Millions of people suffering from eye diseases such as Macular Degeneration are discovering that stem cell
help is available right now. A help that can restore sharp, clear vision.http://www.returninghope.com
Vision occurs mainly in the brain. Our eyes receive information in the form of light, and the brain processes the information
to make meaning of it, creating our "visual world". The process of improving vision helps to bring one more
into balance and harmony. Nothing is more precious than your vision” says a post card mailed by an optometrist as a
reminder to his patients. Yet many people find their vision worsening due to modern lifestyle and cultural beliefs about
the “inevitable” decline of health, including vision. The field of wholistic vision care offers programs to help
you keep healthy vision all your life. Vision educators teach good visual habits, exercises, nutritional information,
and much more.
Dr. Jacob Liberman. - Sunglasses block healing ultra-violet light and thus contribute to the increased
incidence of blindness and eye disease in this country"
"Gazing directly into the sun actually improves
sight and aids in overcoming disease". Dr. Herbert Shelton M.D
Eyeglasses and contact lenses rob you of energy by blocking some of the ultra violet rays that travel
through the eyes to the pineal gland, wrote Patricia McCormac. After discontinuing wearing his eyeglasses, Dr. John Ott wrote
that he exposed his eyes to sunlight without lenses and his vision was much improved. He recommended similar therapy to his
friends and they gained similar improvement in their vision. Ott wrote that nothing should block out the full spectrum of
sunlight, no glasses of any kind should block the ultra violet rays, and especially no dark glasses.
Dr. Jacob Liberman.who
has doctorates in both optometry and vision science, says that the people who live on Earth evolved to thrive under the light
put forth by our sun. He says, therefore, that we potentially harm ourselves when we hide from sunlight.
Jacob Liberman, O.D., Ph.D. explains how to utilize the therapeutic benefits of light. He says that "light
is the basic component from which all life originates, develops, heals, and evolves." Everything that humans do is affected
in some way by light. Light has been used for healing since the time of ancient Egypt.
Modern scientists began
recognizing the benefits of light therapy in the late 1700's. Although many people believe the ultraviolet (UV) light is harmful,
Dr. Liberman maintains our bodies need at least a small amount of UV light in order to function properly. He cites studies
which indicate that, due to all the ways in which we block sunlight from our lives, including wearing sunglasses designed
to block out UV rays, "it is possible that we are unknowingly contributing to the increased incidence of blindness and
eye disease in this country." Dr. Liberman does warn against looking at the sun directly, or exposing ourselves to it
between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., but emphasizes that light is a nutrient for the body.
He says people need to be outside
in natural light, without sunglasses or sun block, for a minimum of one hour a day. He warns that warm-white and cool-white
fluorescents "should absolutely be avoided." People who cannot get outside regularly need to equip their work areas
with full-spectrum light fixtures. Syntonics is the name given to light therapy, which involves utilizing specific colors
for healing specific ailments. Dr. Liberman discusses its benefits in treating vision problems, seasonal affective disorder
(SAD), cancer, and learning disabilities. He says that "as we continue to discover and understand the role that light
plays in our lives, its use as both a therapeutic and preventive tool will become more evident."
The leading cause of visual impairment
in North America are age related diseases.Cataracts affects nearly 20.5 million American age 65 and older.About 2.2 million
Americans are diagnosed with glaucoma and another 2 million do not know they have it. Moore
Discover the amazingly simple natural vision improvement method that touts an unmatched 94.3% success rate in reversing
and improving bad vision. Thousands have better vision without the risks and expense of laser surgery. You can too after you
read this eye opening letter... The fact of the matter is, you don't have to wear glasses, contacts or resort to Lasik
surgery to improve your vision. Instead there's a safer and easier way to restore your eyesight. It's called natural
vision correction and it's widely recognized as a proven method for reversing your vision problems.
The Bates
Method for Improving Eyesight is a method discovered at the beginning of this century by Dr. W. H. Bates, M.D. (1865-1931),
a prominent American ophthalmologist, and developed by him and his followers to improve sight and restore natural habits of
seeing, which have been lost through strain, tension and the resulting misuse of the eyes. Thus the aim of the method is to
teach people with problems of vision the faculty of easy and attentive seeing whereby the eyes and mind work together harmoniously
to give good sight.
