The Bates Method Is Not Eye Exercises

“Dr. Bates used the holistic approach to cure vision problems. He taught people with poor vision how to release the strain from their eyes and mind thereby improving or perfecting their vision. At its core, the method consists of applying relaxed vision habits all day long, it’s not a regimen of eye exercises. While eye exercises are beneficial in some cases, they are not an effective way to overcome the eyestrain that leads to poor vision.”

– Esther Joy van der Werf, from the Foreword to “Better Eyesight: The Original Magazines as published by Dr. William H. Bates, July 1919 – June 1930”

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I am over 65. Among folks my age, with a history of poor eyesight, it is not an uncommon story to have discovered long ago, while wandering through a used bookstore, “The Cure Of Imperfect Sight By Treatment Without Glasses” (or its revised edition, “The Bates Method For Better Eyesight Without Glasses”) by Dr. William H. Bates. Took it off the shelf. Dusted it off. Opened it. Got excited. Bought it. Read it. Tried it. And found it didn’t work. Then years later, after being reintroduced to the Bates method, and receiving guidance from a Bates method teacher, finding that yes indeed, it does work, when approached in the right way.

Improving our eyesight on our own by reading a book on the Bates method rarely works. Why? Because, in the isolation of our own limited experience, all too often we interpret the Bates method as eye exercises, which it is not.

The Bates Method Is Not Eye Exercises

It’s natural to believe we must work hard to accomplish anything of importance. So it follows, we believe we must work hard to improve our vision. From the beginning, ophthalmologist William H. Bates was misunderstood, and his “method” for vision improvement misinterpreted as “eye exercises.” After all, something as importance as eyesight must require work to improve.

But it was not work that Dr. Bates recommended. It was rest. Rest of the eyes, and more importantly, rest of the mind.

Eye Exercises Don’t Address Mental Strain

Over 100 years ago, Dr. Bates discovered that a common cause or contributing factor to all vision problems was mental strain. He found that mental strain was at the root of nearly every one of his patient’s eyesight conditions. And the first thing that Dr. Bates had them do when they walked into his New York City eye clinic, no matter their condition, was rest. Rest the eyes, and as importantly, rest the mind.

All of Dr. Bates’ patients suffered from mental strain. Along with their physical eye conditions, they had many types of mental strain, including worry, anxiety, depression, sadness, frustration, anger and fear.

Typically, the first thing Dr. Bates had them do, was close their eyes. With their eyes closed, he tried whatever he could to help them relax their mind and as well as their eyes.

• He would ask them to remember or imagine seeing clearly,
• mentally noticing details,
• picturing black, white, or a favorite color,
• seeing gentle movement,
• remembering beautiful scenes,
• favorite places and happy moments,
• thinking of kind people and cherished pets,
• anyone or anything that made them feel good and brought a smile to their face.

He had them think pleasant thoughts, relax their mind and relax while their eyes, while they were closed, while they were palming, sunning, swinging and doing various relaxation practices.

Dr. Bates did not have them perform exercises. He did not have them exercise their eyes. He knew it was not exercise that they needed, but relief from their mental strain. He addressed this first. And as their mental strain was relieved, their eye strain was relieved and their vision improved.

A good example of this is the very first article that Dr. Bates wrote in the very first issue of Better Eyesight magazine titled “The Flashing Cure.”

Eye exercises don’t address the mental strain that leads to eye strain and vision problems. When vision improvement techniques are done in a regimented and calisthenic-like fashion, mental strain can continue, or even increase. Approaching the Bates method as eye exercises, and not addressing mental strain, doesn’t work so well at improving eyesight.

Exercise is not what Dr. Bates intended. He was misunderstood.

The Popularization Of Eye Exercises

Perhaps this early misunderstanding of Dr. Bates’ discoveries was fueled by a misrepresentation of it in the popular culture of the time. At the height of Dr. Bates’ optometry practice, in the very same New York City where he lived and worked, also lived a shrewd and rather notorious publisher of popular magazines and books named Bernarr MacFadden.

In 1918, MacFadden published the book, “Strengthening The Eyes: A New Course In Scientific Eye Training” authored by himself and William H. Bates, M.D. Although Dr. Bates was coauthor, and the book does contain sections with Dr. Bates’ own words and photographs, his usual advice of the need for relaxation is uncharacteristically missing. The technical information which an eye doctor can explain is there, but not the necessity for relaxation of the mind and eyes. It’s difficult to believe Dr. Bates would have neglected emphasizing the importance of relaxation. It’s questionable whether he agreed to the book’s publication as edited.

