Figuring out how to reach further improvements

6/20: Palming, flashing, swaying

• L 1/4
• R 1/4
• B 2/15

6/21: Quick check of default visual acuity.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/22: Palming, flashing, swaying.  My trapezius had been sore for a few days; I’m pretty sure it was from the stress of school finals.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/23: Palming, flashing, swaying.  I had drank some wine earlier; I wasn’t drunk, but I was physically relaxed.  I thought it would be interesting to see if my chart readings were changed because of this.  However, my readings were the same, which supports that mental relaxation is the true solution to poor visual acuity.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/24: Palming, flashing, swaying.

• L 1/10
• R 1/10
• B 1/7

6/25: Palming, flashing, swaying.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/26: Palming, flashing, swaying.

• L 1/4
• R 1/7
• B 1/4

6/27: Palming, flashing, swaying.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

Well, I’ve been doing the same type of chart practice sessions for the last few days with a couple variables added in.  One was the default visual acuity check on 6/21.  I thought this reading would be lower than the others since I didn’t utilize palming, flashing, or swaying, but my readings were the same as the other days when I did use those techniques.  Second, I was physically relaxed on 6/23 from drinking some wine, but, again, my readings were about the same as the other days.

What have these two things taught me?  My eyes can improve to a visual acuity of 1/7 fairly quickly, and physical relaxation is not the main cause of my imperfect vision.  As further support of the latter point, on days 6/20 through 6/22 my upper back was sore (I believe it was caused by stress as my exercise and stretching routines were fairly consistent), but I still had readings in the 1/7 range.

So, what do I need to do to continue improving my visual acuity?  The two solutions I can think of are to use additional relaxation techniques and to practice with the chart for longer periods of time.  In regard to the first solution, I already am using the Bates techniques that have been the most beneficial for me.  While I may incorporate other techniques as I feel led, I do not think I should focus on this solution.  Concerning the second solution, I definitely think I should be practicing longer.  Most of my above readings, and the readings from earlier days, were acquired in Snellen practice sessions of no more than 10 minutes.  While I think I should aim for 30 minute sessions for the best results, I will at least try to use the chart for 20 minutes each day.

Moreover, I think I should probably structure my sessions so that I don’t become too bored and stop early:

• Start with 5 minutes of palming.
• Practice in front of the chart using palming, flashing, swaying, swinging, etc. for about 10 minutes.
• Finish with 5 minutes of palming.

This will be a general guideline, and I may increase/decrease the length of the palming or chart sections depending on how I feel each day.  However, I will still aim for around 20 minutes total time.  I remember Jacob Liberman recommended palming before and after using the vision meditations in his book, and this seems like a good way to continue my vision improvements into the rest of the day.  I’m looking forward to further improvements in my vision.

Some days are better than others

6/12: Palming and alternate flashing.  I only practiced for about 5 minutes.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/13: Palming and alternate flashing.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/14: Palming and alternate flashing.  The right eye seemed to clear up easier than the left.  I noticed my body was too rigid about half way through the practice, so I started swinging and swaying to loosen up.

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/15: Palming, flashing, swaying.

• L 1/4
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

6/16: Palming, flashing, swaying.

• L 1/7
• R 1/4
• B 1/7

6/17: Palming, flashing, swaying.

• L 1/4
• R 1/4
• B 1/4

6/18: This was just a quick check of my visual state at the time.

• L 1/10
• R 1/10
• B 1/7

6/19: Palming, flashing, swaying

• L 1/7
• R 1/7
• B 1/7

Continued improvements :)

6/7 Notes: I palmed then did the flashing technique one eye at a time.

• L: 1/7
• R: 1/7
• B: 1/7

6/8 Notes: I palmed then did alternate flashing again.  I felt that if I had spent more time relaxing in front of the chart I might have been able to read the 4 line (the lowest line on my chart).

• L: 1/7
• R: 1/7
• B: 1/7

6/9 Notes: I palmed and used alternate flashing.

• L: 1/10
• R: 1/7
• B: 1/10

6/10 Notes: I did not use any relaxation techniques this time.  I just did a quick check with each and both eyes to see what my default visual acuity was at the time.

• L: 1/15
• R: 1/15
• B: 1/10

6/11 Notes: I practiced a little longer with the chart this time.  I also used a new technique based on Bates principle of shifting.  I did not make a conscious effort to accurately shift my eyes up and down or side to side, however, as that has not been beneficial in the past for me.  What I did though was just quickly and subtly wiggle my eyes vertically or horizontally while looking at one letter on the chart.  I’m not sure how to explain the difference between this and the more effort-driven shifting I described, but the bottom line is it helped me to see the letter better.

• L: 1/7
• R: 1/7
• B: 1/4

On my latest reading I saw 1/4 which is approximately 20/80.  This is very good news to me as this is the strength that my close distance glasses allow me to see.  Once I am able to see with 20/80 visual acuity most of the time, I will not need my close glasses anymore and will only really need distance glasses for driving.

My plans for the next few days are to keep using the relaxation methods of palming and alternate flashing as these are the most beneficial to my vision.  I will keep practicing at 1 foot from the chart until I can read the 4 line with little difficulty.  Then, I will move back to 2 feet and probably start practicing on the 10 line again.

