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BETTER SIGHTWITHOUT GLASSES

A complete system of self-treatment for eyetroubles which enabled the author to discard thestrongest glasses possible to prescribe.-

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By the same authorEVERYBODY'S GUIDE TO NATURE CUREYOUR DIET IN HEALTH AND DISEASECOMMONSENSE VEGETARIANISMHOW TO BECOME lOO% HEALTHY

BETTER SIGHTWITHOUT GL,{SSES

by

HARRY BENJAMIN N.D.

NATURE'S WAY

THORSONS PUBLISHERS LMITEDI,fellingborough, Northamptonshire

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First published 1929Second Edition 1938Third Edition 1941

Thirty-third Impression 1971Fourth Edition (completely revised and reset)

August 1974Second Impression 1976Third Impression 1977

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o MRS E. BENJAMTN 1974

DEDICATION

It is with a feeling of deep appreciation that theauthor acknowledges the personal benefit re-ceived from putting into effect the principlesunderlying the Bates Method, as outlined in thebook Perfect Sight Without Glasses by Dr W. H.Bates, of New York.

Thk booh is sold subject to the condition that it shalt not, byutt of bade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hbed out, irotherutise ciculated without the ppblisher,s priot consent in anyform of bitditrg or coaer other tt{an that in which it it pubtishedamd without a cimihr conditioa incfuding this condiiion beingimposed on the subsequent pulchase?.

ISBN 0 tzzs oz)ls6 (paperback)ISBN 0 7225 0386 5 (hardback)Typeset in Great Britain by

Specialised Offset Services Limited, Liverpooland printed and bound by

Weatherby Woolnough Ltd.,Wcllingborough, Northamptonshire \

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CONTENTS

PageForeword, by Stanley Lief N.D., D.O., D.C' 9Publisher's Preface 11Preface to First Edition 13Introd.uction 2l

Chupter1. How the eYe works2. Why spectacles are harmful3. Causes of defective vision4. Treatment of defective vision5. Aids to relaxation6. Aids to vision7. Eye muscle and neck exercises8. Diet9. How to carry out the treatment

10. Cause of eye diseases1 1. Treatment of cataract12. Conjunctivitis13. GlaucomaL4. Iritis, keratitis, and ulcers

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FOREWORD

In giving me the pleasure and privilege of writinga foreword to his book on natural methods ofdealing with visual troubles, Mr Benjamin hasalso given me an opportunity to say howwidespread is the need for such a system as headvocates.

I have for long been aware of the short-comings of the Bates System, laudable andbeneficial as it may be. Many of my patientshave acknowledged failure to benefit by its use,until, under my care, they were enabled to so,cleanse tJre tissues of their bodies that they wereeventually able to secure the best results.

Mr Benjamin states that many cases of eyetrouble have been cleared up by means of thefasting cure only, and this I can bear outentirely. After a fairly long fast, many of thosepeople who have been in the habit of wearingeye-glasses have either been able to dispensewith them altogether, or have had to have themchanged for less strong ones.

The complete system of treatment outlined soably in this book by Mr Benjamin, will enablevery m:Lny people to overcome most difficult

10 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESand obstinate cases of eye trouble, providedpatience and perseverance are devoted to thetask.

That such a book as this is wanted, has beenshown by the widespread interest which aroseout of the publication of a series of articles byMr Benjamin in Health For All, and,I feel surethat in this, his first book, he will meet with ameasure of success usually denied to buddingaspirants to fame. In any case, he may be surethat his book will achieve a vast amount ofgood.

STANLEY LIEF

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE

The success of this book is borne out by the factthat it is now in its fourth edition after manyreprints; and the continuing dernand for it is anindication of the effectiveness of the methods itoutlines.

It has regretfully become normal practice todeal with defective vision by immediately clamp-irg a pair of glasses on the sufferer's face,and

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judging by the number of be-spectacledpeople

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it seems that we have almost reachedthe stage in this age of television and artificiallight where the wearing of glasses has becomesynonymous with growing up.

But, over half-a-century ago Dr W.H. Bates, aNew York opthalmologist, put forward hisfamous method of eye treatment, and it is byaugmenting the Bates Method with soundNature Cure principles that the author of thisbook set out to offer a more natural andacceptable way to better sight, thereby giving anopportunity for the many of us who are perhapsunnecessarily committed to glasses to cast offour'crutches'.

PREFACE TO TIRST EDITION

As nothing is so convincing as actual personalexperience, I think it will be of interest to thereaders of this book if the following shortautobiographical sketch of my own life ispretaced to it.

It states briefly and without any attempt atflourish how I nearly entered the valley of theshadow of blindness and was rescued theref,romby the methods set out in detail in the succeed-ing chapters.

My own success in overcoming the dreaddisability with which I was faced, should infuseall sufferers from defective vision with the hopeof gaining genuine benefit from these revolu-tionary rnethods of eyesight training.

I cannot say whether I was actually bornshort-sighted or not, but at all events on the veryfirst day I went to school

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at the age offour * it was discovered that my vision wasdefective, and my mother was advised to havemy eyes examined.

Accordingly, I was taken to the WestminsterOphthalmic Hospital, and it was disclosed uponexamination that I had extreme myopia; I was

L4 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESordered spectacles of

-10 dioptres, and so at theage of five I began to wear glasses.

I kept on paying periodical 'visits to thehospital to see ho* my eyes were 'progressing',and every two or three years I had to have myspectacles changed for a stronger pair; until atthe age of fifteen I was wearing

-14 dioptres.I had carried on with my ordinary educationall the time, managing to see well enough withthe glasses to do my school work, and eventuallyI left school to enter the Civil Service.

When I was seventeen there came a crisis; Ihad been used to studying a great deal (I hadvisions of becoming something some day), butsuddenly I developed a haemorrhage in my lefteye. At the same time my general health wasaffected, and I had greatly enlarged cervicalglands, some of which were removed, togetherwith my tonsils.

At the hospital it was discovered that mysight had become very much worse, and I waskept away from work for six months to rest myeyes. The glasses I was given to wear now were-18 dioptres, -4 dioptres stronger than for-merly.

I carried on with the -18 glasses all through

the war period in various government capacities,but in 1918 I was advised to give up clericalwork altogether, as there was a danger of mylosing my sight. This advice, by the way, camefrom a Harley Street specialist.

PRETACE TO TIRST EDITION 15In accordance with his suggestion I looked

around for a suitable outdoor occupation, butcould only find one that offered any possibili-ties, namely, commercial travelling.

It was the last thing in the world that Iwanted to do, but 'needs must where the devildrives'

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so I became a commercial traveller.I made one or two false starts to begin with

but,. fortunately for me, I soon struck oil andfound an employer who understood and sympa-thized with me, so that he allowed me to carryon with my studies in philosophy, psychologyand political science (which interested me most),somewhat to the detriment of my travellingactivities.

During this time I paid annual visits to thespecialist, and he gradually made it clear to me,year by year, that my sight was getting worseand worse

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in spite of my open-air occupa-tion

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until at the age of 26 he furnished thestrongest glasses possible for me :

Right eye: -20 sph. -3 cyl. 170'Left eye:

-20.5 sph. -3 cyl. 170"At the same time he told me quite definitely

that he could do nothing more for me, that Iwas to give up reading

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my greatest joy -

altogether, and that I was to be very careful lestthe retina of either eye became detachedthrough an unexpected strain.

16 BETTIR SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESQuite a cheerful interview, wasn't it? How-

ever, I carried on much the same as usual,travelling all over the country, staying at thebest hotels, and making quite a success of myoccupation (thanks to my employer's kindnessto me), but the thought of having to spend therest of my life bereft of books and with thedanger of total blindness always befbre me,produced a background for my hopes andaspirations which was far from encouraging.

I still continued my annual visits to HarleyStreet, and was always 'comforted' by thespecialist's report as to my condition, until atthe age of 28 I felt that my eyes could notpossibly last much longer. I\{y sight was failingrapidly

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it was difficult to read or write any-thing, despite the enormously powerful glasses Iwas wearing. I had pains in my head at theslightest attempt to look at anything closely,and altogether I realized that something drasticwould have to be done

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but what? The speci-alist couldn't help me, he had told me so!

In March, 1926, I decided to throw up myj"b -

which was bringing me in quite a hand-some income

-- and go and live in the country,

and it was just at that time that the miraclehappened.

I was given a book to read, or rather to haveread to me (I wasn't able to read myself), by afriend, entitled Perfect Sight Without Glasses,byW. H. Bates, M.D., of New York. This friend's

. PREFACE TO TIRST EDITION 17brother had practised the Bates Method and hadimproved his sight tremendously, so I was told. Itook the book home, my brother read it to me,and I saw immediately that Dr Bates'view as tothe cause of defective vision and its cure wt$right; I knew it instinctively

I could see that the Harley Street specialist,and the host of ophthalmologists and oculistswho provide the world with glasses, were wrongand that Dr Bates was right.

Glasses would never 'cure' defective vision -

they made the eyes worse -

and as long as onecontinued to wear them there was no possibilityof ever regaining normal vision. The thing to dowas to discard your glasses immediately, and togive your eyes a chance to do what they hadbeen wanting to do all the time

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namely, see,which the wearing of glasses had effectuallyprevented them from doing.

