Dave K Wrote:That's funny you say that. There's a great book by Jacques Lusseyran called "And there was light." It's an autobiography of a guy involved as a leader in the French Resistance, but really it's about being blind, and how wonderful his blindness became. It unlocked his psychic abilities, although I don't think he ever used the word psychic once, or any other word like that. He just described what he experienced, and the mental state it required,  and it turns out to be good advice for anyone suffering from vision problems.

Dave

chris hansen Wrote:Hello everyone,

I've been wearing glasses most of my life and I hate them. I recently read the book by Tom Quakenbush and am also reading other material I found on the subject. I'm glad this forum is here because I always seem to have little questions about things and there is no one to ask. I've looked for a Bates teacher but could not find one in my area (St. Paul, Minnesota).

Eugenio Wrote:Hi everyone!

I'm Eugenio from México.

I had glasses imposed at age 7 for myopia and astigmatism. My left eye was weaker than the right one. I remember that my eyes sometimes went 'out of control' and moved like they had life of their own for short periods or time. I didn't like wearing glases so whenever my parent's weren't looking I took them off. I changed my glasses 4 times by the time I was 15, each time with a greater graduation. By this time me parents forced me to use them from sunrise to bedtime. Also, I just couldn't open my eyes whenever I was outside in the sun. I had my glasses tinted just like sun glasses.

One day I was looking for my glasses in the bookshelf and by some divine coincidence I noticed a very old, yellowing book... 'Better Eyesight Without Glasses' by Harold Peppard. I read it started the exercises the same day. It was really hard form me to lean to relax but I did it. I'm now 16 and have practiced the exercises daily, when I wake up, after lunch and before bed since than day, despite my familiy's skepticism.

It's been about a year and a half but it has paid off. I can use the computer without feeling strained, I can read the smallest fineprint easily, I can look directly to the sun without an discomfort... It's been a blessing. I will take a vision test and get my old records of my first glasses sometime shortly.

My Dad was diagnosed with cataract, myopia and astigmatism just two days ago... He is now reading the book and I'll help him with the exercises. Although He's still a bit skeptical.

js519 Wrote:Hello all. I'm new here as well.

I'm Joe, I live in the US. I've worn glasses for myopia for five years, since I was 10. During the most recent prescription, which was a bit more than a year ago, the optometrist also said I had astigmatism. For the record, my prescription is as such:

Right 3.75 diopters, 1.5 cyl, +180 deg
Left 3.25 diopters, 1.0 cyl, +180 deg

I was used to life with my glasses. Sure, it did disturb me that I can't see very well without them, but I made do with my glasses. Then, about five months ago, I came upon this site by chance. It wasn't long before I abandoned my glasses altogether. I'm still in school and occasionally (maybe once a month) must wear a pair (The strength on these is about 2.5 diopters for each eye, IIRC) to see far things, but I usually manage by moving closer to said faraway object.

Many of my friends are skeptical... one, who happens to be my one of closest friends, has been particularly outspoken in his opinion that I have no chance and should give up. I have no hard feelings towards him normally, I am still very close to him, but I know that as I do this task, I am fighting him, and all that side with him... Most of my friends don't know what has "brainwashed me", as the aforementioned person has said. A few do, and they believe in me, just as I believe that this method can work for me. It stands to reason that if Bates was wrong, if he was lying... then millions of people around the world are lying with him. That cannot be true.

After a bit of lurking on these forums, I've decided to get an account here, to talk with others who have various eye defects like me.

First off, perhaps I have a few questions. Should I do eye exercises often? It seems a few people here have done it. However, I am of the lazy type and it's hard to convince myself to go do them. Next, can someone explain to me the concepts of the shift and the swing? I kind of don't get it...

lucyann Wrote:Hi! I'm very glad to have found you all. My name is Lucy Ann, and I've been stumbling around the internet looking for help and advice on the Bates method. Basically, my story is this: I've been very badly short-sighted since the age of eight, and it's been getting worse and worse as the years go by. It's made me quite depressed over time, and sort of scared.

Anyway, I've read Bates and wanted very much to try it out. I know it's going to take persistence. I left my job recently, partly because it was computer based and involved a lot of staring at the screen. It wasn't doing my eyesight any good. Anyway, now that I have a lot of time on my hands I'm going to be devoting myself to Bates-type exercises and I hope that with determination I'm going to seriously improve my eyesight.

I've started up a blog where I'll record my experiences, partly for my own benefit, so that I can measure progress, and partly just to let other people know what works and what doesn't. Do visit and contribute: girlcansee.blogspot.com. But anyway  this forum's great. Will be reading it attentively.