This book was not about relaxation of the mind and the eyes. It was about eye exercises. Eye exercises were as popular and over rated then, as they are now.

Looking For A Quick Solution

Also popular today, as I’m sure it was back in Dr. Bates’ day, is the desire and expectation for quick solutions. Perhaps it’s our society, our culture, or just human nature, that we tend to look for an immediate solution to our problems, including poor eyesight.

We want to correct the symptoms. We look for a quick fix, with glasses, contacts, surgeries and drugs. Correcting the symptoms may help for a time, but eventually, as symptoms get worse, and discomfort greater, or we experience bad side-effects, these quick fix solutions are less acceptable.

Unlike lenses, surgeries and drugs, eye exercises promise vision improvement, not just correction, without side-effects. We hear testimonials. We may personally know someone who has improved their eyesight with eye exercises. They may be beneficial. But, since they do not address eyestrain, they are still not getting to the root of the problem. To quoter Esther joy van der Werf again, “While eye exercises are beneficial in some cases, they are not an effective way to overcome the eyestrain that leads to poor vision.”

My Own Misinterpretation Of The Bates Method As Eye Exercises

As I have written in My Story, my introduction to the Bates method and to eyesight improvement was through the book, “Relearning To See: Improve Your Eyesight Naturally!” by Thomas R. Quackenbush. It’s an excellent and thorough book on the subject. I am grateful to have found it. It inspired me to begin my vision improvement journey.

Even though Thomas Quackenbush never used the word “exercise” in his book, and repeated over and over the importance of practicing good vision habits all day long and incorporating them into daily life, I still approached the Bates method as eye exercises.

During a three-week vacation, I eagerly read the entire book and diligently practiced the vision improvement techniques. It was wonderful to have the uninterrupted time to study and practice, during which my blur miraculously disappeared and my vision returned to normal.

One sunny Spring morning my normal vision returned. The world became crystal clear, colorful and beautiful again. And, I could read with ease and clarity. But, the clarity didn’t last. For three days my eyesight was normal, then it reverted to the usual blur that I had come to expect and was familiar with.

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Amazingly, my eyesight remained normal and clear for three days. But following my “retreat,” after returning home to the stressors of daily life, my blur spontaneously returned. I could clear it by closing my eyes, taking a few relaxed breathes, consciously relaxing my shoulders, neck, face and eyes, and then blinking my eyes open while doing a few short head swings. But the clarity was temporary. It didn’t stick and I didn’t know why. Poor and unhealthy chronic vision habits of strain, that created my blur, had returned.

While studying the Bates method, I had not learned to recognize these poor vision habits. During my three-day clear flash, I was completely relaxed, not just in my eyes, but also in my mind and entire body. When the blur returned, I was straining again to see. But I couldn’t figure out how to completely let the strain go again. I couldn’t remember or feel what it was like in my mind and body. What had I done differently to see with clarity? I couldn’t repeat it.

Reflecting back, I now realize that I was so focused on practicing what to do, that I neglected the importance of becoming aware of what not to do.

Eye Exercises Don’t Address What Eyestrain Does To Eyesight

Unlike eye exercises, the Bates method not only addresses what to do (relax), but also what not to do (strain). It is helpful to practice creating eyestrain on purpose in order to develop an increased awareness of the the eyestrain. It is difficult to let go of eyestrain without an intimate awareness of it.

Straining might include staring, squinting, eccentric fixation (trying to see more than one thing clearly at the same time), tunnel vision (concentrating solely on central vision and neglecting the periphery), mental strain (dwelling on stressful thoughts). Each person may have a different habit, or combination of habits of strain. Becoming familiar with one’s strain patterns is helpful in learning to let them go.

This is the part I missed when first learning about the Bates method. I actually avoided it. It felt counter intuitive to do the very thing that was lowering my vision. And, purposely producing eye strain was really uncomfortable. I didn’t like it one bit. But, not doing it probably held me back from improving my eyesight more quickly. It was a long time until I was able to have a good sense in my body, mind and eyes, of what not to do. Because I wasn’t familiar with what it really felt like to strain, I was often unaware that I was straining, and unconsciously continued to do so for far too long.

