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+--- Thread: Reading strain (/showthread.php?tid=1595)
Reading strain - noneother - 09-06-2010
Hi,
Despite using the Bate's method my eyes still feel very strained when reading. The muscles below my eyes (causing black circles under eyes - becomes ever darker when I use my eyes. it quickly becomes dark), outside of my eyes and temples are very tense and painful. When not doing close work and using the Bate's method I can maintain relaxation and these are relieved.
Can anyone please offer suggestions on how to obtain relaxation while in front of the computer / reading?
Much thanks
Re: Reading strain - sean - 09-06-2010
I think this is my biggest problem, or the biggest one I'm aware of. Sorrisi had a useful entry on the subject in her blog (Seeing Beauty) but I haven't tried it yet as it just seems to be beyond me at present. Reading and straining are syonymous in my mind now. Plus having to hold the book so near my face doesn't help (whereas watching football or a cartoon on the tv is the same thing in my mind as 'relaxation'). This is simply an issue I must tackle. Let's just do it!
Re: Reading strain - Nancy - 09-06-2010
Obviously you're straining when you read. Is there anything you LIKE to read, stories (not schoolwork), poetry, sports articles, science fiction...? See what's different when you read that. You want to break the association your mind has made between reading and strain. Try scanning along the white space below the line instead of staring at the text. See what it's like to "read" with the book upside down, just slowly tracing the shapes of the letters. Hold the book a little farther away. Experiment with this, seeing it as play -- the harder you try the more strain you're putting on yourself.
Re: Reading strain - Andrea Major - 09-07-2010
I am having the exact same problem. But I look at it this way: it is not that I just got the reading strain or it has increased despite of the Bates Method. The truth is that I have become more aware of its existence because of all the practicing I have been doing. And that's a good thing. You may not see how, but I will eventually tell people here... For now, I believe it is best to face it, grab the bull by the horns as they say. Set aside some time for reading without strain, when you can. Set the littlest goal for yourself, like one paragraph in one hour or so. Read a little then look up, swing, palm, whatever helps and keep going. Little by little. Once you have demonstrated to yourself it is possible to read without strain, it may become a lot better. Takes time though. A lot of us feel rushed when we read. Setting unrealistic goals. Online reading is especially bad, because you cannot estimate sometimes how much material is ahead of you and you start racing through it like a mad man, because there is no time... People think reading fast is a good thing, but it is a very damaging thing when one cannot do it without strain. And I agree with Nancy, read something enjoyable. Even something that is very easy to grasp (not study material, unless you love the subject) you can even rad something you already know by heart....
Re: Reading strain - sean - 09-08-2010
Andrea, my sentiments exactly (I'm more aware of it now than before etc) and that's what I am doing myself, grabbing the bull by the horns. Action not words. Just jump straight in here, I think, and see where it takes me...
Re: Reading strain - sean - 09-09-2010
Here's the link to Sorrisi's blog as mentioned above (hope she doesn't mind):
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://sorrisi.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/shifting-2/">http://sorrisi.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/shifting-2/</a><!-- m -->
Right, I started tackling the ol' reading issue today. There seems to be 2 aspects: (1) reading in a relaxed way with the book or screen up close at a comfortable distance and (2) moving back a bit and 'trying', or allowing myself, to read from there.
Re (1) it's interesting to notice how after a while the strain creeps in, under the radar without you noticing, hardly. This is great: identify the enemy. If you look out for this then you are given a clear decision to make each time this happens: do I just carry on or do I do somehting/ not do something for it to go away? You can't fudge the issue then, you either do it or you don't, you can't pretend. Which is a nuisance for slowing up the reading because it seems to involve having to to learn a new way of doing it. On the other hand, could be worse...
Re (2) it's interesting how far back you can hold the book and still be able to read it, but this makes it much slower. So I'm aiming at doing this at certain intervals and do a bit of 'structured' shifting to get the good habits in place, like right now for example.
Hopw everyone is suitably impressed!
Re: Reading strain - JWLBOYCE - 09-10-2010
In my other posts I always forget to credit myself in my 20/10 vision up close, which really I should do.
I really don't know how to describe it - I am constantly moving up close, and my oppositional movement there is top notch, I can centralise on both sides seperately of size two font and I have absolutely fantastic night vision up close as well. I am trying to incorporate this into my distance vision. The best thing that I can recommend is to start in full daylight, and practice the habits there, and then reduce the light. Also just allow your eyes to glide over everything, and NEVER strain - I am always telling my dad off for squinting, as it distresses me to an extent.
Hope this helps - sorry but its all the same stuff that is normally said. Try the pebble game, like Tom Quackenbush says - two pebbles, centralise on each seperately, then bring them closer and eventually do it on one stone - I have tried it, and up close I can centralise on blemishes that are about 3 mm apart.
Give it a go - let me know how you get on
James
Re: Reading strain - noneother - 09-14-2010
can you please describe the pebble game?
Re: Reading strain - JWLBOYCE - 09-14-2010
Yep - sure, You can do it with anything but pebbles are the easiest things to desbribe it with.
Place 2 pebbles about 14 inches apart. Look at the one on the left - sketch on it but notice that the other pebble is less clear - when you can do that, move the two pebbles closer together and repeat.
As your centralisation skill improves you will be able to do it with the two stones touching, then either side of the same stone, and eventually with blemishes on one stone.
I am trying to notice how I see up close to improve my distance vision by practicing the habit - I find although I am still centralising I don't try to and my eyes just glide over everything - just like when you practice the long swing, but all the time.
Hope I have helped - feel free to ask
James