Hello! I appologize in advance if any of these questions could be answered by reading a previous post. I tried to scan some of them, but I didn't want to read them ALL.
1. I have really, REALLY bad vision. I can't see clearly more than a couple inches past my nose and have worn glasses for nearly two decades. I've love to pass my drivers test without glasses, but right now I'd settle for just being able to work my retail job without them (can't see the screen on the register without at least using my reduced perscription). My vision is so blurry, that I don't think I'd really notice some improvements if they happened (hard to tell between super, super, super blurry, and super, super blury). Any suggestions as to what I can look for to stay motivated?
2. Three years ago I switched to wearing nothing more than a 20/40 perscription (my eye doctor still thinks I wear the "correct" perscription because he was unable to comprehend my desire for reduced glasses...I squeeked the 20/40 out of him by convincing him that I wanted a lighter pair for work). On the plus side my vision hasn't gotten any worse (that's one sucess I CAN enjoy (see question 1)), whereas before it used to change on a yearly basis. I also have a far less potent pair that I use for work (can just read the computer screen at my job). I obtained those by having an old pair of lenses literally cut into a new frame. So in some ways I'm finding glasses to work during the transition period, but I'd really like to have an eye doctor that I could trust to slowly lower my perscription as needed and actually understand that what I want to accomplish is possible. Any suggestions of organizations/companies that tend to be more open-minded?
3. Unfortunately I've been sporatic about my practice of the Bates method, but I have noticed that over the three years of wearing the reduced lenses and attempting to avoid glasses where possible that my ability to read a book with my 20/40 perscription has declined. It feels like far more strain than it used to. Is this normal?
4. Sometimes even when I'm trying to blink softly and relax I can see strong, clearer horizontal lines in the midst of blur. I sense that this is not a good thing, but perhaps I'm wrong. If it's incorrect, any suggestions on avoiding it?
Hey there Beo,
It doesn't matter how poor your eyesight is. Anyone can benefit from the Bates Method.
One thing that helped me stay motivated is this forum. Anyone can improve their eyesight, but it is very hard to do this alone. If you become involved with our community, share your experiences, ask questions, answer them (you don't need perfect eyesight to help others on this forum), and read other's success stories, you would not feel that you are tackling this by yourself. Also, Kaze suggests you read success stories from the clinic in times of discouragement. These were published by Emily Bates <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.iblindness.org/books/. ">http://www.iblindness.org/books/. </a><!-- m --> I suggest you read the main Bates' book first. It's available free on this website <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.iblindness.org/books/">http://www.iblindness.org/books/</a><!-- m -->
As far as a supportive optometrist, it's very hard. Both my optometrists were real asses . I would suggest finding older ones, and you can ask them if they are willing to support an effort for natural eyesight improvement. There are also a class of optometrists called "behavioral optometrists". I haven't found them in my area, but I believe that they are interested in the effects of visual behaviour on eyesight. I could be wrong, but I know they are very supportive and welcoming to natural eyesight improvement endeavours. To be honest, Dr. Bates suggested you throw away your glasses while practicing his methods. I know in your case it's very difficult, but I would reduce it to 20/100 or more. My eyesight was 20/70 - 20/100 at the worst, and I was able to get around well. Also, I would also like to note that you don't need an optometrist to get a pair of minus lenses. If you know the prescription you want, you can order glasses online - for very cheap too. I suggest taking off your glasses as much as you possibly can. You can only relax the strain when you can feel it, and you cannot feel strain wearing glasses (not after wearing them for so long).
Question 3: Mind if I ask you your age? Not that it will hinder your improvement, I'm just trying to think what could condition you could be adapting. The only reason it becomes blury is strain, if you relax the strain, it will clear. I know that's not very good guidance, but once you start practicing Bates method, both distance and near vision will begin to clear up.
Question 4: Do these horizontal lines exist?.... Perhaps they are edges and corners of objects in your visual field. I know when I began to see improvement, all the edges and corners of objects began to gain sharpness and clarity.