Since the Bates Method is a means to improve sight and restore the natural use of the eyes by re-learning
the art and skill of seeing, it is not, therefore a medical treatment, but a method of re-education, in the form of both active
learning, such as learning a skill like drawing and painting or how to play tennis, and also the receptive awareness of how
to appreciate what we see, such as the appreciation of a painting, a beautiful garden or a cathedral
For those who have entertained the idea of getting Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis -- commonly referred to
as LASIK surgery -- in hopes of correcting their vision ... think again. What exactly is LASIK surgery? It is a procedure
that permanently changes the shape of your cornea (the clear covering of the front of the eye) with an excimer laser:
Using
a knife known as a microkeratome, a flap is cut in the cornea; a hinge is spared at one end of the flap.
The hinged
flap is then folded back, revealing the stroma (the middlesection of the cornea).
Finally, pulses from a computer-controlled
laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.
The end result: perfect vision, right? Not necessarily.
Seeing Trouble
Many patients are under the impression LASIK surgery will end in instant perfect
vision; however, that simply is not the case. That's because, while the procedure is quick in itself, it is likely to lead
to at least six months of impaired vision and significant discomfort, at the end of which only one eye may have normal sight.
(And if the first eye does not heal to expectation, the second operation on the other eye will never be done and the imbalance
will be permanent.) Then there are the surgical disasters that can happen. You can visit SurgicalEyes.org to review some of
the horror stories. The site is devoted to focusing attention on the unique problems faced by those who have undergone unsuccessful
LASIK (and other eye) surgeries.
Interested in understanding
a viarety of diseases and conditions visit
According to Dr. Bates' teachings, common vision problems are not irreversible -- and not the result of genetics. He believed
that blurred vision is functional rather than structural; that is, it results from chronic tension in some or all of your
six extrinsic eye muscles. The Secrets of Regaining Your Vision Naturally program addresses the retraining of these external
muscles of the eye to correct four common types of vision problems.
Nearsightedness
or myopia. If you are nearsighted, near objects are clear but far objects are not. According to Bates Method principles,
your eyeball has become elongated due to chronically tense external oblique muscles in your eye. The only way to permanently
reverse this condition and regain normal vision is to learn to release this chronic tension or strain.
Farsightedness or hyperopia. If you are farsighted, your eyeball has shortened and cannot focus clearly on
near objects. Dr. Bates demonstrated that this is due to chronic tension in the four external recti muscles of the eye. Vision
retraining gently coaxes these muscles to let go of their chronic strain, allowing the eyeball to return to its normal round
shape, which is necessary for clear vision.
Astigmatism. In this condition,
your eyeball becomes oval-shaped or lopsided due to a combination of chronically tense eye muscles. Dr. Bates told us: "All
persons who have astigmatism have eyestrain. When the eyestrain is relieved, the astigmatism disappears."
Presbyopia. This condition, which literally means "old eyes", is a type of farsightedness that
is typically observed in those over the age of 40. Conventional theory maintains that this condition is the irreversible result
of the lens becoming hard and inflexible as the result of aging. However, Dr. Bates said that the cause of presbyopia is the
same as other eyesight problems -- tense and strained eye muscles that undermine close vision. Learn more: The Secrets of Regaining Your Vision ... Naturally
For more information on diseases and conditions visit
Videos of different
types of eye diseases and refractive errors click
Nutritional Influence
On Health, Eye and Vision
Nutrition is a key factor in keeping a healthy visual system throughout life. The eyes and brain contain millions of highly specialized cells, such as the rods and cones, which have specific nutritional
requirements. You can help prevent eye diseases and promote healthy, clear vision by making wise lifestyle choices such
as eating well, reducing stress, exercising regularly, and not smoking.
Malnutrition is the basis of
all disease: "Man's body is a living organism, made of living cells, which require living food in order to be
properly nourished and function well. When we put cooked food into our body, loaded with contaminants, the body starts to
break down. It begins in the very young with colic, rashes, colds, earaches, upset stomachs, swollen glands and tonsils. As
the child grows older, their may be tooth decay, pimples, the need for eye glasses, etc. Then as we enter adult life there
is arthritis, hypoglycemia, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and cancers. All this and a multitude of other diseases are unnecessary
and are nothing but the result of improper diet and lifestyle! Today, most people accept cooked food as the normal means of supplying the body with nutrients, not realizing that the living cells of our bodies do
not take nourishment from the dead and artificial ingredients found in cooked food. And so, after a typical meal of cooked
meat, cooked potatoes, a cooked vegetable and a piece of cooked bread, followed by a cooked sugar desert, their stomach is
full and they think they have satisfied the nutritional needs of their body. In reality, they have given their body practically
no nourishment. And thus with a full stomach, they are slowly starving their body's cells."
