From pkerns@indirect.com Ukn Feb 12 23:36:41 1995 From: Patricia Kerns Subject: Peripheral Vision Date: Sun, 12 Feb 1995 19:28:19 -0700 (MST) Status: RO X-Status: Hi, I've been working to improve my vision, both on my own and with a behavioral optometrist. I've been working on some peripheral vision skills (among other things). I'm no expert, but I gather it helps with your overall vision efficiency (makes sense, I guess). So I thought I'd share a few things I've been doing. My vision therapist gives me a different series of exercises every two weeks. The last series included an exercise with jacks. Yes, jacks. The kind you played with as a kid. I place one jack right in the center of the playing area, bounce the ball off to the left, catching with my left hand, and scatter the jacks to the right and pick them up with my right hand. While playing, you keep your vision trained on the one jack in the center. This forces you to use your peripheral vision on both sides simultaneously. Another thing I like to do is juggle. (Juggling with three balls is simple to learn and fun!) While juggling, I try to move my gaze from the balls to something across the room, then back again. Again, it seems to require extensive use of peripheral vision. Finally, I like to play the piano every day. When I first started vision training, I noticed that after playing for five or ten minutes, I would have a marked improvement in vision. This is distinct from other clear flashes in that it is not quite as sharp, but it lasts for much longer, sometimes for ten or twenty minutes at a time (while I keep playing). At first, I thought this was the result of relaxation (since I enjoy playing, and don't really *work* at it like some people). However, since learning of the importance of peripheral vision, I've wondered if that doesn't have a lot to do with it, too - since they way I play gets me using lots of it (I cheat and look at the keys all the time). The nice thing about all of these things is they are more in the nature of play then work. I think everyone could probably survey their past and current hobbies and come up with some way to work a little each day on peripheral vision. Patty ========================================================================= From vicc@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU Ukn Feb 14 13:04:11 1995 From: Vic Cinc Subject: vics own patented mypoia improver Date: Tue, 14 Feb 1995 17:46:07 +1100 (EST) Status: RO X-Status: vics own "patented" myopia improver. reverse newspaper reading. get a typical newspaper, find a page with longest continuous column. place it far enough away from you on a table such that: the bottom of the column near you is readable but the top of the column isnt. sit comfortably. pay attention to your posture. dont lean. just to measure your progress see how far up the column you can see and make a mental note. now with one eye closed and with your open eye start from the bottom and read up the column, till you cant make out whole words anymore. then switch to letters. ie move up the page following any letters you can make out. the simple rule is not to go up a line until you can see a letter clearly. when you get stuck on a line and cant make out any letter on the line above. just have a rest on the line. maybe scan from side to side and often a letter from the line above will come out. then you can progress up. when you have gone up the column as far as you can, compare this point to the first mental note you made. then repeat with the other eye. then try it with both eyes open. the obvious thing you may note is that the only way to progress into the blur zone is by relaxing. so you just meander up the column with minimal expectation and you may be pleasantly surprised. now the best thing about vics own patented myopia improver is you can do this at work without people looking at you strangely. they just think you are reading the paper. Vic ========================================================================= From aeulenbe@indiana.edu Ukn Feb 26 11:06:31 1995 Date: Sun, 26 Feb 1995 10:49:11 -0400 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: zooming Status: RO X-Status: Judd Maltin writes: > I'm getting progressively myopic. I dont know my diopters rating, but it > cant be that high. I want to get rid of these glasses. > > What is the best exercise to start with? 1. Never read books with your glasses on! And read as far away as is comfortable. The more time you spend looking close up and the more close up you look, the worse your myopia will get. This is the reason why optometrists rarely give you "full correction" -- the adverse effects of the lenses would be too apparent. What "minus" glasses (those prescribed for nearsightedness) do is to bring everything up closer to you, optically speaking. The distance of "infinity" equals the reciprocal of your prescription in meters. For example if you're wearing -2.00 lenses, this means that the moon is placed a half-meter away from you! 2. When you do read, always look up and away often. Have a familiar object that you can look at and make sure that you can always see it as clearly as you could when you started reading. 3. Exercise. Hold one thumb relatively close to your face and one at about arm's length or a little nearer. Practice looking at one thumb and then the other thumb. Try it with one eye at a time, using a patch. Then do both eyes. Move your thumbs all around, in and out, back and forth, round and round, in every possible direction. Always have one thumb a little nearer and the other thumb a little farther, and as you're moving your thumbs, be focusing alternately at each thumb. This will exercise your tracking as well as your focusing. Remember to bring your thumbs off to the side, looking at them from every angle, not just straight out in front of you. You will probably find that you will need more practice at the peripheral angles. P P ( O) ( O) | \ \___/ ========================================================================= From aeulenbe@indiana.edu Ukn Feb 28 07:19:16 1995 Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 22:58:12 -0400 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: How to rub your eyes Status: RO X-Status: Try this: with FLAT palms, briskly rub your cheekbones with the ball of your thumbs and eyebrows with the top of your palm -- your hands should not come in contact with the eyeballs, but go over your eyes. Open your eyelids and your mouth as you do this. After a few seconds of rubbing, take a few good blinks. There. How does that feel? --Alex From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Tue Mar 21 18:04:41 EST 1995 Date: Tue, 21 Mar 1995 16:31:45 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Bates method in a nutshell Status: RO X-Status: I am asked: > Now, concerning this Bates Method - briefly what is it (no, I'm not going > to spend any time in a library looking things up - I'm well past being a > student). > > What acuity problems does the method portend to affect? How are the effects > identified? William Bates said that his discoveries would help all people with eye troubles. The basic idea is to "look where you're seeing". The point at which you are looking should be the clearest, sharpest, brightest (or blackest, most vivid as the case may be) point. Take a capital H, for example. Look at the upper left corner. The other three corners should be seen "worse" than the one at the upper left. If not, you're looking wrong. To correct, simply imagine that the part you're looking at is more distinct, or, what may be easier, imagine that the other parts are LESS distinct. Then shift to another point, watching the image go in the opposite direction from your eyes. This illusion of motion is also important. The ability to see one point best is called "central fixation" Watching the image go in a motion contrary to how you're directing your eyes is called "swinging". It usually helps, after a bit of swinging a letter up and down, left and right, to imagine swinging the letter, perfectly black, against a perfectly white background. Close your eyes and do the swinging in your mind, that is. Then open your eyes and look at the real letter again. It should be clearer. > > Relating to my specific problems, the discussions generally seem to center on > myopia or near sightedness. My direction of correction is in the opposite > direction - I can't see the close stuff, nor can I change my focus as rapidly > as I used to (e. g. from the front sight to the target). Does the literature > express any prognosis for the Bates Method in these circumstanses? Yes, as a matter of fact. Simply practice shifting in three dimensions! Get an eye chart or poster or calendar with big letters and shift from corresponding parts of an up-close letter to a far away letter, always seeing the part you're looking at best, and everything else worse. You see, according to Bates, errors of refraction -- at any distance -- result primarily from the strain that comes from struggling to see too much all at once. Shifting and swinging help you to see just a little bit at a time and reduce strain, freeing your eye to focus properly. --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Sun Apr 9 16:25:58 EST 1995 Date: Sun, 9 Apr 1995 17:23:43 -0400 (EDT) From: cathleen Subject: Re: Emily Bates's Tips for Better Vision Status: RO X-Status: On Thu, 6 Apr 1995, Alex Eulenberg wrote: > > 5. All patients with imperfect sight unconsciously stare, and should be > reminded by those who are near to them to blink often. To stare is to > strain. Strain is the cause of imperfect sight. > I thought I'd share these blinking exercises that my optometrist once gave to me. They are very soothing and might make a nice addition to the other techniques mentioned in this group. They will also re-train your eyes to blink properly, avoiding the strain of staring. TO LEARN TO BLINK COMPLETELY: 1- Close your eyes -- concentrate on feeling your lower and upper eyelids meet. 2- Keeping your eyelids closed, move your eyes left and right. 3- Continue for 2 to 5 seconds, then open. Repeat for 1 minute every day for 3 weeks. TO LEARN TO BLINK EVERY 3 SECONDS: 1- Count 1001, 1002, 1003, then blink. 2- Feel your lower and upper eyelids meet, then open. Repeat for 1 minute every day for 3 weeks. TO LEARN WHAT A RELAXED BLINK FEELS LIKE: 1- Place your fingertips at the outer corner of your eyes, so you can feel your eyelid muscles. Keep your head level. 2- Close your eyes completely in a slow, fluid movement. You should not feel your eyelids tensing. 3- Count to 3, then open your eyes wide. Do this 15 times a day, pausing between repetitions. As with any relaxation technique, the feelings/movements will become natural if performed consistently over a period of time. Cathleen ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Thu May 4 20:17:23 EST 1995 Date: Thu, 4 May 1995 20:13:19 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Eye-Patching and Undercorrecting Status: RO X-Status: On Thu, 4 May 1995 c22at@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com wrote: > Is it me, or most of the eye patches sold in stores are designed to cover > left eyes only? The Flents brand patch that I use works well on both eyes. > Which eye should I cover when reading books? Well, if both eyes see poorly, you should alternate. I even think if one eye sees 20/20, you should *still* alternate, because vision can improve by eliminating light stimulation and letting your eye rest. When patching, each eye benefits in a different way: one by exercise, and the other by rest. > > How undercorrected should my work glasses be? > For reading, use a pair of glasses such that if you pull back just a bit, the text goes blurry. For people with moderate myopia this means no glasses at all. For people with low myopia, this means putting on PLUS glasses -- the kind they sell at the drugstore without a prescription. The idea is to give your eyes as distant a distance practice as possible. Remember, the less minus (or the more plus) in your prescription, the more "distantly" your eye must focus. The following is an important point to remember: If you hold out something a two feet away and it's blurry without glasses, as far as the focusing mechanism in your eye is concerned, that's more "distant" than something twenty feet away that's perfectly clear through minus lenses. --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Wed May 3 21:01:01 EST 1995 Date: Wed, 3 May 1995 20:46:51 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Using Trees to Improve Vision Status: RO X-Status: I've been using this exercise for the past day or so; it's an application of Bates's "shifting" technique. I've been getting "clear flashes" as a result. Try it... 1. Go OUTSIDE. 2. Find a TREE, far away from you. 3. Now then. Position yourself squarely facing the tree. 4. Rock your head to the right. You can do the twisting either at the neck or at the torso. Try both. 5. As you do #4, observe the tree "swinging" to the left as you create a "virtual earthquake". You will only have to rock a few degrees in order for this to happen. The center of your gaze should now be at the right side of the tree. 6. Now rock back to the left, watching the tree swing to the right. 7. Do this again and again... 8. Tip for presbyopes: try it with your finger, too! Let us know if this helps! ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Sat May 13 11:26:21 EST 1995 From: Marco A Terry Subject: Are you breathing? Date: Sat, 13 May 1995 12:21:18 -0400 (EDT) Status: RO X-Status: Howdy! Sometime ago I was doing some Kata (in Karate: a set of pre-arranged movements, kinda like a simulated fight) and I realized that my form was not good (not that I have good form :-) - well, my Sensei suggested that I breathe the next time I do kata (I was concentrating too hard on kata and holding my breath) - needless to say, my movements where much better. Now, I am sure that I am not the only one who forgets to breathe while concentrating hardly on doing something. I wonder if that affects our vision.....actually, chances are it does. Now, if I may, I have a breathing excersise I would like to share. 