Hello, I am 15 years old (16 on Friday) and I am determined to restore my vision to 20/20. From what I remember my prescription was -3.00 on my left eye and
-3.50 on the right.
I have been following the guide on this site (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.squidoo.com/restorevision">http://www.squidoo.com/restorevision</a><!-- m -->) for two weeks now and I haven't worn my glasses ever since. I do see a slight improvement in my eyesight from when i first toke off my glasses but not any flashes yet.
I didn't really know much about the Bates Method up until i saw this site.
Can you guys give me a list of exercises i should do daily or suggest if i should still follow this guide or add any other exercises to it?
Also does anyone mind explaning the long swing exercise to me a bit? I don't get how it says sway your body.. does this mean your turning it??
Thank you very much for the site!!
i figured out how to do the long swing but should i add it to the guide im following or just start doing other exercises.. if it helps this is what im doing right now :
1. Look up, but take your attention further, beyond the physical constraint of your eye, then look down, and, again, take your attention further, beyond the physical constraint of your eye - 8 times (up-down *8, and remember to keep your eyes relaxed - do not stress your eye muscles).
2. Look left, but take your attention further/beyond the physical constraint of your eye - behind your ear in this case, look right, and, again... you got it. Do this 8 times, just as with point 1.
3. Look left, straight, right, straight, this one 4 times (left, straight, right, straight *4)
4. Follow a perfect circle with your eyes (don't cut corners), 8-10 times in one direction, and then 8-10 in the other direction.
5. Same as point 4, but look up (i.e. tilt your head towards the ceiling, and do the same as point 4). Again, make sure that you maintain good mood throughout, as this really is vital, and will really put things on steroids. Make each move comfortable, increase your good mood with every cycle. And don't forget to lightly blink after every exercise.
6. Do same as point 4, but with your eyes closed.
7. Do same as point 5, but with your eyes closed.
8. Look on to the top left corner (eyes are open again), bottom left corner, top right corner, and bottom right corner, and do this cycle 4 times. Then do the same in the opposite direction.
9. Draw a horizontal 8 with your eyes (i.e. move your eyes in the shape of an 8), do about 8 of them in each direction.
10. Now draw 8 vertically, also around 8 times in each direction will do.
11. Look at your nose for 2 seconds, then look straight, but take your attention to the sides, noticing object which exist by each side of you (again, you cannot physically look in different directions, unless you are a frog, or a lizard, but you can pay attention to these objects, noticing them with your side/peripheral vision). Then look at the bridge of your nose for 2 seconds, and, again, to the sides, as above. Lastly, look between your eyebrows for 2 seconds, then to the sides again. Do this cycle 4 times.
12. Sit up straight, close your eyes, and relax as much as you can - relax the whole body, and eye muscles in particular (go through your whole body in your mind, in search for tense muscles, and relax any tense muscles that you find). To help yourself relax, image of nature helps most people. Then, when you feel that you have fully relaxed, imagine a butterfly, remember how it moves/spins its wings. Now slowly, calmly open your eyes, and calmly start blinking, without tension, just like the butterfly does when it moves it's wings (10 seconds or so is enough).
13. And last stage. Relaxing your eyes as much as possible. Rub your hands against one another, until you feel they start getting worm (10 - 15 seconds), then put them in a cross, one on another, and put them on your face. Your eyes must rest right in the middle of your palms, but not touch them. Make sure there is no light coming through, and then close your eyes. Fully relax (meaning your shoulders will go down, face relaxed, tongue should be in a "hanging" state, etc. - just go through your body in your mind again, looking for any tense muscles, and relax them. Sit in this position for around 4 minutes, and then slowly put down your hands, keeping your eyes close. Increase relaxation, think of nature. After about a minute in this state, take a deep breath, stretch yourself, hands, feet etc., and open your eyes, while you breath out.
Eye muscle-building exercise: Think about the time when you go into a gym, in order to build up your muscles - you do the same hear with the muscles of your eyes (which move & focus our eyes). So, here's what you do for this one: you take a small image, e.g. stamp, and you stick it on your window (preferably). Then, look at the stamp, standing 30 centimetres away from it & focus your vision from that stamp and into the distance. Do this around 100 times. Spending just 3 minutes a day on this exercise is enough. Fully relax your eye muscles while doing this (and always try to keep your eyes relaxed anyway, this will speed up the process by a tonn).
