To the general public, defective vision means a visit to the optician or oculist and a prescription of glasses. The majority of people do not realize that there is another and better way for improving and normalizing eyesight. We have all been so much accustomed to going to oculists and opticians as soon as sight fails, that we take that visit as a matter of course and we are surprised if we see people advanced in years who do read without glasses.
If one enters a railway carriage one finds that seven or eight people out of ten use glasses. There is much to be said for correcting defects of vision by prescribing glasses. It is a relatively easy and quick procedure; most people are satisfied and grateful if a visit to the oculist or optician leads once more to their being able to read in comfort or their being able to look into the distance and see clearly objects which previously were vague or which they were unable to see at all.
Prescribing glasses can be done quickly. It is practised not only by skilled oculists but by opticians, some of whom are highly qualified and others who are not. There are shops where people can choose glasses for themselves at the cost of six pence and there are many people who prescribe glasses for themselves a some what risky procedure.
We do not claim to have invented a new method. We are the faithful followers of Dr. Bates, a very distinguished American oculist. Dr. Bates had very high qualifications, and for a considerable time he treated his patients in the orthodox way, and then he, like Samuel Hahnemann, discovered a better method of treatment, and his methods have been adopted by many oculists and lay healers. We have practised the Bates method for a great many years. Constant study and observation of cases has enabled us to progress considerably and so improve upon Bates teaching.
Long-standing eye diseases and deep-seated defects of vision will show gradual and most encouraging visual improvement. The value of the treatment lies in the fact that the vision improves as the eyes become more healthy. On the other hand, there are innumerable cases where vast improvement can be produced in a very few days.
Our method is very simple in principle, but needs co-operation on the part of both the practitioner and the patient. Great patience and sympathy are necessary so far as the prescriber is concerned, and the patient must be prepared to give the necessary help.
If a man has some serious trouble with his legs, one can give him crutches and he will be able to get along with some comfort, but in course of time, the pressure of the crutches will lead to grave deterioration and the leg muscles will shrink and in time the legs may become practically useless. Something similar happens if eyes which have been weakened by overstrain are given crutches in the form of glasses, because, as we have explained before, the individual will not be satisfied with having his eyesight normalized, but will once more strain and strain, until the glasses prescribed for him will become quite inadequate.
Then stronger and ever stronger glasses will be prescribed, until in the end the oculist informs his patient with regret that no stronger glasses are available, and then the individual has to read with a magnifying glass or has to give up reading altogether.
Instead of giving crutches to the eyes we try to teach the patient to use his eyes reasonably and sensibly, and we endeavour to strengthen them gradually, exactly in the same way in which a wise physician will not order crutches, but will recommend massage, manipulation, the use of electricity and so forth, for strengthening weakened legs. Weak limbs can be improved gradually by exercise, active and passive, and similarly logical methods will lead to the similar improvement of the eyes.
The apparatus of the eye may be compared with that of the telescope; in the telescope there are two important factors, the lenses and the apparatus of adjustment. Unless a telescope can be adjusted to various distances, it can be used only for one single distance and is, therefore, practically useless. It can be made usable to other distances by putting in an appropriate lens which will correct the fault.
The eye is a kind of telescope and the apparatus of adjustment is furnished by six muscles which usually are greatly weakened in those who have poor eyesight. The first thing one has to do is to improve the power of adjustment of the eye, by prescribing appropriate eye exercise. The efficiency of the eye muscles can easily be tested, even by the most inexpert individual. The eye should be able to follow straight lines, up and down, slanting and horizontal lines, and should be able to follow a circle.
When the individual has difficulty in doing these simple exercises or if the eye cannot follow the line of a circle, except with the greatest strain and hesitation, then it is clear that the eye muscles need re-educating. This is done by exercises which were invented by Dr. Bates.
The skilled prescriber will not be satisfied with improving the eye muscles, which may be inadequate, but he will examine the eye with the greatest thoroughness. He may find that there is congestion at the back of the eye, or anaemia; he may find indications of various diseases and disorders. The skilled practitioner can diagnose many diseases and disorders with the ophthalmoscope. There are indications which will show evidences of tuberculosis, cancer and numerous other diseases.
Some patients complain that reading causes their eyes to become red and hot. Inflammation of the eye should be treated sometimes with hot applications and sometimes with cold applications and sometimes with hot and cold applications given in alternation. There are poorly nourished eyes, in which circulation should be greatly stimulated. There are stiff eyes which should be made mobile by certain forms of gentle massage.
There are also many forms of light treatment which will be found useful. Some eyes are greatly benefited by green light, others by red light and others by yellow light. There are eyes which are sun-injured and there are others which are sun-and-light-starved. The eyes should be given the exercises and the applications most beneficial in every individual case.
Most people make the mistake of straining their eyes habitually. After some strenuous reading, their eyes may feel tired, but they wish to go on. So they whip up their weakened and protesting eyes, exactly as a heartless carter would whip mercilessly his perspiring and exhausted horse. Then when the eyes become too painful, the reader is apt to rush to the cold water tap, or he may lie down and close his eyes. By these two measures of relief, which are very sensible, rest is given to the eyes, but as soon as the pain is over the poor eyes are made to work once more beyond their strength and power.
Our muscles want a rest, our stomach wants a rest, our heart takes a rest between each beat and our brain wants a rest at night. Our eyes want rest, especially when they have become weakened by over-use. Those who come to us for advice or treatment are taught how to use their eyes and how to strengthen them by exercise. The eyes may be rested by blinking.
As soon as a reader finds this gives him comfort he should frequently blink and he will find the eye is greatly benefited. He should, for a minute or two, close his book and his eyes, or he should do what Dr. Bates called palming. He should cover his eyes with both his palms, crossing the fingers of his hands, adopting a restful attitude, and he should remain in that position for a long or a short time, according to his requirements.
We have found the use of electricity particularly helpful in improving and helping defective eyesight. However, it would be impossible to give a full and clear description in this place. Besides the technical details would be understandable only to a minority of our readers, to these who are acquainted with the various methods of employing electricity. Almost every from of electricity known, and of curative massage, can be applied to the eyes and in each individual case we must very carefully choose amongst the various methods which are available.
The eye is a part of the body. If the eye patient is plethoric then he must be treated for plethora, if anaemic then he should be treated for anaemia, if he is badly constipated and has become poisoned in consequence, he must be given an appropriate diet and bowel regulation. If circulation in and about the head is inadequate then this trouble must be dealt with. Individuals come to us who have stiff eyes, stiff necks, stiff spines, and stiff ribs. If the body as a whole has become inflexible, one cannot expect the eye muscles to remain flexible. Why should the eyes be the one exception?.
IT is vital to all to learn to protect the eyes under wartime conditions of poor lighting and the black-out. It is not a case of preventing eyestrain, but of preventing blindness in the future.