I paid a visit to a practitioner of the BatesMethod in the West End of London to find outthe best way to apply Dr Bates'principles, threwup my job, left off my glasses

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after 23years

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and set about re-educating my eyes tosee.

Imagine how I felt when I first left them off!I could hardly see anything, but in a few days Ibegan to improve, and in a short time I was ableto get about quite all right without any trouble.Of course, I was riot able to read yet (in fact ittook me over a year to reach that stage)r and it

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18 BETTER SIGITI WITHOI.]-T GLASSESwas only through coming in contact withanother practitioner of the Bates Method, wholived in Wales, that this came about.

I had been living for several months at avegetarian guest house in the Cotswolds

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I hadbeen a vegetarian for some time then

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but myeyes, although they had improved when I firststarted the Bates treatment, refused to respondany further.

Upon meeting this young man I decided to goand stay with him for a few weeks in Cardiff andcarry on under his directions.

He at once put me on a sensible Nature Curediet

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fruit, salads, etc., -

and took me activelyin hand. In a few days my eyes began toimprove, and in a week I could actually read afew words. By the end of three weeks I was ableto read

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very slowly and painfully -

my firstbook without glasses.

It is now two-and-a-half years since I left offmy glasses, md I am able to read and writequite well. My distance vision is not so good, butI see sufficiently well to be able to get about allover the place with ease and comfort. My healthand general appearance are infinitely better thanthey have ever been, and I am pleased to saythat through the help and advice given to me bymy friend, the Bates practitioner in Cardiff, Ideterminecl to take up the practice of Naturo-pathy.

To that end I studied hard to familiarize

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION 19myself with the theory and practice of NatureCure, and have completed a course of privatestudy under one of the best known London

.naturopaths.Since then I have started in practice as a

practitioner of natural methods of eye treat-ment.

What a contrast to my position three yearsago! What a triumph for Nature Cure methodsof treatment!

HARRY BENJAMINLondon, 1929

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i INTRODUCTION

Defective vision is more prevalent today than atany time before; a state of affairs which hasbeen brought about chiefly by the increasingdependence upon artificial lighting and thewidespread habits of television watching. And,since the situation is likely to get worse ratherthan improve, it is reasonable to assume that theincidence of defective vision will continue toincrease with progressively greater rapidity.

The answer to this problem has been theprovision of spectacles, but this artificial remedydoes not succeed in checking this ever-growingmenace to the nation's health since such asolution is merely palliative. Indeed, no oneexpects to cure defective vision by the aid ofspectacles.* the most they can be said to do isto enable the sufferer to get about with as littlediscomfort as possible.

Many people will agree that these aids tovision are disfiguring and unbeautiful in them-selves; there is always the danger of theirbreaking and causing injury to the wearerl theyprevent many people from participating inathletics and social pastimes generally. Yet, in

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22 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESspite of all this, spectacles are regarded as a boonand a blessing to man, and, in fact, as one of thegreat achievements of civilization.

It is quite easy to understand the high esteemin which glasses are held, as without themmillions of people would be unable to get aboutas they do, and more and more are resorting totheir aid every day; but this is because the publichas come to believe that defective vision isincurable, and that the only possible remedy isthe wearing of spectacles.

If, however, it were brought home to thesemillions of sufferers from eye troubles (as I hopeto do in this volume) that by wearing glassesthey may be permanently preventing themselvesfrom removing their eye defects, and, in fact,tending to make their disability worse, then thepopular belief in the efficacy and necessity forthese visual 'crutches' will begin to fade, and bereplaced by a growingrealization that what theyhad hitherto regarded as one of the wonders ofscience is a handicap rather thpn an aid to bettervision.

The belief in the value and necessity ofspectacles in all cases of defective vision is firmlyrooted in the public mind. It is based upon theassumption that most defects of vision are dueto permanent changes in the shape of the eye,and that, therefore, all that can be done is toalleviate the conditions by the prescription ofsuitable lenses.

INTRODUCTION 23However, thanks to the researches of Dr W.

H. Bates, of New York, extending over a periodof thirty years, there has come into existence anew school of thought regarding the cause andcure of defective vision, and the founders of thismovement have concluded that defective visionis not generally due to permanent changes in theshape of the eye, but only to functional derange-ments that are capable of being overcome inmany cases by simple, natural methods oftreatment which forbid the wearing of glasses.

It will thus be seen that the treatment ofdefective vision is being carried out to-day bytwo rival schools

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those who follow the oldmethods of reasoning and regard defective visionas in itself incurable, but capable of beingalleviated; and those who realize that thesedefects are due to a number of causes, most ofthem capable of being overcome, and that farfrom defective vision being incurable, there isevery hope of being able to help the suffererreally to improve his sight and often to regaincompletely normal vision, without having re-course to any but the most natural and simplemethods.

To Dr Bates (a New York ophthalmologist,and one-time examiner of the eyes of childrenattending the New York schools) belongs thehonour of being the founder of this method ofeye treatment (known as the 'Bates Method'),and by numerous experiments and demonstra-

24 BETTER SIGIIT WTIHOUT GLASSEStions he has made it clear that many widelyaccepted views regarding the nature of defectivevision are entirely fallacious. He has triumph-antly vindicated his claim by restoring to normalvision thousands of sufferers who had beenpronounced by the greatest eye specialists asincurable!-

The Bates Method is now being practised inseveral countries with great success, but thework of Dr Bates has been completely ignoredby his fellow oculists; in fact, he was persecutedin New York by the American medical profes-sion for his unorthodox theories, and died, amedical outcast, a few years after this book wasfimt published. Thus there seems little likelihoodof these epoch-making discoveries reaching thepublic through ordinary channels.

It is left to people like myself, therefore, whohave derived great benefit from the system,'tosing its praises, in the hope of being able to bringit before the notice of other sufferers fromdefective vision, and in this way to make itknown to them that, thanks to the great work ofDr Bates and his collaborators, they now havethe chance to discard their glasses for ever' andset to work at once to bring back to their eyesthe faculty of normal vision which is theirbirthright.

CHAPTER ONE

HOW TI{E EYE WORKS

To fully understand the difference betwqen themethods of reasoning of the new and oldschools, it is necessary to have some knowledgeof the anatomy and physiology of the eye, asthe main point of divergence between these rival

, schools of thought lies in their interpretation ofthe phenomenon of accommodation' (Themovement of the eye from a near to a distantobject,'or vice vrsa, is spoken of as accommo-dation.) So that the following brief sketch of thestructure and function of the eye is essential:' The eye or eyeball is almost spherical in shape

and about 1 inch in diameter- It consists of threelayers or coats:

1. The Sclerotic, or outer laYer;2. The Choroid, or middle laYer; and3. The Retina, or inner laYer.

The Sclerotic Layer is white and opalescent,except in its central portion, which is trans-parent and is called the cornea. Through thecornea light is transmitted to the eye.

The Choroid Layer contains the blood-vessels

26 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSES

Fig. 1

VIEW OT' THE HUMAN EYE, DIVIDED HORIZONTALLY'THROUGH THE MIDDLE

HOW THE EYE WORKS

Fig. 2

VIEW OF THE EYEBALLS FROM ABOVE, SHOWINGTHE MUSCLES AND ARTERIES

1. optic nerve; 2. suPerior rectus muscle; 3. inferiorrectus muscle; 4. external rectus muscle; 5. internalrectus muscle; 6. superior oblique muscle; 7. inferioroblique muscle; 8. lachrymal glands;9. eyelid in section;10. eyelid from inside; 11. infra-orbital artery; 12.branch to the tear gland; 13. branch to i:he retina; 14.branch to the iris; 15. branch to the upper eyelid;16.branch to the eyebrow;17. branch to the cavity of the,nose.

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28 BETTER SIGTIT WITHOUT GLASSESwhich carry the blood to and from the eye. Justbehind tlre cornea the choroid becomes visible,and is called the iris,with the pupil in its centre.Directly behind the iris is the oystalline lenswhich catches the light as it passes through thepupil and focuses it upon the retina. Around thecrystalline lens the choroid forms into .foldsknown as the ciliary processes, which contain

'within them the ciliary muscle. The ciliarymuscle is connected with the crystalline lens bymeans of a small ligament, so that the action ofthe ciliary muscle is able to control the contrac-tion and expansion of the crystalline lens.

The retina or inner layer is really a continua-tion of the optic nerve (situated at the back ofthe eye); it is extremely thin and delicate, andupon it are thrown the images of eiternalobjects within the field of vision. (If the retina isdestroyed, sight is impossible.)

With these facts in mind it will be easy tofollow the actual pracess of seeing, which is asfollows:

Light rays pass through the cornea, theexternal rays are cut off by the pupil, and onlythe remaining central rays really enter the eye.These pass through the crystalline lens, which,being convex in shbpe, causes them to convergeupon the retina with the result that an invertedimage is formed. The image is transmitted by theoptic nerve to the brain and vision is the result.(If there is any interference with any of the

HOWTHE EYE WORKS 29links in this chain, then normal vision is impos-sible.)