I'm thinking about adding the long swing and palming to the list. Any other suggestions?
All those steps: looking, forcing eyes to one side, up, down, corner... is not Bates method.
These can cause eye muscle tension, blur. The natural way is for the head, face to move with the eyes, same direction.
Looking at the nose is ok if done relaxed and not too much but reading fine print close to eyes, shifting on small details of objects close to eyes is better, natural. Blink and relax, no force.
Drawing circles, figure eight is good. Do relaxed.
Use your central vision, look at objects with center of the visual field.
Trying to see objects clear with the peripheral field is very straining, diffusion, prevents central fixation, causes eye muscle tension and blur!
Where did you learn all this harmful advice??
#12 is good. Do it with palming.
#13 good, but: -Do not rub/touch the hands together.
Keep them apart. You can put them close to eachother in and out 1 foot to 1-2 inches while breathing deep, relax and circluate chi energy in body, around the body, and in around the hands. Move hands in and out but do not touch them together. (touching together short circuts, cuts off all the energy you are building up).
When energy is strong, do palming.
I am adding complete directions for this in next website upgrade in future.
Eye muscle building exercise is good but some things must be added:
When looking at the stamp or distant object, shift part to part on it. Keep eyes moving, relax, blink.
Keep the object you look at in the center of the visual field without becoming stiff, immobile. Relax and continue to shift, move the center of the visaul field about the object.
Practice with both eyes, one eye at a time, both together again.
If one eye needs more vision improvement, practice a little longer with that eye and longer at the distant it is unclear at.
100 times is not necessary.
Just practice this 'switching' close and far 1-10 minutes 1-3 times a day. See chapter 13, 14, 15 on the website.
Then use shifting, central fixation and other correct eye functions as automatic, easy habits all the time. When you want to see a object; shift on it. blink, relax, think positive thought. Avoid staring, squinting.
Use can also use a curtain cord or ruler hanging in a open window for more area on the close object to shift on, keeps eyes moving = relaxed and full spectrum sunlight exposure.
Switching can be discontinued once you get clear vision and then just use it if you need a tune-up occasionally.
Read Bates magazines, book. He states it is normal for vision to fluxuate. Practice and fluxuations are much less, almost not noticed.
Have you tried using the memory and imagination exercises?
Clark
Okay, I got rid of the wrong exercises. I got the all of these from <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.squidoo.com/restorevision">http://www.squidoo.com/restorevision</a><!-- m -->
I havent tried doing the memory and imagination exercises yet but I'm gunna give them a go along with the flash exercise. ;D
Also, is there any guide on this or any other site that has like a daily routine of exercises to follow?
I'm very confused... and my confidence is getting lower by the day...
I'm stuck with not knowing which exercises to do... which ones did you do? I really want to see results and when i was following the other guide i had a very very positive mood and i remained confident.. I just need some sort of list on which exercises to do daily and how many times for how long and i think ill be back on track... so please help me out people!!
Everything I know is on the website.
Shifting, central fixation is done all the time as a easy habit.
Each page on the navigation bar is a chapter in a book.
Each page has a picture to make it simple to learn.
Just make a note of each treatment, then practice them daily.
If this does not work, see a teacher in person.
Better Eyesight Magazine, Huxley and Peppards old books have step by step directions.
Relearning to see by Thomas Quackenbush is a good book.
Tandoori,
I'm no expert, and have not even managed to completely cure myself. But I know my eyesight is improving, and I often have flashes of perfect eyesight.
Eyeballs are like fingerprints - everyone's different. I think it's the same for perception. Remember the light flows all around us and it is constantly changing just a little as are we all. When you ask for a fixed routine you're asking for a pair of glasses or contacts. That's not what this is about. However, lenses are great when safety is a concern, and also for reminding us what the goal is. And for meeting/exceeding the expectations of others.
Wake up early. Try to be awake while daylight is breaking. Think about where you are in relation to the sunlight. Instead of reaching for your glasses or contacts, do a couple of minutes of palming followed by a couple of minutes of the long swinging. Or vice-versa. Or whatever seems to make your eyesight a little better. Trial and Error.
Start taking a multivitamin every day - make sure it has Beta Carotene. Don't overdo it. Don't overdo anything.
