Hi, everyone.
I just wanted to share with you what I noticed is happenning to the vision while doing this exercise.
The exercise is what John Bershak Method uses (and many others), so I don't know how much of you are familiar with it. The picture can be found on his article:http://i-see.org/bershak.html
I am here refering to similar image that has words "SEEING", I'll try to upload it here
oops, I don't know how to put the file on...we'll sort it out later.
My theory is this, which also is good that you can see with your own eyes:
1. Converging, or cross viewing makes the letters smaller.
We are cross viewing close objects, so it makes sense we don't want them too big.
Also, did you notice in presbyopia, people are pushing the book farther, because the eyes can't make it smaller, letters are too big.
So, the eye modifies it's shape to make close objects smaller, not too big, to be able to understand.
2. Diverging or parallel viewing makes letters bigger.
We are doing parallel viewing for seeing distances and it looks like the eyes are trying to make distance objects bigger so the brain can recognise them.
I like this as I was initially reading from people's experiences that with the sight improvement distance objects are becoming bigger, and I couldn't believe it. Now I am noticing the same.
Tha't why I like this exercise (I have a book with stereogram, EYE TRICKS, andam doing some exercise, it's more interesting, has diversity of colours and shapes), it seem to be exercisisn very activelly the basic functions in vision training.
Any comments on this, anyone noticed the same? Or felt any part of thsi theory working for your specific case of vision error?
I like my eyes to magnify objects up close, easier to see.
When looking at tiny print up to eyelashes, eyes act as a microscope.
I think the Optometric Extension Program, Cambridge program for better vision?? has the same merging exercise.
I made a picture;
One picture of a cat sitting in the air. left side of page
Another picture of a tree stump. right side of page.
Place finger in front of eyes and move finger in and out from eyes, eyes on finger and see cat move onto top of tree stump creating a 3rd picture.
That vision program has the symbols spaced at a variety of distances from eachother and the persons practices at a variety of distances from the symbols to improve convergence, divergence at all distances.
The only ting I dont like about the exercise is that the person looking at the finger while also looking at the symbols at a different distance:
Trying to see, think about two different things at same time; diffusion, not central fixation??
Maybe this exercise is good, the exception to the rule. It seems to be more Behavioural Optometry than Bates Method.
I definitly feel a strong pulling on my eyes when do it. Good or bad = tension or harmless?
I have not had any adverse results with it, but do not use it very often.
Thanks, Clark!
I checked this link with Bershak method, which I read it yesterday.
I noticed that, all the time, in this article, Bershak is constantly critical against Bates method.
Since, I am not expert for this, I am little confused after reading this article.
John Bershak, mentioned convergence/divergence like the most important think for regain vision.He doing this exercise with three cups diagram, which is moving with time, from distance of 1-2 ft, toward more, and more distance (17 ft.).
As he said, Bates fundamental exercises (palming, swinging, swaying, blinking), is not so important, like strengthen extraocular muscles.
Does it mean, that people should be doing most of time, exercises for strengthen eyemuscles?
In the article also, mentioned exercises like in & out, string beads.Exercise In & out is very intersting.
In generally, all of these exercises , look to me similar a Bates method, but a little make over.
Does it method is correct? I am so confused now about this, but my conclusion is that existed many method, which are maybe false!
I mean that people should doing only original Bates method, because it's only giving results?! :o
Try the basic Bates methods on the website.
Switching close and far is good for the eyes, its Bates combined with behavioral optometry.
You dont need the cups. you can practice on objects in your environment.
Merging two objects into a third object is also a old optometry method but I find the eyes have to look at the close and far objects at same time and this is not central fixation. Is this what you mean by the cups exercise?
It might be good for fusion but fusion can be perfected with central fixation, shifting when looking at close and far objects, one at a time.
Mr.Clark, I'm only comment article on:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.i-see.org/bershak.html">http://www.i-see.org/bershak.html</a><!-- m -->
You had mentioned, that method here, on the community, and I read it.
You answer me, that your conclusion from this article is, that eyes try to see, near and in far distance object in the same time?Does it Bates method or something other?
When I meant three cups, I mean on this picture under my text.
It seems, that you didn't understand me well.
So, let me explain!
I already doing switching, but when I read John Bershak method on the link above, I became little confused.
So, I want to ask you, does Bershak method is useable, or it is better, to do only switching and I'll got the same results?
Oh, I am sorry people.I was in hast and, I thought that mr. Clark was post this topic, but I see now that it is post by Flower Power.I little confuse things. :
My appologize mr.Clark.
So, can you "Flower power" explain me, some things what I asked in this post?
Hi, everyone and thanks for your replies. As a creator, yes Zagreb (beautiful city, I've been there), it's me. As a creator fo this post i felT I need to add my comments.(i AM SO SHORT IN TIME LATELY)
Regarding John Bershak, I think he is not against Bates method. What he is trying to say, and I liked most, is that for people that have worn glasses for so long, and he did and I was as well (for 33 years) these exercises from Bates hardly work as the eye extraocular muscles that at the end do all the physical work actually are so much streched or underused or in strain that you do not feel pain anymore, and are not able to do exercises.