Having grasped these necessary details regard-ing the structure and function of the eye, thereader is now in a position to appreciate theessential divergence between tlie new and oldschools of thought which centres round the actof accommodation.

ACCOMMODATIONWhen the eye looks at a distant object, thedistance between the crystalline lens and theretina is /ess than normal, and greater thannormal when the object viewed is cldse to theindividual.

The manner in which this change in distancebetween the lens and retina is brought about isexplained in medical text-books as being due tothe expansion and contraction of the crystallineIens, owing to the action upon it of the ciliarymuscle.

According to this view the eye as a wholedoes not change its shape * only the crystallinelens.

The experiments of Dr Bates, however, haveshown that the shape of the eye does changeduring accornmodation, owing to the action ofthe external muscles of the eyeball, to whichbelong the power to move the eye about in alldirections (up, down, sideways, etc.). It wasfound that these muscles move the bach of the

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BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSES

eye towards the crystalline lens when a distant'object is being looked at, by means of thecontraction of certain sets of the muscles inquestion, thus shortening its shape, and length-ening its shape when a near object has to beobserved, in a manner similar to that of anadjusting catnera.

When one realizes thit myopia (short sight) isa condition in which the eyeball is lengthened,and, hyperrnetropia (long sight) , and. presbyopia(old sight) conditions in which the eyeball iscontracted along its longitudinal axis (the Iinebetween the crystalline lens and the retina is thelongitudinal axis) it becomes at once clear that,from the standpoint of Dr Bates, these condi-tions are only the result of imperfect acqom-modation, owing to the faulty action of theexternal muscles of the eye. In the case ofmyopia the eye is kept definitely in a positionwhich renders the seeing of distant objectsdifficult, and in the cases of hypermetropia andpresbyopia the eye is kept in a position whichrenders the seeing of near objects difficult.

In short, Dr Bates' work brought him to theconclusion that rnany cases of defectiue aisionare the result of strain upon the external musclesof the eyes, which in time cause the eyeball tochange its shape.

This is the fundamental principle of the BatesSystem, and it is claimed that by employingmethods to relieve the strain or tension upon

HOWTHEEYEWORKS 31these muscles many conditions of defectivevision can be overcome.

In his book entitled Perfect Sight WithoutGlasses Dr Bates gives a detailed account of hisexperiments to prove his theory, and the dia-metric opposition of his view to that of the oldschool, together with the message of hope andencouragemint it brings to all sufferers fromdefective vision, is amply borne out and justifiedby the wonderful successes achieved every day,both in America and in this country, by theBates Method.

CHAPTER TWO

WHY SPBCTACLES ARE HARMFUL

It is, therefore, to the external muscles of theeye that we have to turn for a major cause ofdefective vision. In the past, these muscles havebeen looked upon as being of value only inhelping the eye to turn from side to side and upand down, etc. That they actually cause the eyecontinuously to change its shape during theprocess of vision has not'been generally appre-ciated, so that all attempts to find the,cause ofmyopia, hypermetropia, etc., have led to theconclusion that these defects (known to be dueto changes in the shape of the eyeball) must beorganic (permanent) in character as a result ofsubjecting the eyes to conditions harmftil tothem

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such as bad light, artificial light,cinemas, television, excessive reading, etc.

From the new point of view, however, it hasbeen demonstrated again and again that badconditions of work, etc., cannot produce defec-tiue uision- All that these conditions can do is toaggraaate an already existing tendency to defec-tive vision due to a strained and contractedcondition of the external muscles of the eye, sothat what is generally regarded as the cause ot

WHY SPECTACLES ARE HARMFUL 33eye trouble is merely a secondary factor.

Not knowing the seat of the trouble, there-fore, and assuming that once the eye becomesmyopic, hypermetropic, or presbyopic (as thecase may be) there exist no means whereby theeye can be brought back to its normal condition,the optical profession has concerned itselfmerely with the problem of how best to help the

r sufferer to overcome his disability in a mannermost convenient to himself, and to this end

. spectacles were introduced.Having furnished the patient with suitable

glasses, the eye specialist considers that he hasdone everything that lies within his power tocope with the defective eye condition

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and sohe has; but a moment's reflection will show thatby enabling the wearer to see more clearly thanformerly by their aid, and so leading him toconclude that his defect is overcome, spectaclesIull the sufferer from defective vision into a stateof false satisfaction

, He quite naturally imagines that if he can seebetter, then his eyes must be better, and it isonly after wearing spectacles for years, andhaving to change them more and more fre-quently for stronger ones, that the truth is bornein upon him that, instead of improuing his eyes,the constant wearing of spectacles has in factmade them u)orse, and will continue to do so.

, What, then, is the value of spectacles? At bestthey offer a quick and easy means. of dealing

34 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESwith a deranged visual condition

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but to lookupon them as permanent aids to vision is quiteunwarranted.

To see this point quite clearly it is onlynecessary to realize that, once spectacles areworn, the whole natural Process of seeing isthrown out of gear.

The eye, instead of being allowed to accom-modate for near and distant objects, has theaccommodation done for it in a fixed andunchangeable way by the spectacles, with theresult that the strained condition of the muscles(which prevented accommodation in'the firstplace) is intensified by the eyes being thus heldin arigid position by the action of the glasses-

This explains why the continual reliance uponspectacles often tends to make the eyes uorse

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the cause of the trouble is not only notremoued, but is aggravated and intensified bythe introduction of these so-called 'aids tovision'; at the same time no attempt is made toalter the artificial conditions which impose astrain upon already strained muscles, and so wefind, therefore, that the practice of prescribingglasses for defective vision is in itself a majorcause of dre continued increase of the verycondition it set out to overcome.

NATURAL TREATMENTOnce the sufferer from defective vision hasbecome aware of the part played by spectacles

WHY SPECTACLES ARE HARMFUL 35in making permanent what often would other-wise be but a temporary derangement of theprocess of vision (if treated by natural means) hewill be only too eager to become acquaintedwith these new methods of treatment; but hewill probably feel that it would be asking toomuch to expect him to discard his glassesimmediately, and have to go through that initialperiod of inconvenience which must necessarilyelapse between the time that treatment iscommenced and sufficient improvement hasbeen made to enable him to go about for goodwithout their aid.

It is not, however, absolutely essential to giveup completely wearing glasses once the treat-ment is undertaken (al.though the best andquickest results are obtained when this is done),and many patients have been cured of defects ofvision who have worn glasses most of the timethey were under treatment. They found thatthey had to wear weaker and weaker pairs as thetreatment progressed, until there came a timewhen they were no longer necessary!

Spectacles may be worn during treatment, butonly for the purpose of work, household duties,etc., and should be left off during leisure hoursand when the exercises and various detailscomprising the treatment are to be carried out.Even if glasses are only left off for a feut hourseach day, this will enable the eyes to begin toact naturally, and af.ter a couple of weeks of

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36 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT CLASSEStreatment the patient will be agreeably suqprisedat the improvement in his vision

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which will bemade abundantly clear to him by the fact thatthe glasses he is wearing have now probablybecome too strong for him

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and older andweaker pairs will have to be raked out ofdrawers and cupboards in which they have lainalmost forgotten for years.

It will be seen, therefore, that the taking upof these new methods of treatment does nothinder the patient in his daily routine, but thatthey are intended to be carried out in his sparetime, in his own home, and when most con-venient. Once the basis of treatment is ex-plained, and instructions given to meet therequirements of the different forms of defectivevision, the sufferer can set to work at once toimprove his sight, and the reward of his effortswill be in the gradual and continual progress hewill notice in his condition.

Naturally, it will depend upon the degree ofdefective vision present, and the length of timeit has been allowed to progress, as to howquickly the return towards normal vision will beeffected, because the longer glasses have beenworn, the more time will it take to break downthe strain set up by them, both in the eyesthemselves, and in the muscles and nervesconnected with them.

In most cases, however, if the natural treat-ment is faithfully and regularly carried out,

WHY SPECTACLES ARE HARMTUL 37improuement must follow

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a statement whichis fully justified by the gratifying resultsobtained by Bates practitioners, both in this andother countries.

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CHAPTER THREE

CAUSES OF DEFECTIVE VISION

In the preceding chapters.the inadequacy of theold method of treating defective vision has beendealt with, and the cause of such defects asmyopia, hypermetropia, presbyopia etc., hasbeen dbfinitely attributed to a strained con-dition of the muscles surrounding the eyes.

It is now necessary to consider how it ispossible for the muscles in question to becomestrained and contracted, and when this is donethe underlying causes of defebtiue uision will bemade apparent.

MENTAL STRAINDr Bates states quite definitely that he considersthe cause of all defects of vision to be mentalstrain which sets up a coresponding physicalstrain upon the eyes and their muscles andnerves * thus leading to defective vision.

