I am 24 years old and had Lasik surgery a year ago before I knew about natural vision improvement. It was my college graduation gift, and I was so excited. Now, after reading about Bates method and all of the negative opinions of Laser surgery, I am feeling really terrible and anxious about my decision.
My vision was about -5.50 in each eye before the surgery, and I had worn glasses/contacts since 3rd grade. I've always had vision problems even at 20/20 correction, like unexplained blurriness, dry eye and bumps under my eyelid that my doctor said was from wearing contacts too much. I was an ideal candidate for Lasik, and I went to the best place in our state with the most advanced laser system. I was thrilled at first, but now, after nearly a year, my vision has dropped to 20/40 in good light... but I'm sure it is much worse at night. I feel like my vision is very blurry and unstable in low light or night conditions. I'm very upset and don't know what to do. My Lasik center said they could do an enhancement if my vision continues to get worse, but I don't really want to do that! When I tell them about my poor night/low light vision, they don't have anything to say. I am thinking about going to my regular eye doctor (I haven't been there in over a year) because I know she will at least listen to me and try to help.
I purchased "Relearning to See: Improve Your Eyesight -- Naturally" by Thomas R. Quackenbush and have been working my way through it, though I am not entirely sure what to practice yet since there is such an overwhelming amount of information. I guess my main question is... have I doomed myself by getting Lasik surgery, or can I improve and stabilize my vision with the Bates method like anyone else? I really hope I can!!
Yes, if you go back to your same routine, it is possible for your eyes to
again "go negative", and you get down to 20/40 and again "need"
a minus lens.
Medical people like Dr. Bates and Dr. Prentice have "argued" for
true prevention for many years.
I-blindness will support you in your efforts to clear your Snellen
back to normal.
No one can tell you yes or no, but you will find out by trying! I'm sure you've already figured out from reading Tom's book that the method is about relaxation and relearning correct vision habits.
I find it very helpful to read Dr. Bates's original book and magazines: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.central-fixation.com/library.php">http://www.central-fixation.com/library.php</a><!-- m -->
He tells you exactly what to do daily and there are many case studies: breathe deeply, blink softly and often, stop staring, notice the swing of all objects around you all day long. Read from the Snellen chart every day. Palm every hour for 5 minutes, imagining black objects or pleasant memories. Take 10-30 minutes a couple times a day to practice his suggestions for improving memory, imagination, and central fixation. If a method lowers your vision, don't do it anymore, return to it later in the future in a different way. Practice most what improves your sight by your own observations.
Different methods work better/worse for different people. When you try one, take note if it improves your sight or not. If it does improve, be creative and repeat it often in the same way and in new ways until your vision is continuously improved.
It may sound like a lot of time, but these are things you can incorporate into your daily routine with a bit of creativity.
Subject: Objection to the minus -- is the second-opinion.
When I was younger I was impressed by Dr. Bate's efforts. I looked at the
sun and such.
Like you I was at -7 diopters. In a similary way I had refractive surgery.
That did give me 20/20.
Quote:My vision was about -5.50 in each eye before the surgery, and I had worn glasses/contacts since 3rd grade. I've always had vision problems even at 20/20 correction, like unexplained blurriness, dry eye and bumps under my eyelid that my doctor said was from wearing contacts too much. I was an ideal candidate for Lasik, and I went to the best place in our state with the most advanced laser system. I was thrilled at first, but now, after nearly a year, my vision has dropped to 20/40 in good light... but I'm sure it is much worse at night. I feel like my vision is very blurry and unstable in low light or night conditions. I'm very upset and don't know what to do. My Lasik center said they could do an enhancement if my vision continues to get worse, but I don't really want to do that! When I tell them about my poor night/low light vision, they don't have anything to say. I am thinking about going to my regular eye doctor (I haven't been there in over a year) because
Quote:I know she will at least listen to me and try to help.
Otis> I am certain she will try.
Quote:I purchased "Relearning to See: Improve Your Eyesight -- Naturally" by Thomas R. Quackenbush and have been working my way through it, though I am not entirely sure what to practice yet since there is such an overwhelming amount of information. I guess my main question is... have I doomed myself by getting Lasik surgery, or can I improve and stabilize my vision with the Bates method like anyone else? I really hope I can!
!
Otis> Because I know of quite a few cases, where the person has refractive surgery, gets to 20/20, then goes
back to his old "habits" -- long term reading at near -- I resolved not to get caught in that "trap" a
second time.