And that is exactly what I felt when started this. I couldn't shift. I felt I have no control and it was so slow. But now I am gettin gbetter. Maybe also we match as we are having similar dioptry, myopic and astigmatic, I was around -2. That meaning we had similar strain, so similar exercises would work for both.
This is my experience. I do 50 cups in morning trip in train to work.
1 cup means I diverge eyes to see 3rd cup then I converge eyes to make 3rd cup.
All WITHOUT STRAIN. It is possible, initialy I had pain but I learned I can do it with NO EFFORT. I just think I wana do it and I do it.
Immediatelly after this serial of 50 when I look into any letters, on the train inormations, I see more clear. I do another 50 -100 on my way back. I also have book of stereograms and enjoy going thru it every now and then. But this is not all. I am adding Bates exercises. How, you ask: I diverge eye and get a 3D picture, then I look around the whole picture trying to keep my 3D image, then if picture has circles I do circles, if it has lazi 8 (infinity) I follow infinitY. I also do shifting. This is how for the first time I got swing. I was looking into 3D picture having faces. Then when I achieved 3D view I was shifting between eyes - and guess what - I saw face moving r-l, opposite of my eyes. This happened in march this year and that's how I noticed this 3D stuff somehow helps.
And I also noticed that when you diverge the 3rd cup becomes bigger, when you converge it becomes smaller. My conclusion is that there is more happening to the eye then just moving the axes. I think when diverging it also shortens the eye and this is the operation to see distances; and the opposite, when converging it also lengthens the eye and that is the operation of seeing close.
And this is exactly what Dr Bates is saying how accomodation happens.
Why I think this is important is because I notice in my first two months when I was clearing my close vision, I eventually learned how to do a few blinks and I have clear vision. To be honest, I never could explain what is happening, but I could feel a sensation that something is physically changing with these blinks and I am getting clear vision.
Now I think that the main thing that is happening is shorthening and lengthening of the eye. I also understand this is interchangably always happening longer-shorter/converge - diverge, signals are being sent to and from brain, until mind is happy with the clear picture. So, it is constantly being modifying the eye length and axes' angle until th epicture is seen clearly. To achieve this function the extraocular muscels have to work perfectly activelly, released of any stress that will be preventing these movements.
So, now after 9 months of release from glasses, but in everydey 3cups exercises lately, I am more proficient in Bates method, edging, shifting, central fixation, imagining, I rarely do palming, but like sunning - whenever I can. Does anyone know if tibetan chart or circles that Clarknight recommends are they Bates exercises, is it in his book.
I found fusion for astigmatism in McCrmik's book.
So, I think this is good to prepare eyes for further bates exercises, especially for people that have worn glasses for a long time so their muscles are fluffy and sluggy.
I am really deeply into this 3D stuff as a proof of accommodation. If there was any body doing this research I am willing to cooperate with my ideas and eyes.
Flower Power
I am interested in how you diverge with the cups exercise?
I have seen this in a old vision course from Cambrige Institute, Program for Better Vision book - page 140-141.
The person merges two circles placed at different widths and at different distances to form a 3rd circle.
I stopped doing it when heard it was not Bates but so many people do this I am thinking about placing a exercise on the web.
The astigmatism circles I got from studying Janet Goodrich Method and another book.
It is not completely from Bates training but when you shift, trace on the circles, imagine rings clear, central fixation, it combines Bates with it. Shifting, tracing on a (round) circle helps the eye muscles, eyes work, move in all directions, return the eye/cornea to the normal round shape.
Tracing circles counterclockwise, clockwise is also original and modern Bates, (circular and eliptical swings) activates eye movement and activates/integrates the brain hemispheres. Modern version is infinity swing (figure eight).
It cured my astigmatism.
Astigmatism in one or both eyes often is the main cause of blur.
GOAL: looking into distance and being mentaly focused on the picture in your hands, when the third cup is showing up in the middle.
THE TRICK: You look into distance and then place this sheet of paper on your nose but not moving the eyes to look into it, you still have your eyes positioned to look into that distance (here imagiantion can come, you know what you were looking at).
Then gradually move the sheet with picture three cups. At some distance you will mentaly notice the third cup showing up, but still do not move the eyes.
That's how eyes are diverged, the eye axes are positioning parallel.
There was a pucture of theses circles in Janet Goodrich's book but there was no explanation. I new about mergin gthe two and expecting the third in the middle.
But then there were two circles with the tree in three rows, each row th edistance between was bigger. I was looking and looking into this picture and was becmING sad as there was no explanation, adn then I clicked. The biger the distance between merging more you need to diverge.
But not giving up bates, incorporrate all bates exercises and have this as a basis, as these are more extreme movements. I think are helping in waking up the muscels in case of long years of eyeware. As John Bershak say, the HARD WORK has to be done. I was always feeling, since I started this training, relaxation is OK, but I am soo much in strain, all face, the jaw, I can recognise it, and then whe I do relax, I feel Like there are no muscels to move.
