Very high myopia: Let the Bates experiment start.

[YoungBlueEyes]

Here we are at the first day of my one year natural vision improvement experiment using the Bates method. During the next year, I will try to update once a week a blog (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://youngblueeyes.blogspot.com">http://youngblueeyes.blogspot.com</a><!-- m -->) with progression reports and an overview of my vision improvement strategy. Why one year? Just a motivation target.

One of my big goals for publishing this blog is to motivate myself during this long period of time and to share tips and tricks on the Bates method with people having the same goal: improving our vision in a natural way. During the last couple of weeks I searched the Internet on valuable information and I was excited finding heaps of it in personal blogs and vision community pages. Especially the personal insight of a lot of bloggers (see my motivation links) gave me a lot of hope for a possible improvement of my vision.

The naked facts:

Belgian male living in Spain, 38 years old (maybe MiddleAgedBlueEyes should have been a better nickname;-). Watching a computer screen for almost 8 hours a day without having natural light in the room (I am working ... in the underground, literally).

My last optometrist prescription is:

R: -19,5 SPH ; -2,5 CYL ; Axis: 65
L: -20 SPH ; -3 CYL ; Axis: 110

At the moment, I wear glasses with the following prescription:

R: -18 SPH ; -2,5 CYL ; Axis: 65
L: -18 SPH ; -3 CYL ; Axis: 110

Yesterday I made a first Snellen Chart test (after a session of sunning, palming, central fixation and long swinging):

With glasses: R: 20/40 ; L: 20/60
Without glasses: I could read the 24m line at a distance of 30cm with both eyes, which should be more or less 20/1400 ...

So, a lot of progress is possible here;-) I am aware that these raw data could have been a shock to you, so take a deep breath, and please do read on.

Two facts in my life "opened my eyes" and showed me the "alternative (natural) path":

- my oftalmologist told me that the only thing left for me to do was praying. Lucky me, I am too nearsighted so that he could not practise surgery on me, at least one mental strain less I have to cope with.

- visiting India some time ago I passed by the "School for Perfect Eyesight" in Pondicherry. The school is part of the Aurobindo ashram and the late Dr. R.S. Agarwal introduced the Bates' method for correct usage of the eye and supplemented it with other yoga techniques. Seeing all these children adopting natural vision improvement techniques really made me angry about some of our Western medical practises.

I didn´t find much information (blogs, communities) on the Web of people with very high myopia experimenting with the Bates method (although I admit that for some people having -10 diopters is already very high myopia, but as in my case I am doubling these figures, I don´t want to talk about "very very high myopia"). ¿Somebody has some experience with it?

I am in the process of searching a way to measure my vision progress with the Snellen Chart, but as you can see in the above figures, without glasses I have to be as close as up to 30 cm to see the 24m line. ¿Is it ok to measure the progress with and without glasses? ¿Or is there a better way to keep using the Snellen Chart without glasses?

As I am feeling my eyes getting strained writng these, I will go and do some palming. The experiment has started. Thanks for joining my journey.

[Nancy]

I've been reducing my prescription from -10 with -2 astigmatism for 8 years now, & can drive without glasses locally in the day. This is an unimagined dream for someone who got strong glasses at age 5 which just got stronger as I got older, & practiced walking around the house with eyes closed as a child, expecting to be blind as an adult & wanting to be ready. One thing that kept my progress from being faster was not doing the chart until last year, because I had to stand so close to it to even see the top letter I got very discouraged. I now know it is FINE to stand as close as you need to to see a few lines: if you're just looking at a big blur that is only more strain. When I first started just going without my strong glasses & doing things around the house it was a big adjustment, so I'd say do as much without correction as you safely can, & pay attention to how your eyes feel -- if you're straining, stop & rest or palm. You want to train your eyes to remember how to see naturally, without the correction. You are right that you have a lot of room to improve. Please keep us posted on your progress. You can do this (you already are).

[YoungBlueEyes]

Dear Nancy,

Thanks a lot for your words of motivation. You are completely right about the fact that wearing glasses as less as possible is the best way to improve vision naturally. Since two weeks, I try to take off my glasses when going or coming from work. I use public transport (with my current prescription I don´t like to drive) and was fully surprised that even with -20 diopters I can find my way home during this 45 minutes trip. Although I see very blurry, I enjoy the vivid colors and the fresh air cleaning my eyes. I will try to extend this "free-of-glasses" time during other daily activities.