Otis> So now, I check my own refractive STATE (at about +1/2 diopter) and use a plus lens for
all close work.
Otis> I read my Snellen on a daily basis, and continue with this type of preventive work.
Otis> Other doctors, such as Dr. Liberman, have recommended this preventive "therapy", and
I recommend the method and his book.
Before suregery, a certain amount of eye muscle tension, abnormal eye/cornea shape and often mental tension caused unclear vison.
If, after laser surgery, the eye muscles, visual system become more tense, then the vision can lower.
Practicing Bates method will reverse this, relax the mind, eye muscles and bring the vision, shape of the eye/cornea back to the point it was when vision was clear right after the surgery; not perfect relaxation, but at that point where that eye condition fits the surgery, the shape the surgery placed the cornea in to fit that eye condition..
One thing to consider; If the mind, eye muscles, eyes completely relax and the eyes return to perfect normal shape, the shape that would of produced clear vison before the surgery, then, now; since the cornea had been altered by surgery; the cornea prevents a complete return to normal shape.
In this case blur can occur.
Question; To practice Bates method to relax the mind, muscles 'just enough' to get the vision clear?
Will the Bates method activate a natural growth of the cornea, back to normal shape, thickness so the eye muscles can completely relax, and the vision be clear or will it cause tension, injury to the cornea as the cornea tries to return to normal shape with the eye as the Bates method improves the eyes shape?
See diagrams page 4 http://www.cleareyesight.info.
When I was attending a Natural Eyesight Improvement school, a lady that had laser surgery on her eyes corneas sat next to me.
She was allowed to use the Bates Method, but I do not know if any special treatment was applied.
I could see how the corneas had been flattened by surgery and I often wondered if the eyes cornea can regrow.
Dr. Bates says that the Bates method can cure crossed, wandering eyes even after unsuccessful eye muscle surgery.
I have read in Better Eyesight MAgazines of cornea scars, opacities healing naturally.
I would recommend plus lenses to help prevent deterioration. I personally would start at +2.5 and go to +2.0 when you feel ready, etc., but your provider can let you try different strengths to see what you like. Be dynamic to stabilize your vision.
No plus lenses!!
Eyeglasses will increase vision impairment.
I know some people will be upset that I speak against use of eyeglasses, but this is dangerous!
While plus lenses substitute one addiction for another, like nicorette, they are utterly different from minus lenses. I, for one--and I speak only from experience--find them relaxing at a deep level. I can vouch for them as an effective way to prevent myopia "progression," which is his main interest, from what I gather.
Remember that he had eye surgery and is walking around with minus "glasses" already and cannot take them off, as they are now part of his eyes. Plus lenses, especially for near work, will not only help him stabilize his vision while he educates himself about Bates-related methods, which takes a while of course, but they also get at his initial inquiry: they will allow him to re-experience what his vision was like before surgery. In fact, in my previous post I recommended that he go from +2.5 to +2.0, etc., but if he really gets in touch with his visuality, I expect he will want to go in the opposite direction, from +2.5 to +3.0, etc., to wherever he stood before surgery. Also, I do not know what your knowledge base is, but I believe his eyes will not be hurt by returning to where he was before with plus lenses. Allowing his eyes to relax for the first time in years can only help.
I also emphasize plus lenses because they are counter-intuitive and wanted to be sure he considered them as an option. Unlike minus lenses, I believe it cannot hurt to try them. Of course, I only recommend plus lenses as a supplement to Bates study because relearning how to see is especially paramount for anyone with progressive myopia. Like everyone, he does not need to feel trapped, but that his situation is interesting. It is an opportunity to learn more about this great aspect of his body/mind.
I learned in a natural vision improvement courses that the cornea structure is weakened by surgery.
All types of glasses will increase eye muscle tension and dysfunction, cause the shape of the eye/cornea to change/become more impaired and this can pull on the cornea, cause tension, strain in the cornea, tears in the cornea, ulcers, waves...
No glasses is best.
I agree that no glasses is best. Learning about natural vision habits is paramount. But I think it is incorrect to bundle together minus and plus lenses, especially in his case. According to what you heard about the cornea, his corneas are both weakened and pulled upon because of his default condition of minus correction.