1. Sit down/lay down. 2. Close your eyes (if you want) 3. Take a deep breath, filling the lower part of your lungs first (belly will rise) and then filling up the upper part of the lungs. Imagine the air as some collored 'smog' filling in your lungs.. 4. Count to 4 (as in one-onethousand - two-onethousand....) 5. Breathe out - repeat from 3. Good luck! (and may you breathe for a long time :-) Marco. --- Never hit anything harder than your hand..... (from rec.martial-arts) HomePage: http://pubpages.unh.edu/~mat/ ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Mon May 15 09:56:59 EST 1995 Date: Mon, 15 May 1995 09:44:09 -0500 From: Mark Jones Subject: Re: Are you breathing? Status: RO X-Status: [ on 13 May 1995, Marco A Terry wrote ] 1. Sit down/lay down. 2. Close your eyes (if you want) 3. Take a deep breath, filling the lower part of your lungs first (belly will rise) and then filling up the upper part of the lungs. Imagine the air as some collored 'smog' filling in your lungs.. 4. Count to 4 (as in one-onethousand - two-onethousand....) 5. Breathe out - repeat from 3. [reply] Thanks for sharing the thoughts on breathing. I'm not sure 'smog' is the right word here. Frame of mind is very important. Perhaps a word with less polluting conotations can conjure up more appealing imagery for the energy we take in through our lungs. Try 'fog' or 'energy' or 'light' or something: make it positive and nourishing. Mark ========================================================================= From i_see-request@indiana.edu Sun Jun 18 21:02:13 EST 1995 Date: Sun, 18 Jun 1995 20:58:58 -0500 From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: shift & swing Status: RO X-Status: Here is a description of the "shifting" technique of the Bates method. It works for all errors of refraction. Cover one eye. With the other eye, regard a letter which is at a distance where it is legible, but a little indistinct. Look at the top of the letter and notice that the top is seen better than the bottom. Now shift your gaze to the bottom of the letter. Now the top is less distinct. Repeat shifting your gaze from the bottom to the top of the letter, and notice that the letter "swings" in a direction opposite to the direction you are moving your gaze. When you look at the top of the letter, the letter appears to move down, and vice versa. Keep up the shifting and swinging and you will see the letter come into better focus. Shift to different corners of the letter, always seeing that part at which you are looking best. Do not squint or strain; remember to breathe and blink normally. If the letter does not move as it should, or if the letter becomes more blurry instead of less, this means you are under strain. Take a break, closing your eyes, breathing relaxedly. It helps to go over the letter in your mind, doing the shifting and swinging in your imagination. Then open your eye and try again. Some people find it easier to shift and swing on an object other than a letter, for example a window on a faraway building, or a doorknob... You can also do this exercise with both eyes; I find it easier to practice with one eye at a time. --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Wed Jun 28 08:28:48 EST 1995 Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 08:24:05 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Extraocular Exercise Status: RO X-Status: If you've been following the discussion in the sci.med.vision newsgroup (and perhaps if not), you'll know that most eye doctors think the extraocular muscles have nothing to do with how well you focus. Even the behavioral optometrists will tell you it's useless to roll your eyes in an attempt to improve clarity. And even Bates's exercises don't even seem to stretch or strengthen the extraocular muscles. But I've been trying a very simple exercise based on the idea that poor refraction results from weak, untoned muscles -- and it seems to work, for me at least. If it gives you pain, stop! Now then, here's the idea: Keeping your head steady (but your neck relaxed) look up and to the left, down and to the right, up and to the right, down and to the left, look at your forehead, look at your chin, look way right, look way left, (and don't forget) look straight forward. Try going from one side to the opposite, tracing a square, or a diamond, or going out and straight forward for each extremity. Now try it while following the motion of your eyes with your whole head. --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Fri Jun 30 03:14:34 EST 1995 From: Vic Cinc Subject: vol.accomodation Date: Fri, 30 Jun 1995 18:07:23 +1000 (EST) Status: RO X-Status: Voluntary accommodation. How to take control of the involuntary act of accommodation (focusing). The first step is to develop some sensitivity to your sight, and the feeling in your eyes. Your brain controls the cilliary muscle, responsible for focusing, and like most involuntary actions can be brought under voluntary control, by finding it and exerting some "tightening" on it as you would any other muscle. Remove any contacts and glasses. Begin with one eye closed, and with your open eye stand in front of a mirror, and look at the pupil of your eye, close enough so that you see it in focus (not so easy for very high myopes). Now shift focus between your reflection in the mirror and a more distant object. Note what happens to your reflection when you shift away. Now shift back. Again note what happens to the distant object. Repeat as many times as needed till you can perceive what effect the change in focus has on the image you are seeing in your mind. What you should be seeing is whatever you are NOT focusing on should more blurry then what your are. Once you are comfortable that you can detect the change in blur on the object you are not looking at, you now have to learn to notice the feeling in the eye as it shifts focus. Again with only one eye, shift from your reflection to a distant object in the mirror and try to detect the "tensing" that is happening in your eye as you change focus. That is the "feeling" you want to take control of, and you begin by trying to exaggerate that feeling of tensing as you focus close, or letting go as you focus further away. The feeling can be very subtle and may require a bit of concentration to locate. Once you have "found" where in your brain the connection is, you have tensed your cilliary. You can verify this simple by looking at your pupil straight on and "tensing" your focus, you should see your pupil go out of focus, and back in as you "let go", without moving the eye. Repeat this process of learning with the other eye. You know should now be able to look at any object and voluntarily change your focus closer or further from that object without moving your eye away from that object. more soon. Vic ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Fri Jul 14 22:34:04 EST 1995 Date: Fri, 14 Jul 1995 22:30:41 