YBE

[Nancy]

YBE,
Way to go! I know people whose prescription is much weaker than yours who are "terrified" (their words) to take their glasses off even in their own house. Teaching your eyes there is another healthier more natural way to see will make you want glasses less & less. Look at Peter Grunwald's Eyebody site for the first part of his book where he takes the public transport without glasses -- you are not alone!

[YoungBlueEyes]

Nancy, thanks a lot for the link to Peter Grunwalds book. When I read the first chapter about his first steps without glasses using public transportation, I felt: This is it! This time I am on the right track! I still have my glasses close to me, ready to grab them if needed, but I refuse to use them during my walk outside and use of subway/train. Most of all I am enjoying it, even when hunderds of people are seemingly rushing towards me in the train station hall ;-) Next step is going without glasses most of the time at home, e.g. for cooking. In your progess, did you use pinhole glasses?

YBE

[Nancy]

YBE,
Funny you should ask about pinholes. I just got some in the past few days from Peter & intended to write a blog post once I had used them more, but since you're interested now I wrote something up about my initial experience. See today's post on my blog. Also, if you're interested in Peter's work, all my posts with anything referring to it will be under my Eyebody category. The July 5 post is the first after I got back from his workshop.

I have to congratulate you again on your open willing-to-experiment attitude. There are people wearing -2 or -3 who think they "can't" take their glasses off! Keep up the good work, & I look forward to hearing more about your progress.

[JMartinC4]

MiddleAgeBlueEyes,
Yes, it is a scary, brave, interesting, scientific, investigative, psychological, interactive, insightful, enlightening, illuminating, fascinating, incredible, empowering, liberating, joyful, humanizing journey you have embarked on. Thank you for joining.
JMartin
I haven't tried pinhole glasses, but I hear they have some good effects. I almost ordered a pair once, but when a psychologist whom I had lost respect for recommended them in what I thought was a sarcastic way, I decided I was just as well off without them. But good luck with any and all safe experimenting you do. They don't cost much anyway.

[YoungBlueEyes]

Nancy, I read your first post on the pinhole glasses. I am looking forward to hear more about your experiments. I asked the question because I found some pinhole glasses at home my wife bought 10 years ago. Never used them. So I put them on and I directly noticed the hugh difference in clarity, but also that after 5 seconds my eyes started to strain very badly. You mention that Peter Grunwald studied 17 different manufacturers before finding one that really fit his needs. Maybe my eyes are not ready for it yet (to strained after almost 30 years of hight diopter glasses) or these pinhole glasses are not "the right ones". Thanks a lot again for your effort in posting these experiments.
JMartinC4, thanks a lot for these words of motivation. The journey may be long, but at least we have to enjoy it.

[johnwayne]

Yes, the problem with Pinholes for me is that they start straining my eyes after a few minutes of wearing them. It's not the case of a lack of practicing with them - I've had plenty of time to break them in. They're a good way for the eyes to find some relief - anything that will is a good thing - but they're in no way essential for vision improvement in my opinion. I haven't tried Gruwald's glasses, they sound interesting and worth a try.

Cheers,
JW

[johnwayne]

I also think more people would find the Vision Halo more helpful actually. Not only cheaper (you can make it yourself out of old wire coat hanger), but works better, has longer lasting effects, etc.

Cheers, JW

[misheiru]

Hello,

I came across your post and wished to read your blog and see how your experiment turned out. Unfortunately your blog (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://youngblueeyes.blogspot.com">http://youngblueeyes.blogspot.com</a><!-- m -->)is invite only. Would it be possible for you to invite me or just share your results. My email is misheiru"at"gmail.

thank you

[Ares]

First i wan to know the condition of your imagination.

Second, the condition of your memory.

Third, i want to truly tell me if you believe that you can be cured by Bates' method.

Forth, how much you want to be cured.

Fifth, name the top 5 factors you believe they are causing strain to you.



Answer truly, and without hesitation or thought.
Why? Because these are the most important factors that will cure you, and we would be able to guide you specific and directly.

Congratulations for choosing the hard path of Natural Vision Improvement!