I just wanted to share the relief in my eyesight I have got from watching television.
Ok, first of all I let my eyes go wherever they want to, do whatever they want to.
Music videos I find to be good, since there are lots of quick changing scenes..which allow the eyes to shift quickly.
While watching television, I notice that my attention is usually focussed on one person, which I allow - I don't try and change my gaze.
After a few minutes, the vision gets better, although it often retains some blurriness. Things also look brighter too.
I find this a good practice, since I don't seem to be able to consciously shift very well
ANy thoughts?
Bates wrote that watching "moving pictures" helped the eyesight, for many of the same reasons. He suggested watching a movie a second time if possible since that would be even more relaxing, as you know what images to expect & would "try to see" even less.
I mentioned this before a while back, but I find watching football matches (association football, ie soccer) on the tv very relaxing. I like to sit well back from the screen where I don't really see anything then after a while I become aware of vague small shapes, then these become more distinct usually as double or triple smudges. Then, nearly always at some stage, often in the second half, a tiny single player becomes distinct, first the legs but it's hazy around him. My eyes would be watering (invariably). I always find this amusing for some reason! It helps if the game isn't too exciting (as I think this tempts me to strain to see) or too boring (as I'd drift off to sleep). I have done this often and I expect it to happen - and it does.
Compilation programmes of highlights of different matches aren't as successful as they don't show much of the action and keep cutting to interviews and studio discussion while other sports such as rugby tend to zoom in too often to close up shots, where you can see "clearly" but fuzzily. What seems to work for me is standard long distance shots taking in a fair part of the pitch where you aren't distracted by a fuzzy image as in truth you barely see anything at first. This ties in with my experience of the Snellen chart where the upper lines are "guides" - they clear up a good bit at the start but when it really kicks in the "real" letters emerge out of the white space beneath the lines. Does this ring a bell with anyone else? Also I think Sorrisi mentioned that it's not easy to talk while doing this and I find the same thing: it doesn't quite "break the spell" but drags you "off centre".
Next step: how to get there quicker and more often - this is not easy as in my experience you just can't rush it. But if there are any short cuts...
My experience of the chart is similar to yours, with only the big top letters clear at first & my needing to give it time for the lower ones to be visible. Patience is essential -- if I don't go slowly I usually can't clear anything. I stay with the top few lines until the letters are very black & the swing starts (this is still new enough for me to be very cool, every time). Then I slowly move down. Sometimes I can clear lower lines in a couple of minutes & other times it takes a long time. It seems to depend on my emotional state, how tired I am, whether I'm rushing, & how relaxed I am overall. The TV is probably an optimum for you for that very reason: it's relaxing.