Most human illnesses
and diseases are due to a deficiency of vital nutrients. When you supply your body with the proper nutrients, in a form that
your body can use, it knows how to repair itself. "The body has the inherent ability -the vitality -not only to heal
itself and restore health, but also to ward off disease. Illness is not caused simply by an invasion of external agents or
germs, but is a manifestation of the organism's attempt to defend and heal itself. Prevention Is the Best Cure. Health is
a reflection of how we choose to live." TC Fry
What are the nutrition basics for keeping healthy vision?
1. Eat a diet based on whole, fresh, organic
foods. Fruits and vegetables, beans and grains, nuts and seeds should be the foundation.
2. Supplement
your diet with a good multi-vitamin to get the minerals and vitamins you may not get from your food. Our soil is greatly
depleted of the minerals it once held. Therefore supplementation is more important than it was years ago. Sea
vegetables are also an excellent source of minerals.
3. Incorporate anti-oxidants into your diet.
Research shows that antioxidants can be very helpful in keeping healthy eyes and vision.
4. If you are diagnosed
with an eye disease, research the nutritional aspects of the disease and adjust your diet accordingly. Consult with
a nutritionist or doctor who specializes in healing with nutrition and detoxification.
5. Remember that natural
sunlight is a nutrient that we all need. Ideally, spend an hour outside in natural light each day. Take a walk in the morning
or evening and enjoy the added benefit of exercise, too!
Healthy nutritional habits lay the foundation for healthy
eyes and vision all your life. Enjoy those carrots and their healthy cousins from the garden and healthy food store!
Aging individuals encounter higher rates of cataract, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Diabetics are at particularly
high risk for cataract. The high blood sugar levels found in diabetics have a direct effect on lens health and elevating oxidative
stress. One the most feared concerns in the elderly is going blind or having a major loss of vision. Scientific studies conclusively
show that degenerative eye disease is not inevitable. The concentration of Glutathione in the lens of the eye is higher than
in most other tissues. Glutathione protects the structural proteins and enzymes necessary for the maintenance of lens flexibility
and clarity against free radical assault. Aging lenses of the eye lose Glutathione, and this reduction of Glutathione has
been found to lead directly to reactions that cause deterioration of the lens.
Dr. Jimmy Gutman, MD - "Clinical evidence links low glutathione levels to the most common
illnesses of our time as well as newly emerging diseases. Glutathione levels diminish as we age and many diseases normally
associated with aging have been linked to glutathione deficiency."
Glutathione is a master antioxidant, an important line of defense against diseases, toxins, viruses, pollutants,
radiation and oxidative stress. Low glutathione levels are linked to diseases such as Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS, Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s, Atherosclerosis, pregnancy complications, male infertility and Cataracts. A Glutathione deficiency can
cause a lack of coordination, mental disorders, tremors, and difficulty maintaining balance. Glutathione is continuously defending
our body against attacks from disease, toxins, poisons, viruses, pollutants, radiation and oxidative stress. Without Glutathione
our liver would soon become overwhelmed with the accumulation of toxins, resulting in organ failure and death.
Robert O. Young D.Sc., Ph.D - "In the last ten years, over 25,000
medical articles about this substance have been published, and the scientific understanding of glutathione is gradually becoming
common knowledge. Each and every cell in the body is responsible for its own supply of glutathione and must have the necessary
raw materals in order to produce it. Glutathione is always in great demand and is rapidly consumed when we experience any
sort of emotional or physical stress, fatigue and even moderate exercise."
Dr. Mercola
- "It is very clear that omega-3 oils are a major player in reducing the level of many eye disorders. Clearly that is
the case for Aging Related Macular Degeneration. DHA, one of the major fats in fish oil, is a large part of the retina and the brain. Omega-3 fats are also particularly important for
preventing the complications of diabetes and its effect on the retina."
Dr. Mercola recommends the following:
"You should then take fish oil capsules. The standard fish oil capsule is 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA. You
should take approximately one capsule for every ten pounds of body weight, preferably in two divided doses. So if you weigh
160 pounds you would take 8 capsules twice a day. If you have problems with belching them up, you will want to consider taking
them on an empty stomach. Cod liver oil has the benefit of providing you with vitamin D and A. A reasonable dose for cod liver oil is one teaspoon for every 30-40 pounds of body weight. If you use cod liver oil during your summer you will need to be careful
of vitamin D toxicity and I suggest you review the information on vitamin D testing. When you take fish oil supplements or cod liver oil in the doses I recommend please be sure and take an one vitamin E 400 unit supplement per day
as this will help serve to protect the fat from oxidation. This is less of an issue with the cod liver oil as the vitamin
D itself is a very potent anti-oxidant.
