Okay, since it is a well know habit of people with eyesight problems to stare or space out I have stopped doing it myself as it causes strain, one thing I just noticed (while wearing contacts) is that as I began to space out and it became apparent I noticed my peripheral vision go blurry, I assume my eyes weren't shifting because it all seemed blurry but it then made me ask myself if that was central fixation or just the by product of strain.
I could be off on this, as I am still learning too, but my understanding is that central fixation has nothing to do with the peripheral vision. I don't think the presence of it can affect the peripheral vision in a negative manner. If the peripheral suddenly gets blurry, there is probably some strain involved. I think I know what you're talking about, since I've been down that road before. For me, I get that strain when I try to "grab" at too large an area (sometimes my entire field of vision!). This can happen if you try to hold everything in your visual field at the same time. It's hard to explain, but for me, it feels like my eyes are trying to fence off my visual field. If any of that sounds familiar to you, then it's worth a look.
Dr. Bates taught Two Ways to learn Central Fixation;
# 1 - Noticing the point, âpart of the objectâ not directly regarded is seen worse, less clear. The point not regarded is in the peripheral field. While doing this the eyes are on the part in the central field but the mental, visual attention is also on the part not directly regarded in the peripheral field. This is not done all the time, itâs not regular use of the eyes. Itâs only a short practice to notice which area is less clear.
# 2 - Noticing the point âpart of the objectâ directly regarded is seen best, clearest.
The point directly regarded is in the central field. The personâs eyes, mental and visual attention is on the part in the central field. As eyesight improves the central field is perfectly clear.
When the eyesight is very unclear, often the peripheral field, though unclear is clearest. The central field is unclear and less clear than the peripheral. This is abnormal eye function and leads to increased blur. Returning best clarity to the central field is normal eye function and brings perfect clear eyesight.
When the eyesight is very unclear, some people find # 1 easier but; developing a habit of looking at the central field while also looking at the peripheral field by trying to use the central and peripheral fields of the eyes retina, eyes visual field, looking at, thinking about two points, âtwo parts of a object or two objectsâ at the same time causes; tension, strain in the eyes, mind, head, eye muscles, body and unclear eyesight. It causes diffusion, eccentric fixation which is the opposite of central fixation. It has the tendency to cause staring, interferes with normal eye movement.
I prefer # 2 because; the eyes and mind are at rest, relaxed, functioning normal, best and eyesight is perfectly clear when the eyes, mental and visual attention is on the central field, seeing, noticing that the central field, point directly regarded is most clear. Using the eyes central area of the retina âfoveaâ, the eyes central field. Color is also brightest, best in the central field.
With practice, relaxation, the central field will become perfectly clear, better than 20/20 and this also improves the peripheral field to its maximum clarity, function.
It is normal for the peripheral field (the point not directly regarded to be less clear. The brain, eyes do sense images in the peripheral field but the normally functioning eyes, mental, visual attention is in the central field to maintain relaxation and clear eyesight. If you want to see a object thatâs in the peripheral field; turn, move the eyes, face to look directly at the object, placing it in the central field and see it perfectly clear.
The eyes are never âfixedâ on a point, but move continually point to point.
Modern teachers use different words to describe central fixation to prevent students from misunderstanding the word. Avoid fixing the eyes on/staring at an object. Combine central fixation with shifting; let the eyes move upon the object of visual attention. Let the eyes move from object to object.
David's 'Looking at Details' in his articles, blog simplifies this whole thing.
To me it's about attention, since "spacing out" is not paying attention to anything in front of your eyes. Are your attention and gaze on the same thing? Peter Grunwald taught that the attention leads, then the eyes follow.
Clark I think what you're saying is that the point regarded ought to be seen best. You can go at this 2 ways, 1: notice that you see the point NOT regarded (in the periphery) worse, or 2: notice that you see the point regarded clearer than anything else. As I remember Bates often preferred teaching the first way because it seemed to lead to less strain in the patient. "Trying to see something clearly" is trying, not allowing or noticing.
Yeah, this is from Bates Magazines. I added some of my opinions.
When I look at a letter and see it clear in the central field my eyes, mind... are relaxed.
When I look at a letter and see it clear in the central field but at the same time use the peripheral vision to see the point not regarded less clear it tenses my eyes, head...
But my vision is clear, so...
I think Bates taught #1 just to begin practice when the vision is blurred, observing this on the eyechart letters- its easier that way for some people but if done all day... its not how we normally use our eyes.
You know whether your eyes were shifting over the last moment because over the last moment you will have noticed a lot of specific small details. If you aren't sure whether you were doing that, then you were pretty much not moving your eyes. In the moment it's best to pay attention to what you're looking at more so than the technique you're using to look at it, but you can also evaluate yourself occasionally to monitor whether you were using your eyes better in the previous moment.
You can tell when someone has normal vision, because their eyes make a lot of small movements. If you can see well enough, or if you have glasses on, you can notice how people's eyes move, but otherwise in movies when they do a close-up you might be able to notice it better. And when you don't see the small movements, their quality of vision is suspect. Of course it does depend on various factors, but as a general rule it's worth noting.
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"Half of our funny, heathen lives, we are bent double to gather things we have tossed away." - George Meredith
Thanks guys but just in response to clarknights post about the two ways you can learn to central fixate, I noticed that both share a common factor. They both require you mind to in a way register that you see clearer or worse in different vision fields. Both ways seem great but would you be wasting your time if your are trying to central fixate all the time without comparing vision or telling yourself, you see better here to re teach your brain what it should be doing?