If you are interested in the method, i suggest you read the Bates book to get started (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.iblindness.org/books/bates/">http://www.iblindness.org/books/bates/</a><!-- m -->).
Wow, that was more of a response than I was expecting. Thanks!
In truth I hardly use the 20/40 pair unless I absolutely have to (driving in the dark in a veryvstrange place seems to make it necessary still). I know it's not legal, but I often use my "work" pair (the one that barely allows me to see the computer at work) if I'm driving during the day. I'd love to take your suggestion (and Bates') and just throw them all out, but with vision as bad as mine I think the reduced lenses will have to do for now. If I didn't have responsibilities like work I could do it...and I kinda like being able to pay my mortgage. :-) If I can improve enough to read the computer at work without glasses though, then I'll stop wearing them there. I do take them off as much as I can around home, and I can tell my eyes like that.
Besides, I think my 20/40 pair is cursed (or perhaps blessed). They always seem to get horribly scratched or mashed somehow.
And I had NO idea I could order glasses online. Cool! I don't have any family history of more serious medical eye problems and I've never had anything that concerns the eye doctor, so perhaps just avoiding the place for a while wouldn't be bad. Of course, I can always go simply not fill the perscription he gives me (which is what I've been doing anyway). I find going to be terribly stressful though, especially being asked to always see a smaller line than I need on a chart in poor lighting.
Oh, and I'm 27. Yeah, been wearing glasses for far too long.
Yes, the horizontal lines do exist, and they are often edges of things. Perhaps it is improvement after all. ;D
Before continuing is an apology that this must be stated so harsh and crudely: but you are wasting time with a reduced prescription.
It does seem logical and intuitive I know, wearing a reduced rx and all. The reader surely asks the question: wouldn't it give the vision room to improve? But the sad and straight answer is: no. I can only say this in sincerity, that this is a very big waste of time on your part, and that you should discard the practice of them. If you really do wear glasses even though you are going against the number one FIRST principle in the whole of the written articles from Bates! , then you should just wear the full prescription all out. It's called the cure of imperfect sight WITHOUT glasses: he titled that as his book. Surely this should be taken as a hint
Full prescription is wrong and corrupt, but reduced prescription is worse still and even more harmful and strain inducing and foolish. Reduced prescriptions will do nothing but give you more strain than had you been wearing the original power. I think there was even a study once, that showed that the sight of undercorrected people became progressively lowered faster even than the ones wearing full prescription.
Any benefit you do recieve is mental. Dr.Bates often wrote about prescriptions which were totally off what he measured; yet the patient deluded himself in thinking that he had been benefited by the original pair more than the one Bates gave him; in the end poor Bates had to demonstrate the reality to him by showing him on the snellen and refractometer: so great is the power of mental suggestion. You think something will work - and there it goes and happens! There have been people who tell of their success while under reduced prescription, but I think that under the certain and undoubted belief that they would improve under the reduced lenses, that they went ahead and did. But if they didn't have that belief they would improve I am sure they never would have done.
There are 'no half way measures' that is to be tolerated and with good reason for that.
I know that some people in this community will disagree and dispute about this, but I can only give you the harshest advice in the aim of sincerity: reduced prescription, full prescription, or any otherwise forms of lens correction (only except from pinhole glasses, which are a lot better): it is a waste of time and a practice followed only to fool yourself. Bates stated that the best and most quickest cures were of those who didn't question his method, or blather with unnecessary talk and conceited logic, but instead went straight ahead with deep motivation and practiced diligently until they were shortly cured.
Let me then finish this posts with two quotes on the subject from the great doctor.
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"Question: Shall I have to leave off mv glasses while practicing the treatment?
Answerâââ‰â¬ÂEmphatically yes. No permanent benefit is noticed while glasses are worn."
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"DISCARD YOUR GLASSES
By William Horatio Bates MD
Easy to say, something else to do.