An insidious disease, glaucoma is often misunderstood and is the leading cause of preventable
blindness. Helps to dispel the myths surrounding the disease and inform readers as to the truth about glaucoma. Divided into
three accessible sections, the book takes readers through the most common methods of treatment, and explores cutting-edge
research and crucial new information on the effects of nutrition, exercise, and herbal medicine on glaucoma. Dr Harmon is
Assoc Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Cornell University and Chairman and CEO of the Glaucoma Foundation. Nancy Intrator
is a freelance writer specialising in health and family-related topics. Her articles have appeared in Cosmopolitan, American
Health, Avenue, Working Mother and others. Her husband was diagnosed with glaucoma in his thirties.Moore
Aging individuals encounter higher rates of cataract, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Diabetics are at particularly
high risk for cataract. The high blood sugar levels found in diabetics have a direct effect on lens health and elevating oxidative
stress. One the most feared concerns in the elderly is going blind or having a major loss of vision. Scientific studies conclusively
show that degenerative eye disease is not inevitable. The concentration of Glutathione in the lens of the eye is higher than
in most other tissues. Glutathione protects the structural proteins and enzymes necessary for the maintenance of lens flexibility
and clarity against free radical assault. Aging lenses of the eye lose Glutathione, and this reduction of Glutathione has
been found to lead directly to reactions that cause deterioration of the lens.
Dr. Jimmy Gutman, MD - "Clinical evidence links low glutathione levels to the most common
illnesses of our time as well as newly emerging diseases. Glutathione levels diminish as we age and many diseases normally
associated with aging have been linked to glutathione deficiency."
Glutathione is a master antioxidant, an important line of defense against diseases, toxins, viruses, pollutants,
radiation and oxidative stress. Low glutathione levels are linked to diseases such as Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS, Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s, Atherosclerosis, pregnancy complications, male infertility and Cataracts. A Glutathione deficiency can
cause a lack of coordination, mental disorders, tremors, and difficulty maintaining balance. Glutathione is continuously defending
our body against attacks from disease, toxins, poisons, viruses, pollutants, radiation and oxidative stress. Without Glutathione
our liver would soon become overwhelmed with the accumulation of toxins, resulting in organ failure and death. c
Robert O. Young D.Sc., Ph.D - "In the last ten years,
over 25,000 medical articles about this substance have been published, and the scientific understanding of glutathione is
gradually becoming common knowledge. Each and every cell in the body is responsible for its own supply of glutathione and
must have the necessary raw materals in order to produce it. Glutathione is always in great demand and is rapidly consumed
when we experience any sort of emotional or physical stress, fatigue and even moderate exercise." How to raise your glutathione GSH level
Dr. Mercola - "It
is very clear that omega-3 oils are a major player in reducing the level of many eye disorders. Clearly that is the case for
Aging Related Macular Degeneration. DHA, one of the major fats in fish oil, is a large part of the retina and the brain. Omega-3
fats are also particularly important for preventing the complications of diabetes and its effect on the retina."
Dr.
Mercola recommends the following: "You should then take fish oil capsules. The standard fish oil capsule is
180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA. You should take approximately one capsule for every ten pounds of body weight, preferably
in two divided doses. So if you weigh 160 pounds you would take 8 capsules twice a day. If you have problems with belching
them up, you will want to consider taking them on an empty stomach. Cod liver oil has the benefit of providing you with vitamin
D and A. A reasonable dose for cod liver oil is one teaspoon for every 30-40 pounds of body weight. If you use cod liver oil
during your summer you will need to be careful of vitamin D toxicity and I suggest you review the information on vitamin D
testing. When you take fish oil supplements or cod liver oil in the doses I recommend please be sure and take an one vitamin
E 400 unit supplement per day as this will help serve to protect the fat from oxidation. This is less of an issue with the
cod liver oil as the vitamin D itself is a very potent anti-oxidant.
Supplements May Prevent Age-Related Vision
Loss From the Archives of Ophthalmology October 2001;119:1417-1436, 1439-1452,
1533-1534
A dietary supplement containing high levels of certain vitamins and minerals appears to lower
the risk of blindness in some elderly individuals. However, the same supplements did not reduce the risk of developing cataracts,
a clouding of the lens of the eye that can occur with age. Individuals at high risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
who took a high-dose combination of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and the mineral zinc lowered their risk of the disease
by 25%. The supplements had no apparent effect on those who were not at risk. AMD is the leading cause of blindness in elderly
Americans. AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels leak fluid and blood into the tissue at the back of the eye, leading to
blistering and scarring of the retina. The disease affects central vision needed for reading, driving and recognizing faces,
but patients are often able to detect colors and see with their peripheral vision. There is no cure for AMD. While the supplements
did not restore vision that had already been lost, they slowed the progression of vision loss in some individuals with intermediate
or advanced AMD. These individuals "should consider taking a supplement of antioxidants plus zinc," according to
the researchers from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group.