He considers that a highly nervous tempera-ment, with a tendency to mental tenseness andrigidity of thought, is the cause of most cases ofserious visual deficiency, and he looks upon thelesser defects as being mainly due to strain uponthe mind (and consequently the brain and

,;)

CAUSES OF DEFECTIVE VISION 39nervous system) set up by overwork, worry,fear, anxiety, etc., the degree of defective visionin all cases varying with the temperament andnervous condition of the individual. In pursu-ance of this theory, Dr Bates has concentratedhis efforts upon methods of treatment whichwill remove the condition of mental strain, andthe keynote of the 'Bates Method'is thereforerelaxation-

If the mind of the patient can be relaxed,then his eyes (together with the muscles andnerves connected with them) will become re-laxed in turn, and similarly, if the eyes and theirmuscles and nerves can be relaxed, then thebrain (and consequently the mind) will becorrierelaxed in turn; and so we see that the Batesmethod of treatment aims at me:ntal and physi-cal relaxation, and it is only when this comple-mentary condition of mind and body has beenachieved that perfect vision is possible.

The wonderful su'ccess of his system showsthat Dr Bates'view is, in the main, correct, butthere are many cases (especially those of longstanding) where improvement has been slow,and in some instances absent altogether. In thepresent writer's opinion, the failures of thesystem are due in the main to a neglect ofphysical factors of the greatest importance.

To imagine that only mental strain can set upa strained condition of the muscles of the eye isevidence of lack of understanding of 'the work-

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CAUSES OT DETECTIVE VISION 4Igenerally admitted .by medical men that somecases of cataract are diabetic in origin. Also,most laymen know that spots before the eyeszue an accompaniment of liver disturbances anddigestive derangementsl but the remarkablyintimate relationship that exists between theeyes and every part of the body is as yet scarcelyrealized, except by those with a knowledge ofthe science of Iridology.

It has been the work of the pioneers ofiridiagnosis to show that every change (whetherfunctional or organic) in any organ or part ofthe body is refleited in the eyes by a change ofcolour in the portion of the iris which is directlyconnected with that organ or part.

This wonderful affinity between the iris ofthe eye and the rest of the body is the result of amarvellous network of intercommunicationbetween the nerves of the eye and the auto-nomic and cerebro-spinal nervous systems.

If the eyes czrn be affected (and thgy are) bychanging conditions in distant parts of the body,how much more so will this be the case whenthe whole organism is involved? Many practi-tioners of natural therapy have discovered thatinflammatory conditions of the eyes, such asconjunctivitis, iritis, and keratitis, are not to belooked upon as diseases simply affecting theeyes and nothing else (as is a common practiceamong the medical profession), but as symptomsof a general toxaemic condition of the body

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40 BETTER SIGIIT WITHOUT GLASSESing of the human organism, because it is obviousthat if the cause of defective vision is a strainedexternal musculature of the eyes, then anyfactor (not only mental, but physical) likely toset up strain in these musclesis apotential causeof defectiae aision.

It is in ignoring these other possible causes ofstrain and tension that the Bates Method showsits limitations, and cannot therefore be rightlyconsidered a complete system of natural treat-ment for defective vision.

It is the pu{pose of the present book, how-ever, to remedy this deficiency, and so tointroduce a comprehensive and all-embracingmethod capable of dealing with many kinds ofeye trouble in the best and most logical manner.

FOODIn seeking to discover possible physical causes ofstrained and contracted eye muscles it must beborne in mind that the eye is part of the body,and as such must share in any condition affect-ing the body as a whole (to look upon the eye assomething apart

-

as capable of functioningcompletely by itself

-

is fallacious).It is to factors likely to prove harmful to the

whole organism, therefore, that we must turnour attention in our quest.

It has been known for some time that suchdiseases as diabetes and nephritis (kidneydisease) have an effect upon the eyes, and it is

42 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESdue to excessive starch, sugar, and proteiningestion mainly. At the sa4re time they havecome to realize that cataract is only a sign of arnore deep-seated (and therefore chronic) mani-festation of the same condition of affairs.

l'he writer's own experience has shown himthat wrong feeding has an effect not only uponthe eyes themselves (as has just been illustrated),but upon the actual processes whereby vision isacco mplished (something quite different),because the muscles and blood-vessels surround-ing the eyes share in the clogging process set upall over the body by imperfect metabolism dueto an unbalanced and too concentrated dietary.

Once the muscles and blood-vessels becomeclogged, proper drainage is impossible, and intime the muscles, instead of being soft andpliable, becorne hard and contracted. This even-tually has the effect of preventing perfectaccommodation, and later the shape of the eyeis affected as a direct consequence. The ultimateresult is defectiae aision.

Many cases of simple myopia, hypermetropia,and astigmatism are due to no other cause thanthe above, whilst presbyopia (old sight) is almostentirely due to it.

Up to now it has been assumed that when aperson reaches middle age the eyes naturallychange their .shape (becoming slightly con-tracted), thus making the seeing of near objectsdifficult, and causing presbyopia.

CAUSES OF DEFECTTVE VISION 43This is regarded as an inconvenient, but

necessary, price we have to pay for being in theworld so long! And the difficulty is overcome bythe wearing of convex spectacles.

Very few of the millions suffering from oldsight (or their medical advisers) realize that thewrong feedtng habits of 45 or 50 years of livingmay be responsible for this change in their visualpowers; but this is undoubtedly the case, andnormal sight can be restored to many sufferersfrom presbyopia simply by the introduction of asensible dietary and the carrying out of a fewsimple eye exercises.

To emphasize the vital relationship betweenfood and vision, it needs only to be stated thatthere are on record many authentic cases ofdefective vision being cured simply by means offasting.

The increased elimination induced by the fasthas the effect of unlocking the accumulatedstores of waste products which have beenclogging the muscles and'blood-vessels surround-ing the eyes, and as a result the muscles arerelaxed and vision improved.

BLOOD AND NERVE SUPPLYThe two chief causes of defective vision havenow been dealt with

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namely, mental strainand. wrong feeding, but there is another andthird factor capable of affecting the sight of the

44 BETTER SIGTTT WITHOT.IT GLASSESindividual

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this is an improper blood and nervesupply.

Unless the eyes are fully supplied with bloodand nerve force, the process of vision cannot becarried out properlyi and so any factor capableof interfering with either the blood-vessels or thenerves of the eyes is a possible cause of defectivevision.

Of course it is understood that both mentalstrain and wrong feeding interfere with theproper blood and nerve supply to the eyes, butthere are some purely mechanical ways in whichthis may be brought about.

The chief seat of mechanical interference withthe blood and nerve supply to the eyes lies inthe muscles covering the upper portion of thespine (at the back of the neck).

If these muscles become contracted or infil-trated thry have the effect of pulling thevertebrae attached to them slightly out of place(producing what is known as subluxations), andthese in time impede the direct flow of nerveforce from the sympathetic nervous system tothe eyes; in addition, the vasomotor nerveswhich control the size of the small arteries areaffected

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and so the blood supply to the headis restricted.

It is necessary, therefore, in all cases ofdefective visiori to make sure that the muscles atthe back of the neck are perfectly relaxed andloose, and that no spinal defects are present. To

i, . CAUSES OF DEFECTM VISTON 45tlis end, spinal manipulation (either osteopathicj or chiropractic) is extremely valuable; indeed,many cases of defective vision have been cured

i simply by spinal treatment alone. (This showsthe great effect these contracted neck muscleshave upon the blood and nerve supply to theeyes.)

Another point to realize is that in most casesof defective vision (no matter what the causesmay be) the strain upon the eyes and theirmuscles, blood-vessils and nerves (mostly due tothe constant use of spectacles) is transmitted tothe muscles at the back of the neck, and these intum become contracted. It may therefore bestated, as a general proposition, that sufferersfrom defective vision have stiff and contractedneck muscles.

It is now obvious that a complete return tonormal vision is impossible unless these con-tracted neck muscles are relaxed, so that thevalue of suitable neck treatment is made abun-dantly clear by this consideration.

CHAPTER FOUR

TREATMENT OF DEFECTIVE VISION

Having made clear the various factors enteringinto the causation of defective vision, we nowcome to that part of the subject which dealswith the methods employed in the naturaltreatment of these conditions.

As there are three main causes of defectivevision, so there are three definite and distinctlines of approach to all cases undergoing naturaltreatment; but as it is impossible to statedefinitely whether any particular case is due toany one cause (it is more than likely that two or,perhaps, all three factors are involved) the mostsuccessful system of treatment will be thatwhich deals effectively with all three of them atone and the same time.

Up to the present no such comprehensivesystem of treatment' has existed. The BatesMethod has concerned itself solely with the firstfactor

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namely, mental strain -

and hasignored the other two; practitioner's of naturaltherapy who have attempted any treatment ofdefective vision have looked upon diet andfasting as the best methods of procedure

-generally to the neglect of the Bates Method;

' TREATMENT OT DETECTIVE VISION 47and osteopaths and chiropractors, when dealingwith patients suffering from eye troubles,merely resort to spinal manipulation andnothing more.

Each of these three natural methods oftreatment has wonderfu,l cures to its credit(especially the Bates Method), but there havealso been failures, and the reason for this isobvious

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they have all accentuated one factorto the exclusion of another, with the result thatonly in those cases which are definitely due tothe factor being treated has a complete curebeen possible.

