02-13-2008, 06:27 PM
After reading around, I was surprised to see how many people have been working on improving their eyesight naturally (Bates method or other derived methods), both successful and in-progress. I decided I'd introduce myself.
Up until a week ago, I didn't even know vision therapy existed. I had first noticed my near-sightedness at an early age (like 6) when I couldn't read the depth numbers in the pool. I've been in glasses ever since, currently sitting at a -5.00 prescription, 18 year old senior in high school. My father also wears glasses; I don't know his prescription but I tried them on today and it was immediately painful. My problems with myopia probably stemmed from constant near-work in computer use (we're gamers). Played way too much Doom when I was little...
I want to join the Air Force after high school, and the job I'm most interested in is Pararescue. However, the job requires 20/70 uncorrected vision, and this led me to the internet searches that turned up Bates' and other eye exercises/vision therapy programs.
The first sites I turned up were the for-sale programs, like rebuildyourvision.com. Phobia/skepticism immediately kicked in, but I kept looking around and found this and other helpful, in-depth sites (i-see.org comes to mind). After reading through various articles and testimonies, it just made sense... glasses gave me headaches and result in steadily increased prescriptions (which are often over-prescribed, frequently mentioned).
It's been a very short time since I've started to try seeing without glasses. My first exercise was "Three Cups". At first it was a bit difficult to do, when the circles split it felt incredibly strange and alien to me. However, after a few minutes I started to put together the 3D cup view and now I can easily do it without the aid of another object to focus (and at distance too; I have one posted on my room door.) I also started to move my eyes a lot more, suddenly aware how little I actually move them with glasses on.
After reading these forums however, I've noticed that -relaxation- seems to be the main focus. Thinking about the process and exercises with relaxation in mind, I realized that the exercises should only be done maybe once as an example, to get the feeling of what it has done for you. I noticed I could see fairly well without the aid of my glasses, even to the point of reading text (school papers/books), but when I took notice I would lose it.
The eye/mind together do so much on their own, outside voluntary control. Exercises and aids simply provoke the unconscious behaviors that tend to be absent when a pair of Coke bottles is doing it for you.
A very interesting point brought up in another post was that the brain tends to better see "interesting" objects. It would make sense from a natural standpoint, as it would certainly be smarter to focus on the rattlesnake lashing out at you rather than the motionless rocks behind it. I think this explains why I can mostly play Call of Duty 4 without my glasses, but struggle with text.
I'm going to wear my glasses only for computer/schoolwork, and spend the rest of my time seeing. When I notice the numbers on the bus or the teeth on the school mascot, I know it's working, and that I don't need to force it.
Up until a week ago, I didn't even know vision therapy existed. I had first noticed my near-sightedness at an early age (like 6) when I couldn't read the depth numbers in the pool. I've been in glasses ever since, currently sitting at a -5.00 prescription, 18 year old senior in high school. My father also wears glasses; I don't know his prescription but I tried them on today and it was immediately painful. My problems with myopia probably stemmed from constant near-work in computer use (we're gamers). Played way too much Doom when I was little...
I want to join the Air Force after high school, and the job I'm most interested in is Pararescue. However, the job requires 20/70 uncorrected vision, and this led me to the internet searches that turned up Bates' and other eye exercises/vision therapy programs.
The first sites I turned up were the for-sale programs, like rebuildyourvision.com. Phobia/skepticism immediately kicked in, but I kept looking around and found this and other helpful, in-depth sites (i-see.org comes to mind). After reading through various articles and testimonies, it just made sense... glasses gave me headaches and result in steadily increased prescriptions (which are often over-prescribed, frequently mentioned).
It's been a very short time since I've started to try seeing without glasses. My first exercise was "Three Cups". At first it was a bit difficult to do, when the circles split it felt incredibly strange and alien to me. However, after a few minutes I started to put together the 3D cup view and now I can easily do it without the aid of another object to focus (and at distance too; I have one posted on my room door.) I also started to move my eyes a lot more, suddenly aware how little I actually move them with glasses on.
After reading these forums however, I've noticed that -relaxation- seems to be the main focus. Thinking about the process and exercises with relaxation in mind, I realized that the exercises should only be done maybe once as an example, to get the feeling of what it has done for you. I noticed I could see fairly well without the aid of my glasses, even to the point of reading text (school papers/books), but when I took notice I would lose it.
The eye/mind together do so much on their own, outside voluntary control. Exercises and aids simply provoke the unconscious behaviors that tend to be absent when a pair of Coke bottles is doing it for you.
A very interesting point brought up in another post was that the brain tends to better see "interesting" objects. It would make sense from a natural standpoint, as it would certainly be smarter to focus on the rattlesnake lashing out at you rather than the motionless rocks behind it. I think this explains why I can mostly play Call of Duty 4 without my glasses, but struggle with text.
I'm going to wear my glasses only for computer/schoolwork, and spend the rest of my time seeing. When I notice the numbers on the bus or the teeth on the school mascot, I know it's working, and that I don't need to force it.