So, thru these stereograms I started pumping the muscels consciously, and that is helping in all other: accommodation, axes positioning, eye lenght (focusing), saccadic movements or tremors, central fixation when you mentally knwo the little point is seen the best, if you add shifting, again al the eye functions are initiated....
Hope this helps. I have to go now. I'll add mor eif I think of...
Thank you much.
I am going to study this and then post a page on the web.
Going to use a kitty and a log.
The kitty and log merge and kitty sits on top of the log.
Its drawn in a way so the two images are equal height so eyes are balanced ok when merging.
in addition it's good to move picutre close and further, and in circles as well - this would be for astigmatism.
This is the question I was asking my self: when I cleared my close vision by lookin ginto circles, spirals and infinity sign but in a book.
I knew somehow intuitivelly that this blur that is no bigger distances needs to be cleared with the same actions but move the picture farther. But I didn't have conditions to exercise with charts on the wall. So, I was thinking this with the stereograms is that, you are exercising divergence/convergence by just having this picture in hands.
For example, when you have this two circles you can diverge in specific distance to make 3 circles, then you can diverge more and you get 4th cup, the same woth cross viewing.
Initially I was crossviewing too much. So, by the time, I fell I am actually learning how to have fine little movements of diverging/converging around the point I want to see.
ok this worked. Thansk Commandos, I was copying your code...
So, I undersood for Leo this needs to be seen with the two words SEEING aligned.
Initally my were shifted, but with exercise I can somehow move the shifted one and align.
And do not forget: NO STRAIN. If you feel pain you are doing wrong and with strain and that is not goo dfor vision. I enjoy also emotionally very much, and physiscally I feel some sensation of eyes reviving, even my synuses clear.
Thank you very much, Flower Power!!!
That's many interesting things about eyes recovery, so, I'll try it.
What is your opinion Clark?
Whould you really put all of this stuff, in your book?
P.S I'm actually pro information technologies, so, I'm glad to help you about uploading pictures on this web site 8)
I noticed when doing this that i can make my eyes see the inner circle appear closer to the eyes and then make the outer circle appear closer. intgeresting, like a illusion, hypnotizing!
I dont like trying to diverge and converge when looking at one distance.
I think the eyes should diverge for distance and converge for close, of course a specific amount of convergence for each specific close distance before 20 feet.
I am placing only some parts of this exercise in my book; A simplified part that I was taught by Cambridge Better Vision course, then true Bates method for related exercises.
I like the part about also using Bates close and far work, shifting, central fixation but Bershak seems to goof it up by adding the combined convergence/divergence together at same distance when doing the Bates work.
Just to add to this, the Magic Eye http://magiceye.com/eyesight.html intheir new book has involved natural vision teachers (VisionWorks ) to confirm this 3D images are helping in vision improvement. I don't know what they are talking about, it is probably in the book, and as you said looks like is part of Behavioural Optometry more than Bates itself, but for me it means my theory might be noticed by someone else also.
To give you an update I am really feeling better vision when doing 3cups. I also now do this in all directions, far left-righ, up and down. It is hard as I have to hold my picture up, or move my head down to see up, and it seems it is not easy to move my muscles in those other directions which I assume is due to astigmatism.
After the exercise I see colours more, more shinnes around, and clarity. I am testing on tv - I still can't see clear from 2.5m, and on chart I am clearing out line 20/50.
Alos, I want to report to everyone that it is happening: the distance objects look bigger.
While before when I was straining it is making them smaller. I am sooo happy it is happening!!!!
And exactly I feel for distances I do similar musels movements as in 3cups when diverging.
And clarknight I can't tell you how I am honoured if I can help to your web site and teaching. Since I realised the truthb about this natural vision approach is REALITY, I am so unhappy that people are being mistreated and want to help to reveal the truth, but can't do much from this position of my own vision not fixed, etc. It must be a good feeling when you are actually helping people in your life. I might think of some way of me helping as well though.
And thanks to Dave for this web site and community.
And everyone for sharing their knowledge and experineces.
Commandos , you think your region can get this knowledge about vision, too, if it is no t yet there?
Going back to 3cups what I think I am doing is I can feel shape of my eye changing. this is now felt in the frontal area of the eye, looks like it widens when I diverge. I think it is happenig together, divergence + shortening AND convergence + lenghtening.
It is how I feel it now. And I think I can feel because I have been so many years in starin and never being using these muscels.
and I think in perfect vision that is what is happenign, I know clarknight you don't like this, but I think the muscles are doing fine tunning on one distance (cros - parallel) just to decide on the right form of the eye in order to get clear picture.
In doing these 3cups I fell mentaly more stable, while just doing "following the line , circles or spiral" (this for my astigmatism) I would jump parts of the line, not being able to stick to the line. when I do it is again nice emotion I feel, but more in 3D stuff I am doing.
Did I mention that after 10 of 3cups I fell my synuses clear?
And question:
SHAPE OF THE EYE:
Is there a specific distance where the shape is real circle, and then form lenghtens for close vision and shortens for distance. Maybe at 6 m (20 feet)?
![[Image: threecups.jpg]](http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4861/threecups.jpg)
![[Image: 3cupswithseeing.jpg]](http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/1308/3cupswithseeing.jpg)