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Central fixation exercise Status: RO X-Status: This exercise is designed to center your view, best done outdoors. Look at a point on a distant object with one eye. Now imagine a line extending from that point to your eye. Depending upon the position of the object, the imaginary line will probably either seem to slope up to you or down to you. But of course it shouldn't! If you think about it, you will realize that if there really is a straight line between that point and your eye, you should only "see" a point (because you're looking at that point head-on). As you do this, trying to see this line head-on, the image will shift a bit until the point on the object from which the line is extending is hitting you smack on the fovea centralis -- the central and most sensitive part of the retina. Try it with both eyes, perhaps imagining a "V" instead of a line. I've found this quite effective at heightening clarity, and when done with two eyes, depth perception. Please let me know if it works for you, or if you have any comments on how to make the exercise better. --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Wed Jul 19 20:33:17 EST 1995 Date: Wed, 19 Jul 1995 20:22:31 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Dealing with life without glasses Status: RO X-Status: Marco Terry writes: > The Problem: > I notice that w/o my glasses I feel 'stress' (or a tireness sensation) > around my eyes (palming w/cold hands for some secs. helps), by the > end of the day my vision is really blury and I have trouble having > conversations w/o my glasses (I like to see who I talk too). When I first ditched my glasses, my prescription was -1.50. I think it took a couple of months before I felt "comfortable" without my glasses. Health and nutrition make a big difference. Make sure you're getting the entire alphabet of vitamins and minerals, preferably in the form of raw vegetables, sprouts, and nutritional yeast (if you're not allergic). The B-complex vitamins (abundant in yeast) are good for keeping the muscles out of strain (but don't forget A and C -- also important!). Be sure you spend a good amount of time each day outdoors when the sun is shining! Strange to say, I have found this to make night vision better. I've found aerobic exercise (swimming in my case) to be essential to achieving full body relaxtation. > I also > don't have the best seating posture and look at the keyboard when I > type (typing lessons?) Once I put a meter stick down the back of my shirt. Worked like a charm! I could swear it even helped my vision! --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Wed Jul 19 22:10:15 EST 1995 From: Vic Cinc Subject: Some Questions. (fwd) Date: Thu, 20 Jul 1995 12:50:37 +1000 (EST) Status: RO X-Status: Forwarded message: >Howdy People. > >Some questions: > >1. Where is Vicc? Haven't heard from him in ages...(I hope he did not > unsubscribe) I am here, I am here! >2. > >The Background: > Once and for all I have decided to give this eye therapy a serious shot. >So far, w/o the aid of the therapist. I have started by using meditation >to relax my eyes at night and by trying to ditch my glasses when possible >(ditched my contacts...). I work infront of a computer most of the day. > >The Problem: > I notice that w/o my glasses I feel 'stress' (or a tireness sensation) >around my eyes (palming w/cold hands for some secs. helps), by the >end of the day my vision is really blury and I have trouble having >conversations w/o my glasses (I like to see who I talk too). I also >don't have the best seating posture and look at the keyboard when I >type (typing lessons?) > >The question: > So what do I do? ok. I get this too. here is what I do. sit near a window and spend time looking out. put up a little eye chart a meter or so away so you can monitor the state of your eyes. make sure you get decent light in your office, either (preferably external) or daylight globes. (fluro is noxious). I have a proper chair to sit on. ditch any rubish chairs. any time you find your self slouching, get up and have a pace around, then start again, sit properly. sitting properly is a habit that needs to be developed like any other habit. limit the continous time you spend staring at the screen. make sure your screen has a high refresh rate, so it doesnt flicker at you. try viewing your screen in your peripheral vision (ie by not looking at it directly and see if you can notice the flicker {they all flicker}, this seems to help share the load) frequently. try rubing your hands to warm then up before palming. acupressure and massage at lunch is great for relieving stress for the afternoon. eyebright tea, either drunk or as a compress does wonders for easing occular tension. I dont touch type, but would recommend learning. If you are like me, you will find that progress initialy happens quickly but slows, then I have a habbit of "pushing" my eyes to see clearer. DONT TO IT. always be gentle with them, just allow them find their own level, and develop patience. I like to be able to see peoples eyes when I talk to them, when I first stoped wearing glasses, I couldnt see people eyes if they were more then a few feet away, now I can see their eyes at six to ten feet with no problems. Vic ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Wed Jul 19 19:41:46 EST 1995 Date: Wed, 19 Jul 1995 19:32:32 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Passenger seat Exercises Status: RO X-Status: Elena shares the following exercise of her own discovery, which you can do while sitting in a car or bus or train... (DO NOT DO THIS WHILE DRIVING!!) Yelena's prescription is -7.5 -- considered "high" myopia, and yet she has achieved significant results... * * * Here's one of my recent "discoveries." As a passenger in the car, I breathe, relax, and start looking through the side window. I let the scenery slide past my eyes. I don't try to see anything in particular; on the contrary, I do something similar to swinging, just letting my eyes brush the fast-moving objects -- not even seeing them as objects, seeing only the movement of space. After a while, objects start "popping out" of this movement, here and there, but I don't chase them, don't try to prolong the instantaneous imression of seeing something clearly. I alternate this whith looking through the front window as far ahead as I can, again without straining or trying to see; I widen my field of perception and give nothing in sight any priority over anything else. Occasionally I outline the trees far ahead -- just the contour of the top. I look at the white divider lines, as far ahead as possible, but don't chase them when they move closer -- just keep on looking far, far away. The thought that I let recur while observing my perception is, "whatever comes, comes." I don't try to see the signs, the license plates, etc., but eventually they start "jumping" at me, spontaneously coming into focus. Again, I don't chase them, don't stare to "make sure" I saw them. Whatever comes, comes. It wouldn't be as amazing as I think it is if it wasn't for the fact that with my -7,5, I usually don't see any signs at all with my naked eyes. Imagine my delight when "Welcome to New Jersey" jumps at me from half a mile away, or when I suddenly read all the license plates in sight. I also notice a lot of things that I never knew were there -- for instance, all the birds that happen to fly by over the highway. ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Fri Aug 25 00:51:27 EST 1995 From: Vic Cinc Subject: Real Results? (fwd) Date: Fri, 25 Aug 1995 14:21:50 +1000 (EST) Status: RO X-Status: Forwarded message: > >I can't really improve much beyond this level. >My problem is that 99.99% of my work is near work (writing software). For now >I am settling with maintaining my vision level. I know how you feel I spent 90% of my day glued to a computer screen. despite this I have improve significantly. I get extended patches of 20/40, spells of 20/20 and the odd 30-40/20 clear flash! the trick is to make Vt a routine part of your day, slot it into ordinary tasks like siting on the bus or eating lunch or burshing your teeth. well maybe not brushing your teeth... >If only I had the time to get undercorrected lenses. Grrrr. you dont have time to get lunch? Vic ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Sun Aug 27 20:10:51 EST 1995 Date: Sun, 27 Aug 1995 19:56:33 -0500 From: "Dan Lipofsky" Subject: honey in eyes? Status: RO X-Status: A friend of mine, who knows quite a bit in the way of alternative medicine, has suggested a treatment involving putting honey in the eyes as a cure-all for vision problems. Says that it hurts but that it works. Has anyone heard of this? What are your opinions? -- DanLip ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Thu Aug 31 09:05:32 EST 1995 Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 08:28:37 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Finger hopping for better vision Status: RO X-Status: Here is a focusing exercise that I have found useful. FINGER-SHIFTING ============== With your glasses off, hold up the middle and index finger of your left hand and cover your right eye with your right hand. Lean your middle finger forward and tilt your hand toward you so that as you look at your two fingers with your left eye, they appear to be the same height. Now look back and forth, alternating looking at your left and right fingernails. Watch the one you're looking at go into focus, and the one you're not looking at go out of focus. IMPORTANT: Don't just look back and forth, but observe the texture of your nail, the minute reflections of light and shadow! This requires more attention and more accurate focusing that merely looking back and forth. Also: to avoid stiffening your neck, swing your head from left to right a fraction of a degree as you shift from finger to finger, in the same direction as the shift. For the improving distant vision: Move your hand out until the index finger appears clear, but the middle finger remains blurry. Bring your hand inward until the middle finger is just barely blurry, and repeat shifting back and forth between your fingernails until the details of the middle fingernail become clear when you look at it, too. Move your hand out again. If you start "losing" the details your middle finger, pull your hand back and repeat. After a few minutes, switch hands and eyes. For improving close vision: same as above, but bring your hand closer; work on the index finger instead of the middle finger. Variations: Depending on the lighting, it may be easier to look at your knuckle-wrinkles instead of your fingernails. You also may want to use thimbles, or pair of detailed colorful "finger-hats" to look at, made of paper, of your own design. If you are only mildly nearsighted, it helps to wear reading glasses while you do this (available for cheap at the drugstore). It brings your blur point closer, so you don't have to hold your hand out so far, and more finger details will be visible. Instead of covering one eye with your hand, use a patch (also available for cheap at the drugstore). This frees up your other hand so you can do "thumb shifting" or shifting between any two hand-held objects, such as playing cards. Please post any questions or comments you have on this exercise and its effectiveness. --Alex ========================================================================= From betty@pd.org Fri Sep 1 13:14:06 EST 1995 Date: Fri, 1 Sep 1995 14:13:16 -0400 (EDT) From: Betty Martini Subject: Re: Effects of bilberry Status: RO X-Status: I've seen so much about bilberry on this network I decided to try it today. I've been on Internet since June and since then my vision has gotten much worse to where I have to use glasses to read. I happen to mention this to a friend and journalist in Chicago, and also mentioned that I had read articles about computers and vision loss. She said: "Didn't you know you're suppose to put sea salt on your computer?" I know that Haines makes a good brand you get at Kroger but I'm not sure what you do with it. Barb said she makes these sea salt containers up and gives them to people so she is going to send me one. You must wrap it in some material. I think she said something also about occasionally put it in the sun to energize it. Also, on this network the other day somebody raised the question about vision and honey. I knew about that but had to look up in my notes where that material came from. For those interested this is the story: Some years ago there was an article in the paper that vets use eucalyptus honey in the eyes of dogs to eliminate cataracts, and if I remember right it only took a couple of weeks. Somebody who read the article who had cataracts decided to try it. He too was cured of cataracts and wrote an article. Then everybody wanted to know where you got the eucalyptus honey because it was hard to find. Another article appeared in the paper that said from: Moonshine Trading Company, P. O. Box 896, Winters, California 95694. It says on the jar (Gourmet Honey Collection). I bought it but never tried it and don't have cataracts. I thought my husband might want to try it because he has astigmatism, and if improves vision I thought it couldn't hurt to try. The writer last week said that it burns somewhat. I don't know because I didn't try it. But they said you warm some water and put about a teaspoonful in it. In any event, this is where the story came from for whoever asked and I did have the original article. Also, remember all of you never never never use anything with NutraSweet. It is a chemical poison and the methanol in it (wood alcohol that blinded and killed thousands during prohibition) converts in the retina to formaldehyde. A lady the other day said: "We must be getting older quicker so many of my friends are going blind!" My reply was: "No, they are not getting older quicker they are just using products with aspartame in it." We have a warning flyer we ask people to print out on our auto-responder on aspartame and help warn others. So anyone wanting the instructions please