A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEMBy personal experience the writer of this bookhas come to realise the value of all these threemethods of treatment, and by incolporatingtheir most valuable features under one head inthe present volume, a really comprehensive andall-embracing systern of trbatment has beenproduced, a system capable of dealing in apractical manner with any type of visual defect(to the knowledge of the writer, for the firsttime in the history of the subject).

The instructions for the various exercises andmeasures to be carried out by the sufferer fromdefective vision are all designed with the objectof enabling them to be performed in his ownhome, and at a time most convenient to himself.

It is manifestly impossible to give particulars

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48 BET,TER SrcrrT WITHOtTT GLASSESfor a diet suitable for all cases, or to more thanstress tlre value of spinal treatment to il thosein a position to secure this form of therapywhere deemed necessary; but a chapter is beingdevoted to the subject of diet in general to'enable the reader to gauge for himself a sensibledietary; and to help meet the requirements ofthose who find a course of spinal treatmentbeyond them, a number of remedial exercisesare being set out to help loosen up contractedneck muscles (something of considerable value

,and importance to euery read,er of this book, inview of what has been said in this connection inthe previous chapter).

It is hoped, therefore, that all those desirousof dealing with their visual defects by themethods set forth in the following pages, willbear in mind the possible threefold nature of thecause of their condition, and so pay as muchattention to their diet and the exercises forrelaxing the neck, as to the various methodswhereby the eyes with their muscles and nervesmay be relaxed

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in this way only can a returnto normal vision be made possible.

THE EYES AND RELAXATIONBefore normal vision is possible, the eyes andtheir surrounding muscles and nerves must becompletely relaxed. There must be an entireabsence of strain, as this tends to keep the eyes

I TREATMENT OF DEFECTIVE VISION 49! ,;gta and, fixed and produc es staring

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the firststgn of defectiue uision.

. The normal eye is always mouing -

it is neaer, still; continuous movement of the eye is abso-

lutely essential for its healthy action, and this isonly attained by complete relaxation of all itsparts.

, To bring about this relaxed condition in the; eles of those suffering from defective vision, Dr' Bates has introduced two most important

nrethods of procedure known as Palming andSwinging, respectively. These are described,together with various physical methods ofobtaining the same result, in the next chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE

AIDS TO RELAXATION

When asleep we rest our bodies and generate anew store of nerve force for the next day's use,but, in the case of organs below the normal incondition, no opportunity is provided for themto catch up with the more fortunate members ofour vital economy.

:

PALMING_

It is necessary in such cases to resort toaccessory methods of producing rest in. theaffected organ, and in the case of eyes in whichthere is a visual deficiency, complete rest forhalf an hour to one hour, or more, eachday, is essential to induce a fuller and moreconscious relaxation of the eyes and theirsurrounding tissues, than that brought aboutthrough the agency of sleep. We frequently restour eyes during the day (especially when theyare tired) by closing them for a moment andpalming is only an improvement on this naturaland uncorrscious process.

To Palm (see figure 3), it is necessary to sit, inas comfortable a position as possible, in anarmchair, or on a settee; get yourself as relaxed

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AIDS TO RELAXATION

Fig. 3

as possible -

feel as loose. and comfortable asyou can

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then close your eyes and covei themwith 'irour hands, crossing them slightly so thatthe left palm is over the left eye and the rightpalm over the right eye, both slightly cupped,and leaving sufficient space for the nose to befree. Do not press on the eyes themselves at all.

Then with your eyes completed covered inthis manner, allow your elbows to drop on to

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52 BETTER SIGIIT WTTHOUT GLASSESyour knees, keeping the knees fairly closetogether. This is a very comfortable position,and once it has been tried the reader will be ableto assume it automatically, but if he preferssome other way of sitting whilst he is coveringhis eyes with his hands, he is at liberty to do so.The great point is to haue the eyes closed, and asrelaxed as possible, and couered utith the palmsof the hands.

In this way the eyes are rested much moreeffectively than by any other method, and themore black the colour that is seen when palm-ing, the more relaxed is the state of the eyes.

The mind should be rested as well as.the eyes,and to this end the patient should not dwell onsubjects likely to affect him strongly, or thinkabout the condition of his eyes, but he shouldeither try to imagine the blackness that he seesgrowing blacker and blacker, or, if he prefers to,just let the mind wander as it likes over all sortsof pleasant and interesting subjects.

If this is done for ten, to twenty or thirtyminutes twice or three times a day (according tothe severity of the case) the improvement invision soon to be noticed should be consider-able, and this method of relaxation (or palming,as it is called) is one of the greatest assets to thenatural treatment of defective vision.

SWINGINGPalming directly rests and relaxes the eyes, but

AIDS TO RELAXATION 53there is another method of inducing relaxationof the eyes and the surrounding tissues by itssoothing and relaxing effect upon the wholeneryous system. This has the effect of relaxingboth mind and body simultaneously, and is

,, immensely helpful in relieving eye strain.This method is called Swinging (see figure 4)

I *d is performed as follows:Stand upright with your feet about 12 inches

apart, hands loosely at the sides; then, keepingyourself as relaxed as possible, gently sway thewhole body from side to side

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imagine you arethe pendulum of a clock, and move just asslowly. Raise each heel alternately from theground, but not the rest of the foot. (Rememberit is the uhole body which has to sway gently toand fro, and not just the head and trunk; thereshould be no bending at the waist or hips.)

The gentle swaying, or swinging, has theeffect of relaxing the whole nervous system, andshould be practised two or three times a day forfive to ten minutes each time, or whenever theeyes feel tired and aching.

Swinging should be done before a window,**Instead of a window the reader can substitute a

picture or a clock or anything else suitable to vary theexercise. The window is here given because, on lookingthrough it, whilst carrying out the swinging exercise, themovement of objects outside the window in the direc-tion of the swing accentuates the apparent movement ofthe window in the opposite direction, and it is thisopposite movement which is so necessary for the successof the exercise.

54 BETTER SIGTTT WITHOUT GLASSES

Fig.4

and it will be noticed that as you sway, thewindow seems to move the opposite way fromyourself. This opposite movement of objectsdirectly in the foreground should be noted andencouraged. After swinging for a minute withthe eyes open (alwiys see that they are heldloosely and relaxed, not rigidly and strained) theeyes should then be closed, and, still swinging,the movement of the window in tlre directionoppositJ from you should be imagined as ctearly

AIDS TO RELAXATION 5bas possible, as you keep up the swinging move-ment. Then reopen the eyes, and continue theswinging with the eyes open for a furtherminute, and so' on dl the time alternatingbetween eyes open and eyes closed, each for aperiod of a minute at a time. (The eyes must bekept as relaxed as possible, remember, and blinkthem every now and then when open, during theexercise.)

If performed correctly, this swinging exercisehas a very beneficial effect indeed upon the eyesand nervous system, and is the best means(beside that of palming) of relieving eye strain.

(Of course, glasses should neuer be worn wheneither palming or swinging.)

BLINKINGIn addition to Palming and Swinging, there is athird method of producing relaxation of theeyes, and this is through the agency of Blinking.

The normal eye blinks at regular intervald allthe time it is open; it is done so rapidly,however, that we do not see it

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but in thosesuffering from defective vision, the eyes becomefixed and strained, and blinking, instead of beingan unconscious and effortless process, is doneconsciously and with effort and spasmodically.

All sufferers from defective vision shouldtherefore cultivate the habit of blinking fre-quently and regularly, thus preventing strain.

Learn to blink once or twice every ten

i

AIDS TO RELAXATION 57closed eyes. Then splash the cold water on toyour eyes smartly, but not violently. Repeat this.about twenty times, then dry yoirrself and rub'the closed eyes briskly for a minute or two withthe towel.

This will make the eyes glow and it willfreshen and tone them considerably. It is a verygood plan to do it whenever the eyes feel tired,but, in any case, it should be performed at leastthree times a day. It is essential that the watershould be cold, not tepid.

Special Note. As a result of recent experiencewith patients the author has found EyebrightExtract (Euphrasia Extract) to be of very greathelp indeed in toning-up and refreshing the eyes,as well as being of considgrable value in cases ofeye disease of various types. It can be securedthrough any homoeopathic chemist, and thedosage is three to five drops in an eye-bath ofwarrn water. It can be used night and morning orjust nightly, or whenever thought necessary. It isbest to boil the water and then allow to cool offto warm before using.

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O BETTER SIG}IT WITHOUT GLASSESseconds (but without effort), no matter whatyou may be doing at the time, and especiallywhen reading.

This is a very simple but effective way of,breaking up strain, and it will be found that agreat deal more reading can be done in thismanner than was formerly the case, and the eyeswill be not nearly so tired.

SUNSHINEThe value of sunshine in all cases of defectivevision is very great, and all sufferers are recom-mended to give their eyes as much of this aspossible.

The best way is to close the eyes, face thesun, and gently move the head from side to sideto ensure the rays falling on all parts of the eyeswith equal strength. It should be done for aboutten minutes three times a day, when possible.

This has the effect of drawing the blood tothe eyes, and relaxing the muscles and nerves.(Glasses should neuer be worn when doing this.)

