Bates Method is a little known alternative therapy that can help you with your eyesight. In this article we are going to look at the origins of bates method as well as giving you some information on how it can help you and how to see your progress.
Origins of Bates Method
Bates Method was developed by a doctor called William Horatio Bates who was trained as an ophthalmologist. Through his career he had some success and held various positions as an ophthalmologist throughout New York. He noticed that people’s eyesight would often change and this was related to resting their eyes and not wearing their glasses. As a result he would often get students who were short sighted to not wear their glasses but get their eyesight to improve. In 1896 he began research into the treatment of eyesight without glasses and developed the Bates Method. In 1913 he began treating patients with his technique and was able to cure not only functional myopia but also people who were believed to have organic myopia which was supposed to be incurable. As time went on he treated people with different eye conditions and diseases.
However most of the medical and ophthalmology world did not believe in his technique and did not accept it. Before his death in 1931 he ensured that he trained some people in his methods so that it could continue and people could still benefit from all he had learnt.
What is Bates Method?
The basis of Bates Method is that eyesight is more than just how the eyes function but is strongly linked to your mind. Your eyesight is determined by how the eyes respond to directions given by the mind. The main element of Bates Method is to get both the eyes and the mind to relax. It is thought that people experience poor eyesight by not using their eyes correctly. They often put unnecessary stain and tension on the eyes. This will reduce your ability to focus on an object as well as affect the swing of the eyes. Through strain you can temporarily bring the eyes to focus but this extra effort will cause further damage to the eyesight. Basically your mind is convinced that you need to strain to see properly and so your eyes will not be able to focus properly when they are completely relaxed. The process of Bates Method is to teach you to relax the eyes and mind so that your eyes can come into focus when they are completely relaxed.
Signs of Progress
It can be difficult to assess progress as it is different for everyone and it is not a linear process. However most people will experience flashes of clear vision when they allow their eyes to relax. The length and frequency of these will vary from person to person but if you are having them then you are making progress. Whatever your stage of treatment it is important to stay positive as negative thoughts of your progress are damaging in themselves. It is important to remember that you can get there and you just need to stick at it.
How to Get Started
If you are interested in improving your own eyesight then there are a number of things you can do to get yourself started. Firstly there are some books you can download for free from iblindness [dot] org that will help you significantly. You could also consider finding a teacher of the Bates Method. If you are going to do this make sure you find out the experience and get references for the teacher to ensure you get the best possible treatment. In addition you can visit relevant forums and ask experts for help and do research on the internet.
This article has been supplied by alternative therapies directory. You can also find more information on our Bates Method page.