In the study, more than 3,600 people aged
55 to 80 years at risk for AMD received a daily dietary supplement. The supplement consisted of either 500 milligrams (mg)
of vitamin C, 400 international units of vitamin E and 15 mg of beta-carotene; 80 mg of zinc and 2 mg of copper; antioxidants
and zinc; or an inactive pill (placebo). Study participants at high risk of developing vision loss associated with AMD who
took antioxidants and zinc were less likely than those who took only antioxidants or only zinc to lose their vision over the
6-year study. Individuals who took a placebo were the most likely to develop advanced AMD and vision loss.
Even among
those who took a daily multivitamin in addition to the assigned supplement, the high-dose supplement was associated with a
decreased risk of vision loss. Although the nutrients found in the supplements occur naturally in many foods, sufficient levels
may be difficult to obtain through diet alone. In a related study, the supplements did not reduce the risk of cataracts in
the same group of patients over 7 years. Archives of Ophthalmology October 2001;119:1417-1436,
1439-1452, 1533-1534
Dr Jacob Liberman was a practicing Optometrist in the mid-1970s, when he realized that conventional
beliefs were keeping millions of people locked into limited eyesight and limited self-awareness. He began to realize that
the conventional vision care that he had been taught was designed not to treat or heal vision problems, but simply to mask
their symptoms. He realized that these symptoms were not just random.
They were urgent signals that something in the body/mind was out of balance and required attention. In 1976, he experienced
a dramatic improvement in his own vision, which laid the foundation for him to assist thousands of others.
Jacob
Liberman is considered a pioneer in the therapeutic use of light and color and their relationship to human consciousness and
personal transformation. After healing his own vision from a lens-dependent 20/200 to normal, he realized that the eyes are
merely a holographic focal point within an infinitely large receptive field. After thirty years of experience with thousands
of people, he has demonstrated that eyesight improvement is within the reach of virtually everyone.
Take Off Your Glasses
and See shares an expanded view of vision and guides the reader on a journey towards discovering what it truly means to see.
Have you ever wondered why so many people wear glasses? Have you been told you have to wear glasses forever and that there
is no natural way to improve your vision?
Dr Liberman’s book addresses the most important issues about vision
and seeing. Questions like: What is vision? How do we see? What is the relationship between sunlight, the eyes and the brain?
What is the energy from the sun that we call light and how does it relate to our life force.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
is the most common cause of blindness and vision impairment, affecting mostly people over age 60. The disease, which
has no known cause, tends to run in families and affect women and whites more. There is also evidence that smoking and high-fat,
high-cholesterol diets increase AMD risk, Sieving noted. Ninety percent of those with the condition have dry AMD, in which
there is a gradual breakdown of light-sensing cells. Only 10% have the wet form, but it is the leading cause of blindness.
Leaky blood vessels lead to rapid damage, causing total vision loss. Lasers can destroy those vessels and help slow impairment,
but there is no treatment for dry AMD. A study published by the National Eye Institute last fall showed that taking a combination
of zinc, vitamins C and E and beta-carotene may slow AMD progression. Cataracts run in families also, and increase with age.
About 20 million Americans have cataracts, which can be successfully treated. Clouded, diseased lenses are surgically removed
and replaced with artificial lenses. National Eye Institute March 20, 2002
Because elderly people generally have low glutathione GSH levels, they are predis-posed to oxidative damage. Researchers
have shown that low GSH levels go along with poor eye health in ARMD patients compared to normal control groups. Experiments
have been conducted to test glutathione's antioxidant function in the whole body and in the eyes of patients suffer-ing from
macular degeneration. S.M. Cohen and his team at the Univer-sity of California (Davis) found significantly altered GSH activity
in blood samples of macular degeneration patients. It appears that high GSH levels correspond to healthy eyes and suggests
a possible role for GSH in the protection against or delay of this disease.
Myths: Everyone
with macular degeneration is going to continue losing vision, and there is no effective treatment to avoid this.
Facts:
You do not have to lose your vision with macular degeneration. There are steps you can take to stabilize and even possibly
improve your vision.
Vizu-All Plus contains herbs especially selected
for their effectiveness in the natural prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma,cataracts and macular degeneration.