COLD WATERCold water is very effective in toning-up the eyesand the surrounding tissues, and should be usedas follows:

Whenever you wash yourself, before dryinglean over the bowl, and, dipping your hands inthe water (palms upwards and cupped), raisethem full of water to within two inches of your

CHAPTER SIX

AIDS TO VISION

In the previous chapter the various methods ofinducing relaxation of the eyes and overcomingstaring and straining have been described, anJwe now come to those equally importantmeasures whereby the actual vision of the'individual is improved, and ultimate restorationof normal vision thus rendered possible. Thefirst two of these aids to vision ari Memory and,Imagination.

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The sense of sight is intimately bound up withthe memory and imagination, and both of thesefactors

_play a larger part in the actual process ofseeing than is generally realized..

MEMORY AND IMAGINATIONA familiar object is always more readily dis-tinguished than an unfamiliar one, and this issimply because memory and imagination havecome to our aid

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the image of the object hasbeen impressed on our mind through previousassociation, and the memory of thise associa_tions, plus the image, help us to pick it out moreeasily than an object seen for the first time.

Anyone can test the truth of this for himself

1,, -

we can all distihguish friends among a groupli of people more easily than strangers.

AIDS TO VISION 59

ln those suffering from defective vision, there-fore, it is of great importance to cultivate thepowers of memory and imagination, and this isdone as follows:

Look at a small object (anything will do),observe its shape and size, run your eyes roundthe edge of it, and then, after getting as clear.amental picture as possible, clqse your eyes, andtry to remember it as perfectly as you can. Openyour eyes, look at the object again, and reptat asbefore. (This should be done for about fiveminutes daily, without wearing glasses, ofcourse.)

A word in a book (or a letter in a word) issometimes better for this purpose than anobject. Imagine it as clearly and as black as youcan, then close your eyes, keep the image beforeyou, then open the eyes again. On looking at theword, or letter, it will appear blacker thanbefore

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a sign of improved vision. Repeat thisseveral times, then go on to other letters orwords.

The regular practice of this exercise is boundto lead to a noticeable improvement in vision in

rtime. (The special Test Chart on page 125 isdesigned to facilitate the carrying out of theexercises enumerated above, and also those inconnection with Central Fixation about to bedescribed.)

60 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESCENTRAL FIXATIONCentral Fixation really means seeing best whereyou are looking.

This may sound absurd, but those withdefective vision net)er see best where thev areIooking.

Through the constant strain of glasses thecentral portion of the retina has become lesscapable-of receivingimages than the surroundingparts, because only the central portion i;brought into use by these artificial aids. Con_sequently, when trying to see without glasses,those with defective vision will find that theycan see better with the sides of their eyes thanthe centre. Only when the visual power of thecentral portion of the retina has been restored tonormal (that is, when central fixation has beenachieved) will normal sight be possible.

All the methods previously described help tobring this about, but there are other moredefinite ways of achievi4g it. The best is asfollows:

Look at a line rof print in a book, thenconcentrate upon one particular word in thecentre of the line. Then close your eyes andimagine you see the line with the word inquestion more clearly defined and sharper inoutline than the rest

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Iet the rest be as blurredas they may be. Open your eyes, look at theword again, and repeat. Keep this up for aboutfive minutes, trying to get the word in question

AIDS TO VISION 6Ii c'learer and clearer and the rest of the line more

and more blurred as you go on.You will soon find that the word does

! attually become clearer than the rest of theline

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a sure sign of improved vision., Ar vision improves, instead of a word in aline, select a part of a utord. You can then keep

-r--'-I 'on selecting smaller and smaller words and

sections of words until you arrive at mono-syllables. When you can imagine perfectly

ii clearly one letter of a two-letter word, and theremaining letter quite blurred and indistinct,then central fixation is not far off.

READIi\G II

rr The practice of reading is supposed to beresponsible for much eye-strain, especially whencarried out in a bad light; but, in point of fact,reading is one of the best ways o1 keeping the

' eyes active and healthyr and can never cause, defective vision, no matter how much reading is

done, providing the eyes are relaxed the wholetime.

People with normal sight can read in any lightwithout harm, but those whose vision is defec-tive, and especially those who wear glasses, are\subjecting their eyes to an additional strainevery time they read.

tl

I In spite of this, however, one of the best ways.

to restore normal sight to those suffering from,, defective vision is to make them read (without

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iAIDS TO VISION 63

do -

it is their function to see -

but they mustneuer be strained.

It will, of course, depend upon the individualas to how long the reading may be carried on;but, in most cases, it witfbe found that in a veryshort time two or more hours can be managed

' without effort.' Those unfortunate ones who have to start' with one eye at a time need not feel dis-

gouraged, for as they read with each eye, thei orr. formerly used is allowed to have a rest. (In

this will then allow of both eyes being used, together.

(Those with one eye weaker than the othershould practise reading more with the weakereye than with the stronger.)

No one with defective vision need be afraid toread whilst following out these instructions, and

, once it has become clear to the sufferer that hecan,read without his glasses, he will feel morethan ever the desire to dispense with them

'altdgether.

this way, with care, they can keep on for quiteiilong periods.)

As time goes on they will find that theirI vision has improved and their focus increased

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62 BETTER SIGIIT WITHOI.J"T GLASSESglasses, of course) a fair amount every day.

If the reading is carried out properly, nothingbut good can result, but if it is done in the usualmanner, matters will be made worse than before.

The secret of successful reading is to readwithout strain, and this is accomplished asfollows:

Palm for a few minutes, then take a book ornewspaper and begin to read, at the distancewhere you see the print best. (For those withmyopia, this may be anything from twelve to sixinches, and for those with presbyopia (oldsight), two feet or more. In some cases ofextreme myopia, it may be found necessary toread with one eye at a time, as the readingdistance may be too short to allow of both eyesbeing used simultaneously. In these cases it isbetter to cover one eye with an eye-shade whilstusing the other, to avoid having to screw it up;the shade can then be transferred to the othereye when the first one is tired.)

Read a page or half-page, or a few lines, or aline, or even a few words, as the case may be,until you feel the eyes beginning to tire, thenstop, close the eyes completely for a second ortwo, and begin again. Keep blinking regularly allthe time you are reading, and in this way youwill find yourself able to read with. ease andwithout strain-

Reading, carried out in this manner, improuesuision, and gives the eyes work that they want to

CHAPTER SEVEN

EYE MUSCLE AND NECK EXERCISES

The following exercises are for the purposes ofloosening up the strained and contractedmuscles surrounding the eyes, which are rigidand stiff in all those suffering from defectivevision. By making them supple and pliable theeye is allowed to move and accommotut. *or.freely, and as a consequence the return tonormal vision is greatly hastened.

The exercises should be performed whilstsitting comfortably in an armchair.

Exercise I (see Figure 5)Keeping the head still and as relaxed aspossible, gently allow the eyes to move up anddown six times. The eyes should move slowly

and regularly as far down as possible and then asfa1 up as possible. Make no effort, just use theminimum of force.

As the muscles become more relaxed you willbe able to Iook lower down and higher up as aConsequence.

Repeat the six mouements two"or three times,with rests of a second or two between.

EYE MUSCLE AND NECK EXERCISES 65

Fig. 5

Exercise 2

Move the eyes from side to side as far aspossible, without any force or effort, six times.

As in the former exercise, as the musclesbegin to relax, you will be able to move themfarther and more easily.

Repeat two or three times, but rememlrernever to use more than the minimum of effort,

66 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSES

Fig. 6

as the exercises are intended to overcome strainand, not to increase it.

Rest for a second or two between therepetitions.

Exercise 3 (see Figure 6)Hold up the index finger of the right hand

about eight inches in front of the eyes, thenlook from the finger to any large object youlike, ten or more feet away

-

the door will do,or a window.

EYE MUSCLE ANDNECKEXERCISES 67Look from one to the other. ten times, then

rest for a second, artdrepeat the ten glances twoor three times. Do this exercise fairly rapidly.

(This is the best exercise for improvingaccommodation, and it should be practised asoften as you like and where you like.)

Exercise 4

Move the eyes gently and slowly around in acircle, then move them back .in the reaersedirection. Do this four times in all. Thenrest fora second, and,repeat the four mouernents tuo orthree times in all, taking care to use theminimum of force or effort.

All the above-mentioned exercises should becarried out after palming, with a few seconds'palming between Exercises I and 2,2 and 3, 3and, 4. (Glasses should neuer be worn at thetime.)

Together, they'should take about four or fiveminutes each duy, and the improvement invision that will follow will be ample repaymentfor the time sPent on them.

REMEDIAL NECK EXERCISESThe following exercises are designed for thepurpose of loosening-up contracted neckmuscles, and should be performed even if acourse of spinal treatment is being undertaken'

The best time to do them is on ruslreg, and

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68 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSES

Fig. 7

th.y should only take four or fiue minutesaltogether.

Exercise I (see Figure 7)Stand as easily as you can, hands at the sides,

then raise your shoulders as high as possible.Still keeping them raised, draw them as far back,rs you can, then lower them and return to thenormal' position, making a circular movementwith the shoulders, fairly briskly.

