Improved eyesight! & Bates' method

[Oscar]

The Magic Eye images are pretty easy for me...now what?

[JeffC]

I have some experience with Peter Grunwald Eyebody method. I've done 2 retreats with him and it's excellent.
http://www.eyebody.com

It helps if you buy the Eyebody Pinehole glasses (not other ones, they won't help in the same way) and then do a retreat with Peter.

How do his US$74.95 pinhole glasses differ from the ones that cost US$1.48 on eBay?

[Corinne]

JeffC: When his supplier stopped making them, he went out and tried most all available pinhole glasses to decide which ones to recommend to his students and found that none were able to create the state of Presence that is desired when the visual system is allowed to function as it is intended… So he researched for around 3 years through the process of "vision interviews" where he questions all aspects of the visual system, the size, shape and spacing of the holes so that these pinholes help you achieve presence of the visual system when you wear them. All others might help you see better but they will create damaging tension to some aspect of the visual system which will not help you in releasing the patterns causing the blur…
I know they are expensive, but they are solid and last if you treat them right. Definitely worth it. I can tell the difference between them and random pinholes.

@ Oscar: Ditch the glasses… and the computer Sketch Breathe and Blink… the line movement from close to far and wearing the pinholes at the computer/as much as possible…

[Novidez]

I'm sorry if I am bumping a topic that seems 'dead' for a long time.

But, I found the Bates Method few days ago, and it was really funny to see that you guys have already talked about it here!

I really wanted to try it, but now you guys talked about the Eyebody Method and it seemed more interesting to me because the Alexander Technique was another thing that I found few times ago.
But I must say: this seems so hard for me. I read tjfillion's topic about the Alexander Technique, and jesus, on the Semi-supine position I couldn't stand still at all! My eyes, my body, my breathing are all so messy! It almost made me want to cry on how could this be possible.

Since I'm from Portugal, I don't know how to get in touch with the techniques with the teachers you have spoken about. Also, the Eyebody book and glasses seem that they no longer exists (at least on their site)

Could you guys help me finding a solution? I really want to learn more about this

[Oscar]

Bates: http://www.seeing.org/index.html
Eyebody: http://www.eyebody.com/
Alexander Technique: http://alexandertechnique.com/ - It seems there are no teachers in Portugal

[Novidez]

Bates: http://www.seeing.org/index.html
Eyebody: http://www.eyebody.com/
Alexander Technique: http://alexandertechnique.com/ - It seems there are no teachers in Portugal

There are no teachers at all in here. There's one in Lisbon, but it wouldn't be convenient for me since I live far from there
There was actually a Alexander Technique Teacher where I live and I immediately contacted her. She answered, but, with all my luck, she left Portugal 2 years ago and said that in my country this kind of techniques are not really valued. In fact, I can relate with her... If I start talking about one of these techniques with someone, they are like ¿huh? I am not saying that Portuguese people are ignorant, but regarding medicine and not so mainstream treatments, they are kinda reluctants. Here, western medicine and pills for the win!
I've already visited those sites. I was thinking about buying the Eyebody Book first, essentially because of the glasses (they seem to be quite interesting. I don't know if they really work though...) and because it mixes both Alexander and Bates techniques. Then, I could start studying in detail both methods separately. However, I don't know if this is a good way to start.
On this site http://www.seeing.org/techniques/index.html , should I just start doing these techniques randomly? Is that it? I mean, for example, when I tried the The Long Swing, I felt that I was very tense to do it properly . And of course, the question arises: Am I really doing this as it should be? That's why I had immediately interesting in the Alexander Technique because of being always so strained.

Well, Alexander, Bates and also Buteyko, these three are on my sight for sure right now. The problem is if want to take them seriously I probably must have to pay for them...or not? I don't mind paying, but I have to gather some money first xD. And since I began to be involved in the Wai World, I'm still reading a lot about Food & Health, not having time to focusing on those three. That's why I wrote here, to see if you guys could give some 'shortcuts' or some guidelines

[Aytundra]

I started at L: -9.5 R: -8.5 and now I'm at L: -6.25 R: -5.25 .These glasses are weaker than I'd actually need though.

Wow! The numbers lowered a lot.

I think a year or so.

Which year?

[Oscar]

The important techniques are sketch, breathe and blink (SBB). These are based on the principles of movement, centralization, and relaxation. You could start SBB right away, always minding the principles. Leave glasses off as much as possible. Other exercises are only to help, but not necessary.

Which year?

2006, 2007???

[Aytundra]

2006, 2007???

2007 --> A year then?
I mean--> How many months post eating 100% Wai diet?

[Oscar]

I started the (100%) Wai diet in November 2004. Did a Bates course in the Fall of 2005, so about a year after that, then.

[Novidez]

The important techniques are sketch, breathe and blink (SBB). These are based on the principles of movement, centralization, and relaxation. You could start SBB right away, always minding the principles.

Hmm, sketch, breath and blink... Well, I think I have to search a little about that first

Leave glasses off as much as possible.

As soon I read that leaving our glasses was important, it was the first thing I did. I mean, my glasses are something like L: -1.10 R: -2.70. So, I can see without them pretty well

[Oscar]

I'll try to explain a bit.
There are 7 muscles in our eyes: 2 straight ones on the left and right side, 2 straight ones above and below, 2 oblique ones, and one circular one around the pupil. Depending on which muscle(s) are cramped, one will have a certain issue. Astigmatism, myopia, presbyopia, etc are all the result of muscle cramping. Not only the eye muscles can be cramped, also head and neck muscles can influence sight. Relaxation is therefore needed to improve sight.

The cornea is filled with sensors: rods and cones. The rods are good for detecting movement but only pick up black and white. The cones are for sharpness and color. On the cornea is a tiny dimple called the fovea centralis, in which 99% of the cones are located. This means that one can only see one small spot sharply at a time. This is called centralization. To see a whole area sharply one must constantly move one's eyes, scanning the area, seeing one sharp spot at a time. This is called sketching (or shifting).

Under stress we can start staring, which means stopping eye movement, stopping with blinking (blinking is needed to keep the eyes wet and clean, yawning helps), stopping with breathing, trying to see the whole picture sharp in one go. Of course this has to be avoided at all times.

[Novidez]

Thank you very much for the explanation
The other day I was trying to do some palming and I realized that my eyes are always tense and trembling. Also, they move 'automatically' to the upper side (but this may be a normal reaction since when we close our eyes that's the movement they do). However I was constantly trying to put them in the middle, so it was very hard to relax. But I had few brief moments when I felt some kind of relief on my eyes, or better, in the muscles on my eyes. I really felt it! Also, when I am reading something and I manage to relax my eyes, I see much better too!

Under stress we can start staring, which means stopping eye movement, stopping with blinking (blinking is needed to keep the eyes wet and clean, yawning helps), stopping with breathing, trying to see the whole picture sharp in one go. Of course this has to be avoided at all times.

This is so true! I mean, sometimes when I am focused and staring at something, I find myself not breathing at all. I don't understand why this happens... And then, the weird part is when I take a breath, my eyes just move randomly, like they were fleeing from staring. Or it almost seems that I can only do one thing at a time: seeing/staring or breathing.

A curiosity: when I removed my glasses, my left eye, which sees better, was more open than my right eye (which sees worse). At this moment, they are open in a equal way, unbelievable. Do you know any explanation for this too?