email me. I also have a post on methanol by Mark Gold that does a lot of research, my post on blindness and even Mark's research paper that contains some of the case histories taken off the net. We ask people to take the "no aspartame test" and then send us their case history. However, Mark's research paper is over 200 pages printed out. So anyone wanting information on aspartame specify if you want it or not. On the auto-responder we also have a bulletin on how dangerous it is for diabetics to use NutraSweet. The ADA is funded by Monsanto so they recommend it but you can imagine would wood alcohol would do to a diabetic. We also now have an information sheet on NutraSweet and pregnancy and birth defects written by Dr. Roberts, the world expert on aspartame. We soon intend to put one together on aspartame and the eyes, and probably quote opthamologists and victims who lost their vision from this toxin. Hope some of this information is helpful. Regards Betty OPERATION MISSION POSSIBLE (the people working around the world to warn people about the chemical poison aspartame in an attempt to remove it from the marketplace --- and the planet. It is now in 90 countries of the world!) Betty Martini Domain: betty@pd.org UUCP: ...!emory!pd.org!betty On Wed, 30 Aug 1995, Alex Eulenberg wrote: > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 08:21:36 -0700 > From: LeRoy Kopisch > To: aeulenbe@hamlet.ucs.indiana.edu > Subject: bilberry > > I'm new...I have been taking bilberry for my eyes for about > two months and am quite excited over both the vision improvement > and the decrease in pressure, since I have had glaucoma for > fifteen years..I am concerned about the long term side effects > of taking bilberry and I can find very little in the literature > that I have seen concerning this..Does anyone have information > concerning the possible side effects? > > > ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Wed Sep 6 00:04:38 EST 1995 From: JimDayOD@aol.com Date: Wed, 6 Sep 1995 00:32:52 -0400 Subject: Re: honey in eyes? Warning Status: RO X-Status: I've never heard of Honey used that way. Perhaps it works like a hyperosmotic. It has been reported that Glycerin, can be used as a hyperosmotic to reduce corneal edema from "FUCH's" disease. It also hurts or stings. The most common hyperosmotic is a 5% salt ointment, I prescribe it for recurrent corneal erosion. It is over the counter. "Muro128" Warning: Because Honey can contain botulinum toxin in low concentrations, it is advisable not to give to infants. I would give a similar warning to anyone planning to use Honey as an eye medication. If you want to use a hyperosmotic, try the 5% salt ointment by Bausch & Lomb, it is known to be safe and effective for many coneal porblems which cause edema. At this time, it is not known to affect myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, in non diseased eyes. If it clears your vision, it is because you have an undiagnosed problem. The most common epithelial basement membrane disease, will cause fluctuations of vision, frequent halo's around lights, and a sharp pain upon awakening. Jim H Day, Jr OD Member National Eye Research Foundation ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Tue Oct 3 14:00:57 EST 1995 Date: Tue, 3 Oct 1995 13:13:48 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Light and water for the eyes Status: RO X-Status: The following is from "Drugless Medicine" by Suzanna Way Dodds, AM, MD, published in 1915, pp. 84-85: * * * * A good direction, either for preserving the sight or restoring it when weakened, is to avoid those things which would be injurious to it. Prevention is bvetter than cure. To strengthen the sight, and also to preserve it, an excellent plan is to live and work as much as possible in the open air and sunshine. It is a mistaken idea that habitually protecting the eyes from the average amount of light, will help to keep them strong. The tendencey is the other way; too little of it will weaken them. It is only in special cases and under certain conditions, that light should be excluded from the eyes. Light is the natural food for these organs, at least in day time, and it should be supplied in normal quantity. Many women injure the sight by wearing veils closely drawn over the face, and particularly dotted veils; these are highly injurious. In every dwelling the living rooms should be well lighted, with windows judiciously arranged; and the inmates should avoid too much confinement indoors. The eyes may be greatly strengthened by the free use of cold water; every morning in washing the face, dash an abundance of it over them. Cold water stimulates the capillary circulation in and around the eyes, and helps to strengthen them. The writer knows individuals who have practiced this habit all their lives, and who are able to read without glasses long past middle life. ========================================================================= From owner-aeulenbe_i_see_digest@indiana.edu Mon Oct 30 11:00:05 EST 1995 Date: Mon, 30 Oct 1995 10:41:48 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Vision improvement techniques Status: RO X-Status: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 24 Oct 1995 09:20:20 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg To: Dan Lipofsky Cc: I SEE Subject: Blindfolds for better vision I think a blindfold can be an excellent way to relax the eyes, especially when sleeping. I saw in a catalog yesterday an advertisement for a "sleep mask". They said light coming into your eyes when you sleep can inhibit melatonin production. I must admit I don't know what melatonin does, although it appears to be an important hormone. All I know is that if I wake up with sun in my eyes, they're much more likely to be under strain when I open them. I once woke up in the middle of the night and found myself to have excellent vision and relaxed eyes. Then I went back to sleep. When I woke up, the sun was shining and my eyes were aching. I took this as strong evidence that light shining on sleeping eyes causes them to strain. My favorite way of excluding light during the daytime, however, is the one-eyed patch. This actually lets me do something and forget that I'm doing therapy. This lets my unconscious take complete control. It also makes reading easier since the two eyes don't have to coordinate. Less brain strain. It also saves you eye-energy. But if you try this, I think it's good to switch patches every now and then so one eye won't get lazy! Robert-Michael Kaplan says in his book "Seeing Without Glasses" that 4 hours is the optimal amount of time to wear a patch. --Alex On Tue, 17 Oct 1995, Dan Lipofsky wrote: > > It seems the main point of palming is to keep light out > of your eyes. If this is the case, would a thick > blindfold work as well? If not, why? I would certainly > relax more if I didnt have to hold my hands over my eyes > for this exercise. > - danlip > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sat, 28 Oct 1995 09:58:49 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg To: I SEE Subject: Theory behind plus lenses Here's a briefing for the newcomers: Plus Lenses are convex lenses. They are available at most drugstores without a prescription. They require your eye to focus less close up than without them. Thus they are used by people who see better in the distance (presbyopic, farsighted) to read. However, people with myopia can benefit from the use of plus lenses because they require the eyes to focus farther. They can be used as a part of a cure of myopia due to unresponsive muscles. Even people with elongated eyes may have part of their blur being due to unresponsive muscles. Basically, putting a plus lens on makes you more myopic while you're wearing it. In order to see clearly, your eye has to focus further away than it would normally. But you won't be able to see PERFECTLY clearly, since your myopic eye doesn't have the range. However, the eye will improve, at least temporarily. Essentially, the same thing happens to a person who normally wears glasses and then takes them off. After a while, you start to see more clearly without the glasses. If you have ever had a less than full perscription, and then lost it for a week or so, and then put the glasses back on, you may have noticed that things were even sharper than they were when you were wearing them last. This is because your eye was allowed to stretch out, and now your old prescription is once again sufficient. Plus lenses for myopia is just an extension of that idea. There are two varieties: 1) increase the daily amount of blur to stimulate your eye to focus farther. This means wearing the glasses whenever you would be otherwise just sitting there doing nothing. Not recommended for crossing busy intersections or operating motor vehicles! 2) use them with close objects (ie texts) so that they are seen just at the farthest still-clear point. Gradually increase the distance at which you can see absolutely clearly through the plus lenses. The same can be done without the lenses by backing away from a wall, but plus lenses reduce the distance necessary to get the same effect, so you can hold the object in your hand. Before doing plus lens therapy, first you must be able to be comfortable living without your myopic glasses. Any improvement you make by the use of plus lenses will be counteracted by using myopic glasses. --Alex ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 27 Oct 1995 20:33:18 +0800 From: Chen Hanwen To: i_see@majordomo.ucs.indiana.edu Subject: Plus lenses Hi! Got some questions here about plus lenses. 1) My myopia is L:-6.0D R:-4.0D. So, what should I get for my plus lenses? 2) What is the maximum period that I should wear them? 3) Any side effects? 4) Are the benefits permanent? Thanks! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 18 Oct 1995 11:05:06 -0700 (MST) From: The Anomaly To: I SEE Subject: Re: Plus glasses for myopia On Mon, 16 Oct 1995, Alex Eulenberg wrote: > 1. When did you get your last prescription (-2.5D) (month/year)? Abount 1 year ago. I think it was -1.75 & -2.25 > 2. Do you ever actually wear -2.5D glasses? If so when? Do you wear another > (previous) "minus" pair? What lenses are they? I don't wear my latest glasses as they feel too strong and if I wear them for more than 5 seconds my eyes quickly get worse. I have a previous pair of -.75 & -1.25 which I wear at night when driving. > 3. What kind of eye activities had you been engaged the month prior to > this prescription? Studying hard? Outdoor activites? Had you been > wearing glasses? I am a computer programmer and I can't get away from looking at a monitor. I wish I could spend my time outdoors and look at things at a distance, but my job prevents this. > 4. Who did you see, an ophthalmologist or an optometrist? Just the standard eye-doctor when you go get inexpensive glasses. > 5. Did they put drops in your eyes before they gave you the eye-chart test? No, but he made me read a card with tiny letters and then darkened the room and had me look at an eye chart about 20 feet away. > How well can you see in each eye separately: > 1. Through +3.00 lenses -- what is the far point (farthest point when > things are absolutely sharp and clear) > 2. With no lenses -- what is far point I cannot measure this because my eyes are always changing slightly, either getting better or worse, plus I will always attempt to blink them and control them when seeing at a distance. The far point my be 5 feet or 50 feet. I will also get clear flashes that can last up to a minute. At night clear flashes are much harder to achieve and they don't last as long. I personally feel that in order for me to make continued progress and see 20/20 or 20/10 all the time I will have to work on relaxing certain muscles in my eyes. - Tom Suliga ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Fri Nov 17 09:44:39 EST 1995 Date: Fri, 17 Nov 1995 09:22:16 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Eye Exercise: Zooming Status: RO X-Status: Here's a simple exercise often recommended by those who otherwise don't believe in eye exercises. Look at an object some distance away, then look at an object a further distance away. Look at the first object, second object, first, second, zoom, zoom, zoom! It helps to do this rhythmically. It also helps not to bite off more than you can chew, that is, don't switch between your thumb two inches from your face and a building a half mile away. It's better to have your near object relatively far away, say at least arm's length, to avoid strain. The action should be snappy and effortless. Importantly, watch the near object "go double" when you look at the far object and vice versa. This will indicate that you're using both eyes. For starters, use the thumb on your outstretched hand as a near object, and a tree as your far object. When you look at the tree, the tree should be right in the middle between your two thumb images. Conversely, when you look at your thumb, you should see two tree images surrounding your thumb. Try this with your head at different angles, up, down, right left, and always keep the zoomed-on object centered between the two imgages of the un-zoomed object. Experiment with different distances of the near and far object with different sizes of objects, under different lighting conditions; let us know what works! It is primarily an exercise for the extraocular muscles, and is designed to improve depth perception. However, a side effect seems to be that it smooths out the cornea by regularizing the tension, because astigmatic "ghost images" go away for a time when I do this. If you try this, please report your experience to I_SEE. --Alex PS For evidence that the extraocular muscles affect corneal curvature, and that a misshapen cornea results in single-eye double images (monocular diplopia), check out the sources in the bibliography, "The Incredible Changing Cornea" at http://silver.ucs.indiana.edu/~aeulenbe/i_see.html ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Sat Dec 2 10:19:16 EST 1995 Date: Sat, 2 Dec 1995 10:00:59 