There are two things consciously producing eye strain is good for:

• Becoming aware of the sensations of what it feels like in your mind, body and eyes to strain, so that you can learn to let it go, and
• Proving to yourself that strain lowers your vision

Here are a couple of examples of how straining on purpose can be used to demonstrate for oneself that eyestrain makes vision worse. With this knowledge and awareness, one can more readily recognize a strain pattern that is lowering vision and start to let it go.

Eye Exercises Don’t Address Fear… And Clarity May Be Scary

When clarity suddenly appeared, at first I felt excitement and joy! But then fear crept in. Even though my old habits of eyestrain produced uncomfortable symptoms, including dryness, eye pain, headaches, sunlight sensitivity, and blurry vision, I had been practicing them for such a long time that they, and their ill-effects, were familiar. And that familiarity made me feel safe. I actually found comfort in straining, staring, squinting, in trying to see, and experiencing blur. Physically it hurt. But emotionally it was soothing. As much as I was excited about seeing with miraculous clarity, I was also a bit scared. And my fear made it difficult to maintain the clarity.

My old way of seeing, although blurry, was well-known. It was an “old friend.” But this forgotten way of seeing clearly, although normal, felt new and unknown. Seeing clearly all at once was a big change and rather shocking. Although it made no logical sense, I wondered if I could be harming my eyes by seeing clearly. I needed reassurance, but I was on my own and in unfamiliar territory. I had no help from a vision improvement teacher or coach and knew no of one personally who had been through the process whom I could confide in.

I initially saw the Bates method as merely physical exercises. This mechanical interpretation did nothing to address my fears, which interfered with the process of my achieving and maintaining effortlessly clear vision. And my fears made me hesitant to continue practicing the Bates method techniques.

I remember thinking to myself, “Is this new way of seeing normal? Is it safe for me to do? Will it hurt my eyes?” Although my eyes felt amazingly good and could see clearly, I didn’t trust myself. I was afraid. And I had no one to guide me through this fear of the unknown, to reassure me that “all is well and normal.”

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Eventually, I came to realize that the Bates method is harmless. It is simply relearning to use the mind and eyes normally through consciously practicing naturally relaxed mental and visual habits, like breathing, blinking, shifting, seeing with curiosity and interest, paying attention to details, shifting the gaze, recognizing central clarity while maintaining peripheral awareness. It is the process of coaxing out naturally relaxed mental and visual habits in a gentle way.

The Importance Of Learning How To Handle Stress Better

Until I was introduced to the Bates Method, and learned that vision can improve, I had not realized the extent to which stress was affecting my vision. While on vacation, I focused solely on improving my sight, without distraction. But when I returned home, the stresses of life awaited me. I gradually I made the connection, and realized that my poor handling of stress was adversely affecting my eyesight.

I had a long list of mental, emotional and spiritual issues work on, things that I could learn to handle better. If I was to truly let go of the mental and physical strain that was lowering my vision, I realized I had to learn how to handle stress better. Even with the best book on the subject of natural vision improvement, these other things had to be addresses. That would take time.

Although I knew it might take time, I knew my vision would permanently improve. Through my initial experience of independently reading about and exploring the Bates Method, even while having an exercising attitude, my vision did temporarily improve. I learned that vision improvement is possible. I was given a literal glimpse into normal eyesight. I knew that if I did it once I could do it again. And that was exciting and empowering.

Relaxation vs. Effort

The word “exercise” implies work. From the beginning of Dr. Bates’ investigations into eyesight, he discovered and demonstrated that normal eyesight is effortless and just the opposite of work. He discovered that making any amount of effort to see lowers vision.

“Under the present educational system there is a constant effort to compel the children to remember. These efforts always fail. They spoil both the memory and the sight. The memory cannot be forced any more than the vision can be forced. We remember without effort, just as we see without effort, and the harder we try to remember or see the less we are able to do so.”

– William H. Bates M.D., from the September 1919 issue of Better Eyesight Magazine

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Noticing the difference between seeing effortlessly and seeing with effort can be challenging. It takes patience, practice and the development of a subtle awareness of the normally relaxed state of the mind and eyes. It’s difficult to just read about and then implement. It’s experiential. It takes consciously practicing techniques that mimic effortless normal eyesight, and doing so in a fun and relaxing way, encouraging and coaxing out a sense of effortlessness. It involves letting go, being in the moment, enjoying the process, staying aware of inner feelings and not obsessively worrying about the end goal. It has little to do with regimented exercises, more to do with surrendering, not trying, stepping out of the way and doing nothing to interfere with nature.