Patients who are really anxious to be cured can discard glasses and obtain benefit almost from the start. Wearing of glasses becomes a fixed habit. The determination to do all that is possible to be done for a cure makes it easy or easier to discard glasses at once. Patients tell me that after they have discarded their glasses for a few days they do not feel as uncomfortable as they expected.
It is very natural that one should hesitate to discard glasses after he has worn them for many years and obtained what seems considerable benefit. It may help to read what I have published about glasses. Most of the discomforts of the eys are largely functional or nervous and not due to any real or organic trouble with the eyes. All the symptoms of discomfort are accompanied by a strain which produces a wrong focus produced by the strain, but they do not always because the eyes are not always trained to fit glasses accurately. While wearing glasses in order to see, one has to strain or, by all effort, squeeze the eyeball our of shape, and it is impossible, therefore, to obtain relaxation and seee with glasses.
If one can understand what I have just stated one can realize the necessity of discarding glasses in order to obtain a cure. I feel that the facts should be emphasized and the patient made to understand the necessity of discarding glasses. this makes it easier for the patient to do without glasses.
Do not argue with yourself about the matter. When you go to a doctor you expect to take his medication even though you may not know what it is or how it is going to act. When patients come to me for relief I say, "Discard your glasses and you can be cured."
If they are wise they do as I say without any talk."
Better Eyesight - Vol. VI. No.6
First I do want to thank you for inspiring me to try working without my glasses. If I had a full-time computer job it would be impossible, but since I just work retail I don't have to really spend much time reading the computer. I was able to function, and just leaned in really close (trying not to squint) when I had to read a customer's total. Since I've been at the job for almost a year I'm very familiar with where things are at on the screen and price sheet, so I don't actually have to be able to see what I'm doing most of the time as long as I can verify with a quick close-up at the end.
However, I do think you're being a bit unrealistic with some other thigns. Simply stopping with glasses in every situation today would make me house bound for the most part and unable to work (talk abut stress). I did manage to drive in the daytime without my glasses, but night driving without some sort of lense (even if the correction is small) is literally risking my life and the life of those around me. I did find a nice compromise of removing the glasses at stoplights, but in the end I have to be able to see at least marginally well to avoid an accident. Someone else shouldn't have to die or be injured because I want to live a life without glasses. My actually night driving is fairly minimal each week, though, (around two hours) so I'm hoping that those small instances won't hinder me too much. I'm not going to give up and go back to wearing a full perscription just becasue someone says that I have to do everything perfectly on Day 1 to make it worth my effort. I've been in the world long enough to know that life simply isn't that black and white.
I am greatly looking forward to visiting some friends for a week and simply not bothering with the glasses for the entire time (I'll just tell them not to ask me to drive).
glad to hear it. And yes, you shouldn't put your life on the line.
Just remember: 1. Always relax your eyesight! Attain a relaxed gaze regardless of where you look.
2. Palm if you can't release the strain. It helps because each time you'll become more aware of your strain and be able to release more of it.
3. Try to remember the swing - remember the sense of not trying to focus on anything and without effort watch the world go by (that's what the long swing is about).
4. Read his book in times of confusion.
Any suggestions as to what I can look for to stay motivated?
. I would suggest finding older ones, and you can ask them if they are willing to support an effort for natural eyesight improvement. There are also a class of optometrists called "behavioral optometrists". I haven't found them in my area, but I believe that they are interested in the effects of visual behaviour on eyesight. I could be wrong, but I know they are very supportive and welcoming to natural eyesight improvement endeavours. To be honest, Dr. Bates suggested you throw away your glasses while practicing his methods. I know in your case it's very difficult, but I would reduce it to 20/100 or more. My eyesight was 20/70 - 20/100 at the worst, and I was able to get around well. Also, I would also like to note that you don't need an optometrist to get a pair of minus lenses. If you know the prescription you want, you can order glasses online - for very cheap too. I suggest taking off your glasses as much as you possibly can. You can only relax the strain when you can feel it, and you cannot feel strain wearing glasses (not after wearing them for so long). 