 

Gradual progress

6/3 Notes: I palmed for a few minutes before.  My focus this time was on holding good posture through my back and neck.  I also used flashing and swaying.

• L: 1.5/10 -1″
• R: 1.5/10 -1″
• B: 1.5/10

6/4 Notes: I did not palm beforehand.  I used the flashing technique.

• L: 2/30
• R: 2/30
• B: 2/20

6/5 Notes: I palmed for a few minutes before, and I used the flashing technique.

• L: 2/30
• R: 2/20
• B: 2/20

6/6 Notes: I palmed for 1 minute immediately before measuring my right eye.  I used flashing and relaxing as my means of reducing strain.

• L: 1/10
• R: 1/15
• B: 1/7

I think I learned more about how palming affects my eyesight during these practices.  In the sessions where I palmed beforehand, I usually palmed for a few minutes in a location different than where my chart is hanging up.  I would then walk over to the chart and start my practice with only my left eye.  However, on 6/6 I checked my right eye first.  This seems significant to me since for all of my readings in June, my right eye saw the same or slightly better than my left eye.  However, on the last day my left eye saw better.

When I am flashing, relaxing, and checking the resulting acuity with one eye, I cover the other eye with one of my hands.  I am sort of doing one-handed palming while I’m using the other eye.  Based on my usual readings (L<R), I thought my right eye just had a slightly better visual acuity (which is further interesting as all the glasses I’ve been prescribed in the past that used different lenses had more correction for my right eye- indicating that the right eye was weaker ).  However, my latest reading showed my left eye to be better.  I am starting to think that my eyes have very similar acuities, but the one that is palmed longer (that I checked second) does better.

Also, I tried to be aware of how my eyes saw after palming.  They seemed to see things in a softer way, but there were brief clear flashes mixed in.  I think this is partly why I had better readings on 6/6; I palmed in front of the chart and used it immediately after opening my eyes.  The softer, clearer vision I have after palming doesn’t last too long though, and I think that it only lasts as long as I stay in the relaxed state I had during palming.  So, in the future I will do my palming directly in front of the chart so that I can use my eyes in a relaxed way once I open them.  With more practice and maybe palming for longer, I hope to extend the length of the relaxed, clearer state.

June 2

Notes: I used my chart in the middle of the day again.  I palmed for about 5-10 minutes beforehand, and I used both my ceiling light and floor lamp when practicing.

• L: 1/10
• R: 1/10 plus 1″
• B: 1.5/10

I practiced for a longer time today and I could definitely see better in flashes.  The main method I used to improve my vision was flashing by just closing my eyes or with palming.  While palming relaxes me more on its own, closing my eyes without covering them is more effective when I’m using the flashing technique.  During the clearer moments, I was surprised (in a good way ) at how clear and distinct the letters became.  I will definitely be using the flashing method again, and I look forward to having clearer and longer-lasting flashes.

Daily plan for June

I know that the main reason I don’t have clear vision right now is that I don’t practice Bates’ techniques and principles consistently.  I only wear reduced prescription glasses, and I do simple things like palming for a few minutes some days.  However, I don’t have a set plan that I follow each day.  So, I’ve decided that for the month of June I will at least use my Snellen chart each day to measure the condition of my eyes.  While this will at least get me doing something positive for my eyes every day, I also hope that using my eye chart and relaxation methods will become habitual for me.

Before I get to my chart numbers, I want to describe the lighting conditions in the room where I hang up the chart.  There is no window to bring in sunlight, so I only have artificial lighting.  One of my sources of light is a ceiling fan/light combo which uses three weak 40W light bulbs.  The bulbs are white, not clear, and are enclosed in a yellow/tan frosted glass hemisphere- overall the ceiling light is dim and isn’t easy to read with.  The other light source is a floor lamp which sits next to my chair and table that my computer is on.  The floor lamp has one 100W white bulb; I use this lamp whenever I’m reading something.  With my testing environment described, I’ll now go on to my quick chart practice today.

6/1 Notes: I palmed for about 5 minutes before I used the chart.  I did this around the middle of the day after I had returned home from school.  I was only using the weak ceiling light when I practiced with the chart today.  My readings reflect how far back I could see the letters on the 10 line and identify them with 100% confidence.

• Left eye: 1/10
• Right eye: 1/10
• Both eyes: 1/10

The right eye and both eyes measurements might have been slightly further back than the left eye, but they were all pretty close.  While I’m not really too pleased with these measurements, my room wasn’t very bright and I haven’t used my Snellen in a long time.  Also, the measurements were done quickly.  I probably had all three in about two minutes.

For future practice sessions, I want to see how turning on my floor lamp will affect my readings; the room would obviously be brighter which should make it easier to read the chart.  Also, I want to practice for a longer time with the chart as opposed to just glancing at it.  Looking at the chart quickly will only tell me the condition of my vision.  If I take my time and use relaxation methods such as palming, flashing and swaying, I should have better measurements and will be teaching my eyes/mind how they can see more clearly.  I hope my daily practice will lead to permanent improvements in my visual acuity.