It does this by improving the supply of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the tiny capillaries of the eye and by counteracting
and protecting against the damage caused to the eye by free radicals in the system. Because it also strengthens the walls
of the blood vessels in the eye, Vizu-All Plus also helps to reduce hemorrhages in the eyes - a condition often associated
with diabetes.Click Here to Order Vizu-All Plus
You have probably heard of laser techniques for correcting eye
problems. A little scary to imagine a laser beam lathing your eyes. A question often asked by my patients is: "Does one
actually become dependent upon eyeglasses?" or "Does the natural functioning of the eyes deteriorate when you wear
eyeglasses or contact lenses?" Opinions differ. It seems that more and more people are wearing compensating lenses (the
appropriate term, because correction doesn't seem to be happening.)
The good news is there is a totally natural approach
to improve vision health. How does this work you might ask? There are two ways you can increase fitness of your eyes. Firstly,
the eye function can be trained by more effectively using your brain and eye connection. This is correct. The brain controls
how the eye functions. It has been postulated that as little as ten percent of vision happens in the eye. The other 90 percent
occurs in the brain and mind.
Training the function of vision results in better focusing from near to far, more efficient
reading and less eyestrain on the computer. Later, this enhanced state of vision integration can alter the structure of the
eye itself. You may find your current lens prescription too strong and you can then request a weaker set of lenses. First,
locate a friendly Optometrist who will help you on this journey to improving vision health.
Better vision occurs by
relaxing and stimulating your eyes. Rest permits a sharpening of eyesight. Strain or effort makes vision worse. Here are a
few ways for you and your children to rest the eyes.
Close your eyes. Imagine something agreeable.
Cover
your eyes with the palms of your hands, your fingers crossed on your forehead. Palm your eyes so as to exclude all light,
the eyes and mind will be able to achieve a greater degree of relaxation. Use this approach when watching needing a break
from television viewing or computer activities.
Observe the swing of things. As you move your gaze from one
point to another, things seen should move in the opposite direction. You can gently swing your whole body to the left and
to the right, and watch a distant tree swing to the right and to the left, you can move just your head, or just your eyes.
The better your sight, the shorter the swing can be made to be.
Use your imagination. See things with your
mind's eye, and remember them in precise detail. You are increasing your ability to see actual objects better. The perfect
memory of any sensation can be produced only when one is free of strain. Enjoy the sun. Get out into the open and enjoy
every sunny day early in the morning or late afternoon for 5 minute periods with your eyes closed. It is especially relaxing
and stimulating to the eyes if you close your eyes and let the sun shine onto your lids as you sway back and forth. Do not
look at the sun. An incandescent light bulb can be used in the absence of sunlight.
Good sight is thus the result of a relaxed state of mind and body, whereby the
individual person feels a direct contact with the surrounding world through the five senses. Poor sight, on the other hand,
is the result of tension, where the person is, to a greater or lesser extent, isolated from the outside world through being
locked in a pattern of psycho-physical tensions, such as worry, anxiety, rigidity, day-dreaming, boredom, confusion, impatience,
etc.
The practical benefits of the Bates Method are imparted by means of a pupil-teacher relationship wherein the pupil
is shown, first, relaxation of the eyes, then the body, and then the body and eyes, whilst seeing. As the relaxation progresses,
the mind, the eyes and the body begin to focus together more harmoniously, allowing the sight to improve naturally, by itself,
as does the health of the eyes, whilst already good sight can be preserved.
Dr. Bates was a graduate of Cornell University
and of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. He worked at various times at Belleview, Harlem Hospitals, Manhatten
Eye and Ear Hospital and New York Eye Infirmary. He also taught ophthalmology at the New York Post-Graduate Medical School
and Hospital.
It was as a result of this work, examining thousands of pairs of eyes a year and observing many cases
where the sight either recovered spontaneously or changed it's form in inexplicable ways, that a burning desire was aroused
to elucidate why the sight changed in these cases. It was from these researches that Dr. Bates discovered that the sight can
be be intentionally improved by natural methods, without the use of glasses. In the succeeding years, he discovered and developed
the principles and practices to realise this discovery and they became the basic foundation of the Bates Method as it is practised
today throughout the world.
According to Dr. Bates researches, the focusing of the eye is accomplished by the action
of the extrinsic muscles surrounding it. These muscles are comparatively finely balanced and are easily disturbed by conditions
of nervous stress and emotional pressure so that errors of refraction are produced. However, the muscles of the eyes are not
amenable to direct physical re-training since, according to Kinesiological research made in the U.S.A., stressed or fatigued
muscles are made weaker by exercise. It is therefore not part of the Bates Method to 'strengthen' eye muscles by exercising
them, despite recommendations given in popular books and articles on the subject. Relaxation will always precede exercise.