Although the difference between seeing effortlessly and seeing with effort is subtle, Dr. Bates was able to notice it, measure it, and see it in action in his patients, with a retinoscope.

“It can be demonstrated by tests with the retinoscope that all persons with imperfect sight stare, strain, or try to see. To demonstrate this fact: Look intently at one part of a large or small letter at the distance or nearpoint. In a few seconds, usually, fatigue and discomfort will be produced, and the letter will blur or disappear. If the effort tis continued long enough, pain may be produced.”

– William H. Bates, M.D.

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He tells an amusing story from the year 1919 in his Better Eyesight magazine of how effort, the “effort” to lie, lowered vision. And how “effortlessly” telling the truth, improved it…

Vision Is Primarily Mental

All of our senses are automatic. We don’t have to consciously do anything in order to hear, feel, taste, smell or see. It just happens spontaneously and effortlessly. We passively receive information from our environment and our mind subconsciously does the rest, instantly putting the millions of bits of information together into something we can immediately use to understand and navigate our world.

Our senses are primarily mental. And the more relaxed our mind, the better our senses perceive. All of our senses work best, including vision, when we are mentally relaxed.

“When the mind is able to remember perfectly any phenomenon of the senses, it is always perfectly relaxed.”

– William H. Bates, M.D.

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Dr. Bates stated, “All methods of curing errors of refraction are simply different ways of obtaining rest.” By “rest,” he not only meant rest of the eyes, but just as importantly, rest of the mind. With the mind at rest, automatic and normal vision, as well as automatic and normal hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling, is possible. Under mental strain, all of our senses, including vision, don’t work as well.

Attention First, Our Eyes Will Follow

A key principle of normal and effortless vision, and an aspect of seeing primarily with our minds, is that attention always comes first.

First, we are curious and have a desire to look at something we are interested in seeing. Our mind goes there. We have a thought about it.

Then, a split second after having the thought, our eyes feel the urge to go there. They don’t hesitate. They just go there. They turn towards the thing our mind is curious about. Not because we command our eyes to go there. They just do. Unconsciously. Spontaneously. Automatically.

Then our head follows. Again, unconsciously, spontaneously and automatically. And depending on what we are wanting to see, the rest of the body might spontaneously follow as well. It’s all automatic, effortless and natural.

This “attention first” idea is an important aspect of of normal vision.

Esther Joy van der Werf, in her book Optimal Eyesight, gives a great description titled “Test Three Ways Of Eye Motion” of how attention comes first in effortless and normal eyesight. She gives directions for noticing for yourself the difference between seeing with effort, as when performing “eye exercises,” and seeing with ease, as when practicing the Bates method:

Where We Put Our Attention, Our Eyes Will Focus

Another principle of normal and effortless vision, and an aspect of seeing primarily with our mind, is that where we put our attention is where our eyes will focus.

When we look at an object of our attention, do we put our attention on it? Or is our attention perhaps elsewhere? Is our attention in front of the object? Behind it? Is our attention at the same distance that the object is from us? These are questions that the Bates method addresses.

In a video titled “Overview Of How To Improve Eyesight,” Gloria Ginn explains not just the importance of our eyes following our attention, but also asks the question, “At What Distance Do You Place Your Attention?”

It’s Not What We Do, But How We Do It

When It comes to the Bates method, it’s not what we are doing, but how we are doing it. When we practice with playfulness, curiosity and interest, the Bates method techniques become less technical, less like exercises and more like fun games. We become present. Feel content. Enjoy ourselves. Smile. Laugh. And we see with greater clarity the point of our attention, what we are looking at, in the very center of our visual field. We see with central clarity., or as Dr. Bates called it “central fixation.” This is normal. And relaxing.

“The normal eye is always at rest and always has central fixation.”

– William H. Bates, M.D.

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Central Fixation (Central Clarity)

As a doctor, Bates used the medical term “central fixation.” The eyes must literally stop, or fixate, for a fraction of a second in order to take a quick picture of what they are pointing at. Then they must immediately move on, and for another fraction of a second, fixate on another point of interest. And this momentary central fixation repeats over and over, with the mind receiving shap shots many times a second, so fast that we are completely unaware, except that our vision is clear, vibrant and wonderfully exciting.