Repeat this twenty-fiae tirnes, making themovements one continuous and circular rise andfall of the shoulders.

EYEMUSCLEANDNECKEXERCISDS 69Exercise 2

The same as Exercise l, only in the reversedirection. Bring the shoulders back to beginwith, then raise t}em as high as possible, bringthem right forward, and then lower and returnto the normal position.

Repeat twenty-fiue times in a continuouscircular mouement.

Fig. 8

. EYE MUSCLE AND NECKEXERCISES 7I

last exercise, then describe a complete circlewith it

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turning the head first over the rightI shoulder, then down over the back' next over

the left shoulder, and return to the firstposition.

Repeat in the reierse direction'Di scribe tutelae complete circles'The neck must be kept relaxed all the

and remember to reverse the directiontime, otherwise you may become giddy'

time, ,

eath ii

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Fig. 10

70 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESExercise 3 (see Figure 8)

Allow the chin to drop as far .forward aspossible on to ift. chest, keeping the neckrelaxed, not stiff. Then raise the head and allowit to fall as far backwards as possible on to theshoulders and back.

Repeat twelue times.

Fig.9

Exercise 4 (see Figure 9)Drop the chin forward on the chest as in the

72 BETTER SIGHT WITIIOUT GLASSESExercise 5 (see Figure 10)

Turn the head as far to the left as possible,keeping the rest of the body quite still.

Return to the normal position and then turnthe head as far as possihle to the right.

Repeat ten times slowly.These five exercises performed regularly every

morning will soon ease the upper portion of thespine and neck, and in consequence a betterblood and nerve supply to the head and eyes willfollow.

CHAPTER EIGHT

DIET

So many books have been published during thelast few years on the subject of diet that ithardly seems necissary to refer to it in detail inthis book, but diet plays such an important partin the causation of defective vision (and also inits cure) that a brief survey of its most vitalpoints is essential.

We eat in order that we may live, and for thatpurpose food is taken into the body; but peopleseem to have lost sight of this sole purpose offobd, and'irrstead of looking upon eating as anecessary function to be performed with thesame object as breathing and sleeping, it hascome to be regarded as a means of gratifying ourdesires for the nice things of life (not merelysatisfying our hunger), and the chief criterion ofits value is not that it should contain theelements most necessary for the health of ourbodies, but that it should please our palates andour senses generally.

Since food and eating have been removedfrom their proper sphere, it is of little wonderthat, in most civilized countries, to-day, there isa tendency to make articles of diet as artificial

74 BETTER SIGI{T.WITHOUT GLASSESand as pleasing to the eye as possible.

This has led to the refining and demineralizingof sugar, bread and cereals (such as rice, barley,etc.), and to the preserving and potting of fruit,meat, fish, etc. There is a glut of such com-modities as jams, cakes, chocolates, etc., to theneglect of. natural foods, such as fresh fruits,salads, green vbgetables and nuts, and wheregreen vegetables are used as an article of dietthey are invariably boiled, thus being denudedof their valuable salts and health-giving Proper-ties.

To those of us who have never thought aboutthese matters, the artificial and refinbd foods wesee all around us seem to be quite all right; andas everybody eats them and seems to thrive onthem, why worry about them? Food is food,anyway!

On the surface this sounds all right, especiallyas some leading medical authorities tell us to eatuthat we like. But, during the last twenty orthirty years (thanks to the work of the pioneersof Nature Cure) it has become more and moreevident that the

. artificial and concentrated

dietary of the civilized portion of the globe isresponsible for most of the serious diseases sovaguely attributed to 'germs' by the samemedical authorities who tell us to eat what ourfancy dictates.

Working frorn this basis, Nature Cure practi-tioners in America, Germany, and in this

DIET 7 5country have achieved remarkable success inovercor.ning such diseases as rheumatism, tuber-culosis, diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease,etc., where the leading lights of professionalmedicine had given up the unhappy sufferers asincurable.

These cures have simply been effected by asound understanding of the kinds of foods thebody requires, and the best methods of combin-irg them to ensure the greatest amount ofbenefit to the individual under treatment; to-gether with simple, natural measures, such ascold water douches, cold packs, sun and airbaths, etc.

The necessity for an understanding of thisvitally important subject is, therefore, manifestto everyone, and no sufferer from defectivevision can afford to ignore it. The main points tonote are the following:

Natural, uncooked foods are the best to eat.These are: Fresh fruits (ora4ges, apples, grapes,peaches, plums, cherries, etc.). Green aegetables(lettuce, cabbage, spinach, endive, turnip tops,etc.). Root uegetables (potatoes, turnips, carrots,onions, beetroots, etc.). Nzts (Brazil, walnuts,etc.). Dried fruits (dates, raisins, figs). Dairyproducts (milk, cream, butter, cheese, eggs andhoney).

The above-mentioned articles make the besf

76 ! sETTnR slctrr wITHour cLASsEspossible basis for a sensible, healthful diet, andall those who value their health, or wish toretain it, should see to it that these foods arewell represented in their daily dietary.

There is no reason why people should not eatmeat or fish,, but they must be eaten verysparingly, and should be as fresh as p,ossible. (Nocanned or preserved goods.)

Cereals are also necessary, but they likewiseshould only be eaten sparingly (once a day isquite enough) and for this purpose genuinewholemeal bread is the best and most suitable.

Jams, cakes, pastries, white sugar, white'bread, confectionery, tea, coffee, etc., togetherwith meat, fish, or eggs, two or three or fourtimes each duy, soon play havoc with ourdigestion and our bodies, and are, in truth, thebasis of 'all the ills that flesh is heir to'.

The body cannot deal with them properly,and this leads to clogging of the tissues (skin,muscles, blood-vessels), irritation of nerves, andinterferes with the functions of vital organs,such as the heart and liver.

As has been pointed out in a previous chapter,large numbers of cases of defective vision. areeither caused or intensified by years of sub-sistence on a diet too rich in starch, sugar andprotein, and to ensure a complete return tonormal vision, in addition to the variousmeasures already described, a reaision of thedietary is absolutely essent'ial.

DIET 77To help the readqr, the following details

should be borne in mind:It is best to start the day on a fruit meal.

Fresh fruit a;r_d/or dried fruit ,,nth fresh coldmilk is the best breakfast possible. (No bread orcereal to be eateri with the fruit

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just fruit andrnilh.)

Either at lunch or in the evening a salad mealshould be taken, consisting of lettuce, celery,tomatoes, cucumber, watercress, grated rawcarrot, etc., together with the wholemeal bread,butter, and cream cheese.

If any dressing is required for the salad, itshould be lemon juice and pure oliue oil. Asecond course may be stewed pmnes and cream,or the like.

With two meals like this each day, the thirdmeal may be anything within reason, such asmeat, fish or egg with steamed vegetables. (.I/potatoes are used they should always b'e bakedin their jackets.)

The second Course may be dried fruit andnuts, baked apple and egg-and-milk custard, andso on.

Neaer use condiments or drinh uith meals.Cut down tea and. coffee to a minimum. Make apoint of having the freshest food possible. (Notinned or smoked fish, for example.) Eat breadonly once a day.

.If you must have tea in the afternoon, have itaery weak and, withouf sugar.

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78 B,ETTER SIGHT WTf,HOUT GLASSESA diet composed on the above-mentioned

lines will soon wotk wonders in a person'sgeneral health, and its effects upon the eyes,therefore, will be just as startling, especially ifthe other measures described in the previouschapters are carried out regularly and faithfully.

Special Note. The value of uitamin A forimproving visual powers needs stressing, especi-dly for purposes of seeing in the dark.Maximum intake of this vitamin is.most neces-sary as a daily measure in all cases of defectivevision or eye diseases of any kind (most especi-ally night-blindness). The'best sources of supplyof this vitamin are as follows:

In order of aalue: Cod liver oil, raw calf liver,raw ox liver; spinach (raw); rose hips, turniptops (raw); dried apricots; cream cheesel parsley;mint; butter; vitaminized margarine; whale oil,egg yolk, prunes; tomatoes; Cheddar cheesellettuce, carrots, watercress; cabbage; soya beanslgreen peas; wheat germ; fresh milk; oranges;pasteurized milk; dates.

(Since the present book was first written, theauthor has dealt fully with the subject of diet inhis book, Your Diet in Health and Disease,published by Thorsons Publishers Limited. Alltho.se desirous of making a really comprehensivestudy of the diet question are referred to thisbook.)

CHAPTER NINE

HOW TO CARRY OUT THE TREATMENT

Having arrived thus far, the reader may bepardoned if he feels somewhat overwhelmed bythe variety and number of the methods compris-ing the natural treatment of defective vision, butif he is sufficiently determined to carry out thetreatment, time can always be found for thework to be done.

Everything worth doing requires some troubleon the' part of the. doer, and the work ofregaining normal vision is no exception to therule.

All those intending to take up the treatmentmust be prepared, therefore, to make alterationsin their daily routine to allow of the carryingout of the various measures indicated.

This does not mean that they will be calledupon to devote all their time to the treatment tothe exclusion of everything else; but what lsmeant is that they must incorporate the variousitems into theii daily lives

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make the treatmentpart of their libes,.and a most important part forthe time being

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in fact until their goal isreached, and normal sight regained and tirmlyestablished.