It is necessary to realise that the eyes are completely passive. They have no volition of their own but, instead, follow the
interests, and mirror the activity, of the mind. They are in principle willing servants, but in so many cases are unconsciously
treated as unwilling slaves, starved of nourishment and constantly abused. Therefore, to periodically close the eyes, let
them rest, listen to them and ask them what they need, can be the first step in re-establishing a normal equilibrium in their
use.
The eye sees best what it looks at directly whilst at the same time there is a continuing awareness of the whole
field of vision. This can be summed up as a state of attentive awareness, which is reflected in the extraordinary structure
of the light receptive cells of the retina, consisting of two separate but complementary functions: the minute depression
in the centre of the retina, called the fovea, which is the point of maximum clarity; and the surrounding area of peripheral
vision, by far the greater part of the retinal area. The fovea in the normally seeing eye picks up the finest detail and is
constantly shifting, vibrating in tune with the attentive interest of the mind on what it wants to see. This can be called
the active part of seeing, responsive to touch, contractive. It is supported by the receptivity of all the rest of the rods
and cones, the vast majority in number, which receive the whole field of vision and can be called the passive part of seeing,
which is responsive to movement, space, and is expansive. These two processes are mutually complementary and are analogous
to the Chinese idea of Yin and Yang, whole field and point of focus. Together, they constitute the world as we see it. When
the eye is under stress, the centralised seeing loses it's point of focus and enlarges, the vibratory shifting slows down
and becomes a rigid stare, whilst the visual field contracts. The eye ceases to be a channel for the energy of attentive awareness.
Since in most cases of faulty sight interest in seeing has been replaced by straining, trying to see, or boredom, self-criticism,
etc., the first step in improving the sight is to stimulate interest by suggesting the pupil replaces the attitude of trying
to see by that of looking for something, for example different colours, trees, birds, flowers - whatever is suitable and is
accessible to the particular state of sight without glasses or lenses. From this point, the pupil is beginning to learn how
to do without glasses, wholly or partly, depending on need, since it is axiomatic that the sight cannot improve whilst glasses
are worn.
The circulation through the eyes is stimulated by encouraging blinking, and splashing the closed eyes with
water, morning and evening. The eyes are also nourished and relaxed by the use of light, letting the head swing with closed
eyes facing the sun or a lamp. Needless to say that the sun is never looked at directly. The eyes are always rested by palming
after taking the light.
The fundamental way of relaxing is by palming. Palming is the practice of covering the closed
eyes with the palms of the hands whilst sitting upright, so that the eyes are rested in darkness, relaxed by the warmth and
healing energies passing through the hands. The mind needs to be engaged in some useful or interesting activity like talking
with a friend, listening to the radio, thinking or visualising, so that it does not interfere with the eyes and stop them
from relaxing. Palming usually results in an immediate but temporary improvement in the sight. The continued practice of palming
often leads to great changes for the better, and is the best single means for helping the eyes.
The sight is further
helped by learning relaxation in movement through the use of various types of swinging movements, which also help to re-establish
the natural vibratory movements of the eyes as well as expand the awareness of the visual field. First, the pupil stands with
feet apart and rhythmically swings from side to side, allowing the relaxation to deepen. Next, the pupil turns the body right
and left, letting the whole body, including the eyes move as one. Awareness of movement in the visual field is a sign that
the swinging is being well done. A simpler but more versatile way is to swing the head and neck only. This is very helpful
in releasing tensions in the neck, which are often associated with poor sight. Further observation of the pupil often reveals
poor co-ordination in movement, of hand and eye, of both eyes together. These difficulties respond to deepening relaxation
and the development of attention and awareness, and are further helped by providing a focus for the mind with such activities
as juggling, drawing, dancing, ball games, etc. As the pupil progresses, more specific approaches can be shown according to
need, through working with charts, reading practices, techniques to encourage centralisation of sight, such as counting, looking
for, comparing, edging, tracing. But it must be emphasised that no good will come from trying to see, the all too common reaction
of the pupil when being presented with the challenge of identification of letters or reading. It is always necessary to avoid
useless struggle and to do the best one can, accepting whatever is seen, no matter whether it is clear or blurred.
Meanwhile,
other relevant aspects of the pupil's life can be considered such as health, diet, exercise, interests, anxieties and worries,
and appropriate suggestions made where necessary, as, for example, the importance of sleeping well, of eating wholesome foods, of taking enough
exercise.
Thus, through the practice of relaxation, movement and focusing of attention under the direction of interest
and awareness, the pupil's sight can be restored to it's natural and normal state, although the time needed is very variable.
Much depends on the understanding and quality of energy of the teacher, as well as the patience, persistence and interest
on the part of the pupil.