I think the nose focusing techniques from the squidoo.com site are actually very useful. Do them often. Who cares if they're not in the Bates Method? I don't! Find out what works for you. We myopes were somehow prevented from developing normal eyesight (assuming there is no organic cause). We need to discover for ourselves how to reverse it, get back to square1 and start the eyesight development thing all over again, from a more grownup perspective, relying on our own observations and taking responsibility for our own movements. When you go without lenses, other people will notice that your eyes don't look quite right to them, and they will react to you differently. That is the beginning of discovery.
Palm (with eyes closed of course) for a couple of minutes multiple times throughout the day.
Do the long swinging (eyes open) for a couple of minutes multiple times throughout the day.
Sit and stand as tall as you can all the time. Lean back a little. Breathe.
Don't let your eyes dry out.
Wear your glasses or contacts whenever you need them. Don't wear them whenever they're not required. Safety first!
You'll have to create your own individualized schedule (if a rigorous schedule is important to you, and it may be at first). Use trial and error to discover what works best for you. Keep a vision journal. Carry a small notebook. Write down the date, time, exercise, duration, surrounding conditions, and comments/ideas/observations. Create a chart that you can fill in quickly and easily.
You could go through these sentences and number them and prioritize them - but that would be your responsibility.
Just writing this down for you has produced a clear vision event/flash for me. Thanks!!!
Tandoori Wrote:I'm very confused... and my confidence is getting lower by the day...
I'm stuck with not knowing which exercises to do... which ones did you do? I really want to see results and when i was following the other guide i had a very very positive mood and i remained confident.. I just need some sort of list on which exercises to do daily and how many times for how long and i think ill be back on track... so please help me out people!!
I understand what you want - a list of exercizes. The problem with this request (and the reason you aren't getting the answer you want) is because the Bates method isn't about exercizes or static routines. Please read this whole reply! I'm trying to give you an idea of how you can get something similar in a way that will help you. I have improved my eyes from 5/200 to 10/20 so far.
The Bates method is about learning how to relax, how to see as the normal eye does. For most people it teaches you to stop staring and stop trying so hard in everything you do.
It is possible to get a list of activities to practice and make daily habits. However, it is impossible for someone on this forum to give you a list of activities that will work for you without seeing how you respond to their the different methods recommended by Bates. I see the following two options for you:
1. If there is a teacher anywhere near you, then I would recommend booking a lesson, discussing your needs and expectations in advance. Within 1 hour, a good teacher should be able to assess which of the methods are most beneficial for you (for example, shifting works great for some, while others have better improvement when consciuosly practicing with their imagination). Based on this, the teacher will use some creativity and give you a range of activities that have you practice the methods that work for you and leave out the ones that don't. The activities you practice will probably provide benefit for about a week, after which booking another lesson would again guide you to some new activities to practice the next week. With some creativity and understanding of the method on your part, you could eventually learn to modify the practice yourself so that you would only book a lesson say once per month to get some new ideas and help.
2. If you are reasonably intelligent and creative, you can learn the Bates method by reading his book. It is here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.central-fixation.com/perfect-sight-without-glasses/">http://www.central-fixation.com/perfect ... t-glasses/</a><!-- m --> I would recommend at the beginning reading the following selection of chapters to get you started:
The fundamental principle, Preface, Ch. I, Ch VII to CH. XV, CH. XXIV, CH XXV, CH XXXII
These chapters demonstrate what is fundamentally important about his method and give clear instructions for practice (particularly chapters X to XV). If you can derive benefit by reading and following these instructions, then I recommend reading the entire book from beginning to end more thoughtfully. If after reading the first selection of chapters you haven't been able to help yourself, then do my first recommendation, which is to get a good teacher to help you. David has kindly written a section on his main page about finding a good taecher.
I hope now you can see now that the problem with asking for this very specific advice on a forum, is people recommend the methods that are helpful for them but not necessarily for you. You can't go wrong learning the basics first and asking for help here or on my blog if you get stuck.
THANKS SO MUCH for the help guys!!
I found a teacher about an hour from where i live and I emiled her and even got a reply back!
I wil definatly read that book!
once again Thank Yiou to all of you for giving up your precious time in order to help me... it is greatly appreciated! ;D