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.80 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESThe glasses formerly worn can then be rele-

gated to the position of relics and curios, andexhibited to admiring friends as mementoes of avictory won over physical disabilily with the aidof. faith, patience and. determination.

The first requisite is faith in the efficacy ofthe treatment, and as far as that goes this bookwould never have been written if the writer hadnot come in contact with the methods of DrBates, and with their aid rescued himself fromthe prospect of a life of total blindness andconsequent physical incapability, with which hewas threatened, despite all that orthodoxmedical science could do for him.

His ability to see now well enough to pen thisvolume is sufficient evidence of the value of themethods of treatment indicated in its pages,without referring to th'e hundreds of similarcases.that can be quoted and are on record, andare a testimony to the wonders'being workedevery day by natural treatment both in Americaand in this country

Faith in the treatment having been estab-lished, the other requisites are Patience andDeterrnination, a$d with these as his helpersthere is no obstacle insurmountable by thegenuine tryer.

It is beyond the scope of this book to give adetailed list of instructions to each individual,but for their help and guidance a typical case ofeach kind of common defect is about to be

HOW TO CARRY OUT THE TREATMENT 81described and discussed in full, showing how thevarious measures to be employed are carried out,without interfering in any way with the dailywork of the individual, in his or her spare ,timeand, odd moments of leisure throughout the day.

Everyone must regulate the treatment accord-ing to his or her environment and circumstances,but the examples given should prove an easyguide in the work of keeping up a daily r6gime.The results which follow will depend in eachcase upon the seriousness of the defect, itsduration, the temperarnent of the indiaidualconcemed, and the thoroughness with which thetreatment is carried out.

In conclusion it must always be borne in mindthat once glasses haae been dispensed toith theeyes nxust not be forced or strained by undueutork placed upon them., and euery care andattention must be giaen to them to bu,ild uptheir aisual power, not only by the nxeasuresoutlined in the present book, but by constantremembrance to auoid tension * both physicaland mental

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throughout the zttaking doy.Otherwise progress rnay be considerablyhindered or et)en checked entirely in certaincases.

SPECIMEN CASES

MyopiaMiss A., aged 26, is a school mistress. She is

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82 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESsuffering from myopea (short sight) and hasworn glasses since the age of ten (during whichtime she has had to change her glasses frequentlyfor stronger ones).

Like most myopic people, she is of a highly-strung and nervous disposition, always worryingabout something, given to moods of introspec-tion, and very fond of day-dreaming. Thesemental and emotional factors are the cause ofher condition, which is further aggravated-by adiet of the usual kind

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too rich in starch, sugarand protein, and deficient in the natural foodslike fruits and salads. In addition, the muscles atthe back of the neck have become contracted asa result of the continual strain her nervoussystem is subjected to by the constant wearingof glasses

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in this case for sixteen years.In attempting to regain normal vision, there-

fore, the first thing she must do is to adopt asensible form of diet along the lines laid down inthis hook, and having been told that the chieffactor she will have to overcome in the course ofher treatment is herself , she must begin to takethings urore calmly and easily, and keep herselfas relaxed as possible.

She wears her glasses only for her work, andhas become used to getting about at homewithout them

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this takes a day or two' but issoon accomplished.

Every morning on rising she performs theexefcises for loosening-up the neck (which takes

HOW TO CARRY OIIT THE TREATMENT 83

her only five minutes), and whenever she washesherself thrgughout the day, she splashes her eyeswith cold water.

During the lunch-hour she finds time fortwenty minuteS' palming and ten minutes'swinging, and every evening after work she doesa further half-hour's palming and ten minutes'swinging.

She cultivates her memory and imaginationby looking at words and letters (without herglasses, of course) and imagining them as clearlyas possible with her eyes closed.

She reads without her glasses for fifteenminutes a day to begin with, but this is soonlengthened to an hour, and later to two hours(with the help of blinking and resting her eyesevery few lines).

As she reads, she holds the book farther andfarther away to coax her eyes to increase theirfocus, and stops every now and then to en-courage central fixation by imagining letters in aword clearer than the rest of the word. She thencloses her eyes, keeps the image of the letter inher mind

-

the rest of the word being allowedto blur

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and then opens them again and repeatsseveral times (a procedure which helps her sighttremendously).

She goes through the exercises for the eyemuscles in the train, on her way to work eachmorning, and when the opportunity occurs'allows the sun's rays to fall on her closed eyes

84 BETTER SIGTil WITHOUT GLASSESfor ten minutes at a time.

She finds her vision improving so rapidly thatshe takes to going out without her glasses, andto overcome her habit of day-dreaming (whichsets up a strain upon the eyes) she looks at allthe passing traffic, but without straining.

In this way her eyes are encouraged to see,and as she continues with the treatment shefinds her glasses much too strong for her work,and so discards them altogether.

It is a bit difficult to manage her school workwithout them at first, but by using a muchweaker pair of spectacles in cases of emergency,she is able to get along very well indeed.

She now looks forward with increasing con-fidence to the gradual restoration of her sighttowards normal.

HypermetropiaAlfred B., aged 14, has hyperrnetropra (longsight) as a result of complications set up whenhe was treated as a small boy for scarlet fever inthe orthodox medical fashion, and hai wornglasses for six years.

As soon as he begins treatment his parents puthim upon a Nature Cure diet. He is encouragedto perform the neck exercises every night andrnorning, and splash his eyes frequently withcold water.

He still goes to school and wears his glassesonly for his school work, being easily induced to

HOW TO CARRY OTJT THE TREATMENT 85leave them off for the rest of the day (he alwaysdetested wearing them), and on days when thesun is shin{ng he allows the rays to fall on hisclosed eyes for ten minutes at a time.

He does fifteen minutes'palming morning andevening, and goes through the eye muscleexercises. Every evening he reads from a book asnear as he can see the print without straining,stopping every few lines to rest his eyes, andblinking frequently and regularly all the time,but without effort.

In this way he finds he can read for quite longperiods, and as he goes on, he manages, in time,to bring the book to normal reading distancefrom his eyes, which is about fifteen inches.

In a couple of months he has given up wearingglasses altogether, and can do his school workeasily without them, but he still has to rest hiseyes frequently to avoid getting them tired orstrained.

His complete retum to normal vision is nowexpected to be only a matter of weeks.

AstigmatismMr C. is a clerk, aged 30; he has astigmatism andhas worn glasses for ten years. His trouble is dueto the unequal pulling of the muscles surround-ing the eye-ball, and is the result of faultydietetic habits in the first place, aggravated byconstant work under artificial light

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86 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESplaced under

.a continuous strain. Neither ofthese causes of his condition was altered in anyway by the glasses he wore

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in fact, his eyeswere getting worse, he found, and he had tochange his glasses frequently.

In his case, the two chief essentials are acleansing diet and the eye muscles exercises. Heaccordingly revises his diet along the lines laiddown in the present book, and palms for tenminutes three times daily, following each boutof palming with the eye muscle exercises. Hedoes the neck exercises night and morning, too,and splashes his eyes frequently with cold water.He leaves his glasses off altogether when athome.

In this way his vision soon improves, and in ashort time he is able to work for several hours aday without his glasses, in spite of the artificiallight.

He keeps up the treatment, and eventually hasthe satisfaction of knowing ttrat his eyes are nownormal again.

PresbyopiaMr D., aged S4,haspresbyopra (old sight). He isa salesman, and has never worn glasses, but findshis condition interferes with his work.

His trouble is directly caused by improperfeeding habits, being used to a largely proteinand starchy diet, and addicted to coffee drink-ing, and smoking.

HOWTOCARRYOUTTHETREATMENT 87He is at once placed on a sensible, natural

diet, and encouraged to take plenty of exerciseand look aJter his health generally.

He does fifteen minutes'palming twice a day,and then the eye muscle exercisesl after this hereads a newspaper as near as he can withoutstraining, shaking the paper a little every nowand then in order to make the print stand outmore clearly, and blinking occasionally. Heincreases the time spent on reading as his eyesimprove, which they do speedily as he keeps onwith the treatment.

He performs the neck exercises night andmorning 'as well, to help on his cure, andsplashes his eyes with cold water several timesdaily, too. His progress is continuous, and inthree weeks from the time he began treatmenthis sight is nearly back to normal. A further fewweeks comple,te the cure.

Strubismus (squint)Motly E., aged 7, has internal strabismus (squint)in her left eye, due to some of the muscles ofthe eye becoming partially atrophied as a resultof nerve inhibition after she was treated forinfantile paralysis in the usual suppressivemedical manner.

She is instantly placed upon a fruit and saladdietl and given a course of spinal manipulation.This, together with the frequent shading of theright eye to allow only the weaker one to be

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88 BETTER SIGHT WITHOUT GLASSESused, soon works wonders.

She does twenty minutes' palming twice aday, performs thp eye muscle exetcises, and isencouraged to read as much as she can with theleft eye (with frequent rests).

Special exercises are also,given for the badeye, with the other eye shaded. Tliese consist ofmaking