"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." an amazon reviewer Improving Vision Through Inner Awareness: Focusing and Seeing From The Core
CATARACTS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
Cataracts are a hardening and opacity of the lens of the eye or the eye structures surrounding the lens as well. This
can cause blindness in many older adults and is the most common, or one of the most common causes of impaired vision in the
older population.
With a nutritional balancing program, one should
be able to avoid this problem, and it may be easier to avoid than to cure. However, it is possible to reverse the condition
as well.
WHAT CAUSES CATARACTS?
The
cause is usually 1) a lack of adequate circulation to the eye structures, 2) anti-oxidant damage to the lens of the eye, 3)
perhaps a side effect of the use of steroid-containing eye or nose drops, or 4) other kinds of damage to the eyes such as
the effect of too much ultraviolet light from the sun or elsewhere. All of these causes may also damage the delicate
structure of the lens in some way.
Poor circulation may be caused by arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, or some other
cause for impaired circulation. Those with strong glasses are more prone to it, unfortunately, as this can be
associated with impaired circulation to the eyes. However, often it strikes in a seemingly random way.
A spiritually-related
cause is if a person does not want to see something. This may sound odd, but it does occur and frequently as people
get older. Some do not want to see themselves, of course, but others are just depressed and don’t want to look
at the world around them. Cataracts relieve them of the problem, or seem to, anyway.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT CATARACTS?
1.
Be sure it is a cataract. Be sure the cause of the problem is a cataract, and not some other eye disease. The
eyes are so important that it is not worth taking chances with them. An eye exam easily shows cataracts, and sometimes
you can see it in the mirror, even. The middle of the eye looks cloudy and the world begins to look cloudy as well.
However, there are other diseases that can mimic the problem, so always have an exam.
2. Nutritional balancing
is highly recommended. Once you are sure of the problem, we recommend a nutritional balancing program using hair analysis
to find out why your circulation is impaired. This is critical. Any other approach that I am aware of is not going
to be as effective.
3. Symptomatic approaches. You can try symptomatic remedies and they may work.
However, there is danger putting anything in your eyes, so always use caution.
Gingko biloba is a common herb
that help with circulation to the head area, and is an anti-oxidant as well. It can also be used safely for prevention.
Vitamin E may assist circulation, about 400 iu of natural vitamin E, preferably, twice daily. This is also safe for
most people. Other nutrients that may help are lutein, zeozanthein, vitamin A and C, and perhaps selenium, zinc and
others.
You can also try just a multivitamin or vitamin B2 or riboflavin. This occasionally works, also.
None of these remedies, however, are nearly as good as a full program to fix all aspects of the problem.
4.
Surgery. Surgery is the treatment recommended by the medical profession. While it works well, it leaves the person
with impaired vision in some odd ways that hinder the ability to drive, for example, as switching from near to far vision
is difficult to do quickly. Sometimes, surgery does not work well and leads to complications that can lead to partial
blindness.
HOW LONG DOES NATURAL CORRECTION TAKE?
Correcting
cataracts with nutritional balancing will take months or even a year or more in a few cases. It depends how severe the
problem is and how long it has been going on. It is really quite individual, as with all health concerns. So one
must be patient.
However, the “side effects” are worth it. The nutritional balancing program
will correct a lot more than cataracts, which are a relatively minor health concern compared to heart disease, diabetes, cancer
and others. So it is worth the time, money and effort for this reason as well.
PREVENTING
CATARACTS
This is the best way to go about dealing with cataracts, especially if they are in your
family members. A complete nutritional balancing is best. Otherwise, eat well, sleep a lot, reduce stress all
you can and care for your eyes as you would your life, as they are such critical organs for functioning in many ways.
According
to Shé D'Montford, Shambhallah, from Australia ‘The human body "WILL HEAL"... If we get out of our
own way and allow it, it heals itself. It is our basic nature. Anybody who tells you other than that is trying to sell you
something. No matter what you have been told. Don't give up on yourself and don't buy into the lines like ... ‘oh well
you've had a good life'... 'at your age'... and the worst of all ...'there's nothing further I can do, I suggest you finalize
your affairs'... How dare anyone tell you to give up! So much in society combines to convince us of the propaganda that some
things never get better. It's up to you ... do you want to get better? Make things better? It is human nature to make things
better, evolve and grow.”
This site is intended to provide general information only and is not a substitute
for medical evaluation or treatment. All matters regarding health or a particular health situation should be supervised by
a licensed health care professional.The author and the publisher shall not be held responsible or liable for any harm or loss
allegedly arising, directly or indirectly from any information in this site
Nutrition is a key factor in keeping a healthy visual system throughout life.
