not so good to force your eyes to do something when they want to close for a few hours. The other part to it is that as you practice the habits, you're trying to incorporate something consciously into your subconscious, which takes time. When you're paying attention, you can practice the habits fairly effectively, but when you want to go to sleep, it's understandable that it would be more difficult.
Nooo !!!
Why to throw such opportunity away?
When you have reach the point that your eyes are fighting to be closed and your body ignores your will to continue an activity, then its time to lay down, close the eyes, but don't allow yourself to sleep immediately. Think that your are closing your eyes only to imagine. Not only you can fall in REM much faster, but if you wake up after an hour, you will be very much relaxed and your imagination will have improve. Just think that if you sleep, it would be for half a hour or one hour.
When you wake up, imagine the big letter on the Sneller chart. Focus on it, Focus a little more, and then open your eyes.
That's interesting. Never thought of it that way. I guess it goes with the whole "your eyes improve when you can relax under extreme conditions" idea. Thanks for the insight
Cool - so you are saying that when you are really tired, just have a quick nap and then go back to work again.
Unfortunately it isn't always possible - at college for example, although it would be great to fall asleep in lessons, it isn't going to happen. I found yesterday that when I have reached that point I should just close my eyes for a few seconds longer than blinking and then at the first possible oportunity, usually lunchtime, I went into the toilets and closed my eyes for a few mins, but im still awake. It has been working - after it I felt a lot less tired.
I think I have had some improvement - but it fluctuates wildly at the moment. I pulled out my glasses today that I have never worn, and the image was worse with them on outside (don't worry I only flicked them on then off - a total of 2 seconds, just to see how I was doing) So that is great news. I feel like I can see more out of my right eye as well. I keep thinking that at some points I have had an improvement, but in other situations I think maybe not - overall I am feeling really good about my eyes. I just walked in from outside, glanced at the 20/70 line at the eyechart and read it. As you may have seen in another post of mine - about this time last week it was 20/200 at night, so I'm feeling pleased
I keep getting this wierd feeling in my eyes, right at the very back of them. I really don't know how to describe it apart from discomfort - even when I am noticing oppositional movement, blinking, and doing my best to centralise. Should I let this discomfort continue, or should I stop what I am doing where possible and go and close my eyes and palm?
I have remembered that when I started 18months ago my vision fluctated so that on cloudy days I would have noticibly lower vision - now it is better in the time when I am outside. That aspect of it anyway.
Two things that are not worrying, but that I am not happy about at the minute.
1. My vision fluctuates wildly. Will this settle down?
2. Centralisation. How long has it taken others to relearn the skill- I seem to be going in circles with it, and it is the last thing I need to manage. I can confidently say that I NEVER EVER STARE, and I CAN notice stationary objects moving all the time - I know that I can do them two unconsciously along with blinking. Centralisation is really tough to manage for me at the moment. Any tips at all? I really don't want to get a pair of pinhole glasses, that would be a step back - I don't want to even think of wearing anything to "help" me to see, even though I do appreciate that they can be useful.
I'm further behind than you are (started serious Bates method stuff a month ago), but I can answer that first question.
Your vision will almost always fluctuate from time to time, depending on the conditions. I suppose that ideally, it wouldn't with "perfect" vision, but somehow I feel that it would fluctuate even with 20/20 vision. In general, you can tell how good you're doing based on how good it "normally" is and comparing your "current" vision to it. For example, if you have bad night vision, don't compare how you currently see at night to how you see during the day!
I have also had those days where I wake up and know that it's going to be a bad day visionwise. Then there are those days where it's a good day visionwise. I think it's important to understand your vision condition and what is typical and what isn't.
Again, I'm less experienced than you are (judging by your posts) so I am subject to making errors.
. I started again on September 1st and I am feeling a lot better now. Just a fwe reminders though.
(It doesn't help that I relax my face by having my mouth open though 
