Hi
A few months ago I was here. Since then I still do not understand the bates method.
I am nearsighted at about 20/70 and my vision has not worsened since I took off my glasses 3 years to this day and I have still no idea how to do the bates method properly.
My questions???
Well where to start. I guess the only technique I truly understand is palming. You simply close your eyes and place your hands over them. I also understand good blinking habits are needed. I haven't truly got into the habit of this yet.
But there are two core concepts I don't understand. Shifting and swinging. I also notice that a lot of other people on this forum's problems centralize to this area and most of them have around the level of nearsightedness as I do.
If you guys can please explain to me how this is done it would great!
Also another question on the side. I use computers a lot. To do homework and I don't know what distance from my computer screen I should sit at. If I sit too close my worry is my eyes will worsen but if I sit too far away I feel like my eyes are madly straining to see.
What is a good distance to sit from my computer screen?
1) The main thing of the Bates method is that you learn to stop staring, at all times, and you see without trying.
All the other methods are ways of dodging the stare and effort. That is the prime idea you centralize upon. 2) Looking at the computer sitting close to it will not harm your vision. In fact strain at the near point will cause hypermetropia, not myopia. Sit as near as you like sitting, however feels natural and without strain. Additionally you can do this: if you have to sit close , then hold ctrl on the keyboard, and then scroll the mouse up so that the font size becomes really small. That will feel more comfortable than large type and close work, and an aid in sending the vision into a state of natural central fixation. 3) Read the Better Eyesight Magazine, which explains everything you don't understand. 4) The Bates System is not complicated but very easy. Keep that in mind, because when you make believe how simple it is it simultaneously and actually does become easy to understand. If you read the works of Dr.Bates, always read it in such a way that you take the meaning of his concept in the most literal and simple way possible; not adding any new age abstract concept to it. That is a cause of failure, I think; people wanting to complicate the method and make it sound 'advanced'; but this never helps.
I keep saying this over and over: The Bates Method is easy, all you have to do is relax. If that's too hard, and you can't relax your eyes, try palming, swinging/shifting, etc...whatever helps to bring you relaxation. Once you learn to relax your eyes at will, you'll see some great progress.
As far as computer distance, as Kaze said, it doesn't really matter. I, for instance just keep my computer farther until slight blur is produced. Blur indicates strain, so I relax the strain, and the blur clears. This helps me be aware whether my eyes are straining or not and tells me to relax them. If it brings you too much strain, I would suggest to keep the screen closer. I also like to keep it below my horizontal line of sight, so that I can look somewhat 'down" at the screen. PERSONALLY, I find that helps me keep my eyes relaxed, but you should see what works for you.
If you are further curious about how to relieve strain, try observing the eyes of people with perfect eyesight. Notice how their eyelids move as they move their eyes, and find what it is about their visual behaviour that keeps their eyes relaxed. On the bus, i can always tell who is wearing contacts or not, just by the way they use their eyes.
