Sight rehabilitation – the art of conscious vision

The organ of sight is undoubtedly one of the most important senses. Its dysfunction significantly impedes everyday functioning in life and there are many components that contribute to visual disturbances. From misuse through lesions to involutional changes.

Glasses or lenses are used to correct the eyesight. According to Dr Bates, in order to maintain a very good quality of vision, exercises are needed to maintain the condition of the eye muscles.

LET’S START WITH A FEW WORDS EXPLAINING WHO WILLIAM HORATIO BATES WAS

Author of the Bates Method. At the age of 26 he received the title of professor, lecturer and ophthalmologist. He devoted his entire life to research on the visual process and the functioning of the eyes. He believed that any strain or tension correlated with improper use of eyesight. He also believed that states of anxiety, neurosis or mental tension affect the tension of the eyeball muscles, which is related to the disturbance of acuity and quality of vision.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BATES METHOD

Seeing is the constant correlation of mind and eye, with the involvement of the nervous system. Activities that aim to improve the mental part of the seeing process simultaneously improve the image selection part and the perception.

Bates was based on a holistic approach to vision therapy. The goal is to correct vision defects through educational techniques – reducing the stresses of the eyes and mind.

EXERCISES

Before starting the right exercises, focus on relaxing your body, especially the neck and neck muscles. You should also remember that all exercises should be performed calmly and very carefully.

Examples of proper exercises

1. Solarization – the use of light (preferably sunlight);
Time: 5 minutes

• In a sitting position, face turned to the sun
• With a deep and calm breath, close the eyelids with the eyes focused straight ahead
• Rhythmic turning of the head left and right (the amplitude of the movement should not be more than 10cm and the speed of the movements should not be more than 30x / min)
• Imagine that the sun’s rays travel in any direction opposite to the movement of our head (head rotation to the left, sun to the right)

2. Palming – one type is respiratory palming
Time: as much as the body needs to relax

• Sit with elbows on thighs. You need a pad under the elbows so that the back, neck and head form a straight line when you lean forward. After bending forward, cover your eyes with your hands, fingers should cross above the browline. Close your eyes slightly.
• 1-2 minutes of conscious relaxation through slow and deep breathing
• Then, while inhaling, recalling the number 1, which with it moves from the bottom to our field of view (you can compare it with the ending credits of the film, which scroll from bottom to top). The moment when all 1 is in our field of view, the inhalation phase should end synchronously.
• The exhalation phase starts at 1 in our field of view and with it 1 goes down until it disappears completely. No digit in field of view = end of exhalation phase.
• Same procedure with subsequent digits

3. Black point – micromovement activation
Time: 1-1.5 minutes

• Staring at a black spot (there may be a candle flame or other light reflection on a curved surface)
• At the end of the exercise, you should wander the horizon (observe falling leaves or flying birds)

Let’s take care of our eyes and body!