What we experience when practicing central fixation is “central clarity.” If you are looking at one letter of a word with central fixation, all the other letters in the word appear less clear. When you are looking at one part of a letter with central fixation, all the other parts of the letter appear less clear. When you are looking at one tiny point of interest, that tiny point you are looking directly at, that you are putting your attention on, appears clear, and all other areas in your visual field that you are not looking at appear less clear.

“In central fixation, one sees best the point regarded while all other points are seen less clearly.”

– William H. Bates, M.D.

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An Example Of Central Fixation

Below are two black periods. If you wish to see them with central fixation, you must look with your attention at each black period, one at a time.

When you look at the left period, it appears clearer than the right period. Or put another way, the right period appears blurrier or less clear than the left period.

When you look at the right period, now it appears clearer than the left period and the left period appears blurrier or less clear than the right period.

With central fixation, the period that you are looking at and have most of your attention, appears clearer than the period you are not. You are still aware of the other period, but since it is in your peripheral field, it is less clear. Central fixation is anatomically necessary to see with clarity. But it’s only in a tiny part of your central field that you can see with clarity. It’s the way the eyes were made to see. It is normal eyesight.

It is impossible to see both periods clearly at the same time. If you look at one, the other must appear less clear. If you look at the white space between the periods, both periods will be in your peripheral field, and neither one of the periods will look clear.

You must look directly at something to see it clearly. So, you must look directly at each period, one at a time, in order to see each period clearly.

Central Fixation (Central Clarity) Of The Mind

Central fixation of the eyes requires central fixation of the mind. Without mental central fixation, physical central fixation does not happen. Central fixation of the mind means thinking clearly about, or paying attention to, one thing at a time. Just as the eyes can see clearly only one thing at a time, the mind can only pay attention to, think of, remember or imagine clearly, one thing at a time.

Just as it is normal and relaxing to see one thing at a time, it is normal and relaxing to think of, remember and imagine one thing at a time. Central fixation of the mind is the opposite of “multi-tasking.” Multitasking is a strain on the mind. It’s trying to see more than one thing clearly at the say time. It’s not only impossible, trying to do so is a strain on the mind and the eyes, and lowers vision.

“Note that when the letters are read easily and clearly, they are always seen by central fixation, and relaxation is felt. Central fixation is a rest to the nerves and when practiced continuously, it relieves strain and improves the vision to normal.”

– William H. Bates, M.D.

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So… What Is The Bates Method, If Not Eye Exercises?

Here’s what the Association of Vision Educators has to say about what the Bates method is.

What Is The Bates Method?

The Bates Method of Natural Vision Improvement is an educational approach to relearning the habits of good eyesight. It is based on the principle of dynamic relaxation and of letting go of strain in the mind and eyes. Mental strain and tense eye muscles cause blurry and distorted vision. The Bates Method applies simple techniques and easy activities that help relax the mind, release muscle tension and bring back clarity. It is not a set of eye exercises. It is relearning and incorporating into daily life the habits of Natural Vision. The Bates Method is also referred to as Natural Vision Improvement.

According to Dr. Bates, poor and worsening eyesight is caused primarily by three things:

1. Stress or mental strain

2. Poor vision habits, and 

3. Wearing glasses.

And here are some Frequently Asked Questions found on the Association of Vision Educators website about the Bates Method and Natural Vision Improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

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If you have any questions about the Bates Method, Natural Vision Improvement, or Natural Vision Improvement Coaching, please feel free to contact me.

Resources

• “The Cure of Imperfect Sight by Treatment Without Glasses” by William H. Bates
• “The Bates Method For Better Eyesight Without Glasses” by William H. Bates (revised edition of The Cure of Imperfect sight by Treatment Without Glasses))
• “Better Eyesight Magazine” by William H.l Bates and Emily C. Lierman
• “Optimal Eyesight: How To Restore And Retain Great Vision” by Esther Joy van der Werf
• “Relearning To See: Improve Your Eyesight Naturally!” by Thomas R. Quackenbush
• “Overview Of How To Improve Eyesight“, video by Gloria Ginn
• Association of Vision Educators