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Eye exercise: Flashing Status: RO X-Status: "Flashing" develops your visual memory and sensitivity. It also reduces eye strain because, with a well-developed visual memory, you will use less energy re-scanning a scene to make sense of it. Just the same way musicians with a good audio memory only have to listen to a melody once and they've memorized it. And of course, when eye strain is reduced, acuity is always improved, too. Now, the exercise: Close your eyes and you will see an "after-image" of what you were looking at. Watch the after-image fade away. After the after-image fades away completely (a few seconds) open your eyes for a flash and take a "snapshot" of the surroundings. Keep them open only for the length of a blink. Think of a flash as a reverse blink. When you close your eyes, do it gently; don't slam your lids shut. Keep flashing and see how much you can see with each flash. Look at the scene as if your eyes are still open. When you open your eyes, see how much you remembered. Like all exercises, this is especially good to do outside on a bright sunny day. I wouldn't advise it while crossing a busy intersection, though. --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Wed Dec 6 19:02:43 EST 1995 Date: Wed, 6 Dec 1995 18:42:34 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Re: Eye muscle exercises Status: RO X-Status: Most experts on the matter of eye exercises all seem to agree that the purpose of doing eye exercises, especially in the case of myopia, has absolutely nothing to do with building muscle mass or "strength", but in coordinating the muscles. The training really effects the motor centers in the brain, not the muscles per se. It has often been said that myopia results from a "cramped ciliary muscle", the ciliary muscle being the muscle inside the eye that focuses the eyes for the nearpoint when it contracts, by changing the curvature of the lens inside the eye. So far from "strengthening" this muscle, eye exercises for myopia are usually said to work because they "relax" the ciliary muscle. But things are not that simple. Here is an exercise that has given me a noticable improvement in distance acuity, but it seems to be working on the extraocular muscles, not by "relaxing" the ciliary muscle. I believe it works partly by "ironing out astigmatism" and partly by coordinating the focusing with the eye-crossing. Take a yard (meter) stick, edge up, and extend it away from your nose. Look at the near end of the stick. You should see a "V" composed of two stick-images. Your left eye sees the leftward-veering stick-image and vice versa. Now slide your focus up the stick as slowly as possible, keeping the two stick images in view. The "V" should turn into an "X", the crossing point being the place where your eyes focus. It makes it easier if you tilt the stick slightly upwards. You can also help yourself at the beginning by sliding your finger up the stick and focusing on that. Always keep the two stick-images in view. When you make it to the top of the stick, you will see a "^" (inverted V). As you do this, make sure that the point you are looking at (the crossing point) is clear, and that both eyes are working (you should always see two sticks). Go up and down and up and down. Vary the distance of the stick and the angle at which you look at it. Rock your head back and forth as you slide up and down the stick. Blink your eyes and look around. What do you see? --Alex ========================================================================= From owner-i_see@indiana.edu Fri Dec 8 10:17:23 EST 1995 Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 09:43:07 -0500 (EST) From: Alex Eulenberg Subject: Gaining Central Fixation Status: RO X-Status: An I_SEE member writes me... > I am a stay > at home mom so it is possible for me to not wear glasses for days. I only > wear them when I drive. My perscription is R:-7.00 cyclinder +1.50 axis 85 > L: -7.75 C: +1.50 A: 75. Unbelievable! Quick, go right to your eye doctor and get a new prescription! I bet it's already gone down. You probably don't need glasses that strong to drive. > I was reading your FAQ's. My question concerns section 9.4. I am having > trouble with central fixation. I can't seem to find my point of greatest > clarity. I have tried using the eye chart and text on a page. Any > suggestions? I also seem to have a lot of trouble seeing the swing of a > letter when I look from right to left. The movement of the letter seems > to want to go the same way as the motion of my eye. First of all, make sure that the chart is not too far or too near. If it is at an extreme distance for your eyes, nothing will be anything near clear, and this will induce strain. Secondly, if you're not seeing what you should, the best thing is NOT to try, try again. Instead, if you can't see it, close your eyes and IMAGINE it. Then open your eyes an look again. Imagine the swing, imagine that one part of the letter is blacker than the rest. You can do this on a mental image as well as on the actually-seen image. Look at the top of the "A" and imagine that it is pitch black, while bottom is more or less dark gray. Shift from part to part and do the same thing. Imagine that the letter swings up as you shift from the top to the bottom of the letter. Same for right and left, and oblique motions. There is a fine distinction between "imagining" and "trying to see", but it is fundamental. Imagining implies no effort, while trying implies effort. As Yoda said, "Do not say 'try', say 'do'" Bates said: if you can't do it in reality, do it in your mind first as practice. Secondly, it is important to secure mental relaxation FIRST. It will rarely come about as a RESULT of practicing the swing. You should only practice when you feel relaxed. Often, physical or sensual relaxation techniques can help induce the mental. For example, listening to your favorite music. Also, it's good to have a familiar object, an "optimum" as Bates calls it. It might be a favorite photograph or piece of jewelry. Looking at it brings you relaxation, as well as practice at relaxedly looking. When you don't have the object, you can close your eyes and imagine it. Thirdly, it always helps to forget about your eyes. Yes, this is very hard to do when involved in an eye exercise. One way out of this is to swing your head, NOT your eyes. It really doesn't matter what moves the eyes. It is an artificial distinction to say that the extrinsic muscles of the eyeball are "vision muscles" and the neck or torso muscles aren't. All are intimately connected with the processs of seeing. Often I have found that when I relax my neck or stretch my side, my vision improves, and I feel relaxation in my eyes. You are still moving your eyes when you swing at your neck, but since you aren't "concentrating" on your eyes (and perhaps for other reasons too), it can be more visually relaxing than voluntarily shifting your eyes in their sockets. --Alex =========================================================================