I just reread the initial post, and I agree that Quackenbush's book provides too much information, or something about his format is unsuccessful. I remember that when I was first reading about Bates years ago my favorite book was Lieberman's, "Take off your glasses and see." I think there is a lot of useful information on this site too, and I do not think healthy vision habits are about techniques, so much as a way of thinking, namely not to think that to see you have to try, and a couple of other basics.
Also, your doctor is silent about poor night vision because that is a known, predictable side effect of Lasik. Unfortunately, you could have anticipated it. If you get an "enhancement," your nighttime vision may deteriorate. Your daytime vision is another story, and I know you can recoup your losses of the last year. By the way, I wanted to mention that I know someone who had corneal surgery for myopia years ago, before Lasik, when it was done with a scalpel apparently. She has healthy visual habits and a happy attitude, hence, stable vision and no issues. So you have no cause to despair. To the contrary, it is incumbent upon you to make the best of the situation.
The Bates Method will work for you. I think there are a few people on here or they are on the Outlook Insight (Effortlessvision website) that have had success with the Bates Method after having LASIK. I don't support LASIK at all especially since many LASIK surgeons use a a laser not FDA approved.
There are many videos Youtube, that speak about why LASIK is bad and they even show a video of the procedure.
If you are still out there keep at the Bates Method, and I'm sure you will get improvement. Don't be disappointed if its only little. And don't be disappointed if you have relapses.....
I hope that you come back and read my reply. You will be OK. I have a very similar story to yours. I had RK in the 1980s; that's the old fashioned version of lasik. Lasik is much better because with the RK they actually used a diamond tipped scalpel which causes a starburst effect when I look at lights at night. My vision stayed pretty good for about 15 years, but finally I realized I couldn't read my plane tickets or really see the fine numbers on my watch dial, so I went to the eye doc. He told me that my far vision had deteriorated as well as my close vision, something that the eye surgeon had told me to expect. Thus, I started wearing progressive bifocals. From that point, my vision really took a nose dive. However, I occassionally had flashes of great vision, which made me believe that it was possible to reverse my problem. I struggled for several years, got tired of my eye doc not wanting to discuss why I sometimes had these clear flashes so switched to another eye doc. Not only did this guy listen to me and work with me, but he had had the RK surgery the same year I did, by the very same surgeon! AND, he had the same problem I did.
Shortly after, I found this sight. Since starting the use of the Bates method, with some of my own adjustments, I have improved my vision to the point where I recently was able to pass my drivers license eye exam without glasses. Though I'm no where near 20/20, I am functional as long as I'm not trying to read something.
I do not believe that you have to have any plus or negative lens to counter what the surgery did. If you practice and achieve relaxation of the eyes, nature will bring you to a point where you have good vision. Sure, it would be optimum for you and I both if we had not had the surgery and had known about a natural approach, but that's water under the bridge. I have days where my vision is really, really good (meaning I can actually read stuff close up if its not too small), and some days I seem to have just so so vision. However, I have noticed that my good days are more frequent and that my bad days get less and less bad.
This may or may not be the case, but is it possible that your stress of finding out that the surgery creates complications could be causing you problems with your vision. Remember, the object is not just relaxed eyes, but also a relaxed mind, they go hand in hand. Several people above have noted that the surgery does not correct bad vision habits; they are correct. Your vision was improved by surgery, I believe that you can use the Bates method to achieve the same vision that you had right after the surgery. Keep the faith!
cherylin Wrote:How does microfracture knee surgery significantly interfere with a player's performance? Many players, including Jamal Mashburn, say that microfracture knee surgery hampered their explosiveness. How does it do that? Does it hurt the player when they try to move the way they did before? I don't understand why it cripples the player so much.
Here are some answers to that question. Now I can sort of see that the question may have something to do with Eyes and LASIK but why would you post this here in the Bates Method area? I think this fits in the Off Topic section.
cherylin Wrote:How does microfracture knee surgery significantly interfere with a player's performance? Many players, including Jamal Mashburn, say that microfracture knee surgery hampered their explosiveness. How does it do that? Does it hurt the player when they try to move the way they did before? I don't understand why it cripples the player so much.
Here are some answers to that question. Now I can sort of see that the question may have something to do with Eyes and LASIK but why would you post this here in the Bates Method area? I think this fits in the Off Topic section.
Good luck to all,
blauw
It was a spambot.
Dave
Site Administrator
"Half of our funny, heathen lives, we are bent double to gather things we have tossed away." - George Meredith
