Bates Method, Dr. Bates' book readers success

[clarknight]

I like to read the book reviews by people that have read books by Dr. Bates. I gain a lot of insight into the different things that worked to improve different types of vision problems, various people, personalities.

Let's post the best reviews here; success and failures.

Book; The Bates Method for Better Eyesight

http://www.amazon.com/The-Bates-Method-B...dp_product

Although this book was edited, much removed after Dr. Bates death, the main training is preserved and many people gain clear eyesight from the instructions. Here's the newest review. Note some reviews are a lot like Dr. Bates Better Eyesight Magazine; the people describe their lives, work, experience;

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars, November 23, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase

Fact or Fiction?,
By John Galt

This review is from: The Bates Method for Better Eyesight

I purchased this book about 12 years ago (when it only cost around $8.00) and I must admit, I felt a bit foolish. Foolish, because the book's title appeared to be downright 'quackery'. Let's face it, in this day and age, how could a doctor, who died in the 1930's have anything to add to the science of ophthalmology in the 21st century? Well, at the time, I was desperate. While most people are presented with their mid-life crisis when their hair goes gray, my 'crisis' was losing my near vision. At that time I purchased the book, I was designing and building an industrial robot from scratch. Translation: All close electronic and mechanical work.

Bought the book, read it, did the 'eye relaxation sessions' and NOTHING!

Fast forward a few weeks, (still doing the relaxation sessions) I was at my shop measuring a part with a dial vernier. My arms never seemed 'long enough' to see things close-up, so I usually squinted. It was a summer afternoon and I had my large overhead door open. Outside stands my amish neighbor's barn, about 200 feet away. Atop the barn is a very handsome weather vane which was lit by a mid-afternoon sun.
My arms were elevated and outstretched , in my left hand was my part to be measured, in my right hand the dial vernier and in the background of both was the weather vane. I attempted to focus on the part to be measured but the distraction of the weather vane in the background made my eyes try to focus on it. Viola ! Inadvertently focusing on the weather vane made my eyes focus on the part! The part and dial vernier came into clear focus.
It took a few days to simulate this counter intuitive event, but eventually I was able to duplicate it without conscious action.

I'm not an MD, but in my younger days, I did build telescopes and photography was another hobby involving optics. Photography, especially, comes to mind because when focusing an image with a camera, you vary the distance of the lens to the plate rather than altering the geometry of the lens. Perhaps this is what Bates tried to get across at that time about the muscles that elongate and contract the eyeball and thereby vary the distance of the lens to the retina?

Conclusion:
The technique of 'eye relaxation' worked very well for me and as the old expression goes, “ ...the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. I read small print without fatigue and therefore, 5 Stars.
However, it did not work for my wife or brother (as their rating would probably be 1 Star). They are welcome to write their own review.

Perhaps someone with the ambition of Jobs, the intellect of Einstein and the imagination of DaVinci will someday figure out, exactly, how we focus our eyes and pick up where Bates left off. Seems like a worthwhile goal for a brilliant young mind!


NOte even the lower star reviews are interesting, positive;

3.0 out of 5 stars, October 15, 2013, Amazon Verified Purchase

An intriguing book, seems somewhat archaic in style, as written perhaps 50 years ago ...,
By Big Daddy

This review is from: The Bates Method for Better Eyesight

I have not yet finished reading this book, and I am unsure what to make of it. The author's position seems to be that common vision deficiencies can be overcome by certain exercises, which he describes. Clearly (no pun intended) he is out of the main stream of eye care ... but could he be correct? I don't know (now, about 2/3 through the book), but I am intrigued enough to keep an open mind while I attempt to understand the author's position and recommendations ...

Another;

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful, 5.0 out of 5 stars

Better Eyesight Without Glasses by Dr. Bates, February 2, 2012
By PhotoKing (Orlando Florida)
This review is from: The Bates method for better eyesight without glasses (Hardcover)

Book was written in the early 1930's but in nice condition for reading. My eyesight has significantly improved. I loaned the book to a friend who has already also had significant improvement and a second friend is starting to read this book. There is a recent DVD released with just the exercises that is outstanding! Eye doctors must be hating they were trained for just fitting glasses and not fixing the cause of bad eyesight. This explains why only 2% of china needs glasses and most everyone in USA needs them.

Here's one by a cop;

69 of 75 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What your eye doctor doesn't want you to know ?, February 16, 1999
By A Customer

This review is from: The Bates Method for Better Eyesight Without Glasses (Paperback)

I've used this method to pass a police eye exam before and it works. If your doctor said you had to wear a crutch forever because of a strain due to excessive and improper use of a muscle , you'd call him a quack. But most of us pay big bucks to get good vision and it's nothing more(in most cases) than a case of eye strain caused by poor vision habits. Your eye doctor won't tell you to use this book, because he gets paid twice over to get you to wear glasses(or something even more expensive). My biggest problem with nearsightedness came from always looking at near objects such as the ground and never allowing the muscles in my eyes to stretch and see things like the horizon or clouds overhead. And when I finally did chose to stretch these muscles it was like trying to get into a crossed leg yoga position. The lenses in your eye are controlled by muscles and they need to be stretched and tightened.Buy this book for everyone you know and love and tell your eye doctor either to get another sucker or find a new job.

[clarknight]

A book written about the Bates Method;
http://www.amazon.com/Improve-Your-Eyesi...cr_pr_pb_t

28 of 35 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars, March 7, 2002, Amazon Verified Purchase

fairly simple, insightful,
By Dave K (CA, USA)

This review is from: Improve Your Eyesight: A Guide to the Bates Method for Better Eyesight Without Glasses (Paperback)

Occasionally, someone who has experience improving their eyesight with the Bates Method writes a book to help clarify things for others. The Bates Method is comprised of many subtleties that just about everyone misses at first (and some people never get it). Many people who claim to understand it don't, so it's always refreshing to read a book by someone who knows what he's talking about, and this book is no exception.
One unique offering is his explaining how there are two ways for the brain to block the visual process. One is to interfere with the mechanics of vision, by altering the eye shape with the extrinsic muscles, preventing proper blinking and shifting, and encouraging disease that impairs vision. The other way is what Barnes refers to as altering the consistency of the barrier between the subconscious and conscious mind. The first type of blocking (mechanical) tends to be more easily overcome than the second. The second is purely mental, when there is clear information that has made it through the visual system but it isn't recognized for what it is. So there are times when the eyes are working in an improved manner, but their signals are prevented from passing through the barrier (from the subconscious to conscious mind).

That actually just summarizes one page, and the rest of the book is relatively simple. But if you're new to the Bates Method, read this text slowly, as you are going to miss important principles he slips in if you aren't careful.