An indispensable hok for every person who fehconcerned for h\s own eyes and those of his dear ottes.

Dr. GALA'S

rRAltfltoPRO6Rfiil]t|E

Easy eye and vision{are for everyone

byDr. D. R. GalaDr. Ilhiren GalaDr. Sanjay Gala

Price : Rs. 21.00

NnvNEEr PunLICArroNS (I) LfuITED

rE

Navneet HouseGurukul Road., Memnagat,

Ahmadabad- 380 052.-Phone : 45 39 95148 35 36

Navneet BhavanBhavanishankar Ro4d,Dadar, Bombay-4O0 028.Phone : 430 72 86

DHANLAL BROTIIERS DISTRIBUTORS-

70, Princess. Street, Bombay-400 002.phone : ZAS 37 t6l2}t 70 27 t'S 2g0 I

,-.,.:+F

All rights reserved.Neither the whole nor any part of the book should be reprinted,

xeroxed, translated or reproduced in any other from without thewritten permission'. of the publishers.

Dr. D. R. Gala, Dr. Dhiren Gala2124,, Vrjay Chambers,Opp. Dreamland Cinema,Padamji Marg, Bombay-4O0 004.Tel. 386 72 75

Published by :S. R. Gala,for Navneet Rrblications (I) Ltd.,Memnt9n, Ahmadabad

- 380 052.

Type-setting by :B. A. Gala,at Marnta Type-setting Works,Ahmadabad

- 380 021.

Prlnted bySaishrad ha Enterprise,Bombay- 4OO O11,

h"

tl-1-95(a):51

PREFACEIirs dur belief that as paticnts we are too passive about our heslth

and well-being. With scant and sometimes incorrect information, weare often not able to make intelligentchoices about the protection andenhancement of our vision. The attitude in the past has been to leavethe development of vision and eyes to chance. But we maintain thatbecause of the de,mands our technological culture places on vi6ion,'development by chance' will no longer suffice. We cannot alter thesociety- or the situation; we can foster such eyes and vision as wouldmeet the needs of the time. We can improve on our 'stone age' eyes.

With this in mind, we are providing information from a widevariety of fields : optometry, nutrition, child development, psycho-logy and physiology: All of these are related to our visual sense. We-are sure that this information will enable the reader to take the rigbtsteps to protect not only his or her own vision but also that of thegenerations to come.

Many of us suffer from some degree of vision impairment-inefficiencies, fatigue, discomfort, strain, near-sightedness, farsighted-ness or minor muscular imbalances. Many a time we rernain unaware'of the fact that the trouble stems from our eyes and end up at ddoctor's dispensary complaining of aches and pains. Uqdue tiredness,lethargy, mental tension, easy irritability, anger, rigrditylall thesecan be syrnptoms or results of visual problems. Ineffrciency ofe1res cango- a-long way in playrng havoc with our moods and b-949. Evenuicn aware of the visual problems, we often feel resigned tdtbem.'Atthe most we put on glasses, ignoring the real sources of our problems.As a result, vision grows worse over the years and glasses growstronger and thicker.

However, we need not watch helplessly such deterioration ofvision. We can greatly improve the efficiency of eyes and the quality ofvision through'vision therapy.'

Some time back, a young man, who had failed the vision testrequired to become a pilot, came to us. It was his life's dream to fly,and he was disappointed and discouraged. Although he believed thathe was condemned to spend his life on the ground, he came te see us.Very wary of trying and failing again, he approached the visiontraining programme sceptically. But within a month, scepticism hadgiven way to enthusiam. He passed the next vision test with 'flying'

colours. Today he is a happy pilot. In fact every person whoundertakes vision therapy experiences enhancement in the acutenessas well as the quality of vision.

We sincerely hope that this book will prove a stepping stone to alifetime of strong eyes and healthy vision.

-f[. D. R. Gda, Dr. Dhiren Gela2lA, Viiay Chambers'Opp. Dreamland Cirema,Padamii' Marg, Bombay

- 4{10 004.

Tel. 3E6 72 75

CONTENTSl. IntfOdUCtiOn.................. o........o.....................o........................ 52. What iS ViSiOn Therapy ? .....oo....r............................o............ 83. The Eyg and thg ViSion.....o......o..or......o...o...o....ro........r......... 144. HOff tOUSe thg EyeS ?...o.........oo..o..........oo....o....o...r............... l85. HOW tO ReSt thg EyeS ? ...r..o....oo........o.....o...o.o'.......o.o.r......... 2l6. Self-aSsSsment : Paft One .o.o...o..........o.!..o......oo............o..... . 257, Self-asses5ment : Paft TWO .......o.....o.o....o.......ro..o.........o....o.o.. 4I8. Vision Training Exercisgs .......o.o....o..........riror..ooo............r..o.. 639. Vision Training Progranrmes..................o.oo.........t................ 95

10. Decrgase thg Otpndrtttt on Glasses .....oq.....................o..... tlb0

I l. Maintenance of Improvement .....r...r......oo...r..o...........r......o.. 10512. Prevention of Visual Defects....o...o..............o...o...........o.r...o. . lA7I3. NutritiOn and ViSiOn o....o....ooo..o.o.o.o.o.o................o....r.o.o.....o.. 10914. Magnet Therapy and Acupressure........o.........ro.........o......... lI715. Future Sight : Care of Children's Eyes Right from

ChildhOOd ........ r. o.. o... r...... r...... o..... o.. o..o o............. or....i...... o r....16. COntaCt LenSeS ... r..r.. r.............. r... i o r................. o o... r... o...... o.. o.l'l . The Operation to Reduce Eye-numbers : Radial

KefatOtOmy ...................... o r o r i... o.. r.. o. o..... r....... o o... o.......... o.....

18. A Bacldog of Essential Questions & Answers ...............,.....

r20r26

r30135

RF,4^

Eyes are invaluabf?hilosophers have calld tremwindows to the soul. : Yet they are probably ,thp mostneglected of all organs. The testimony'to this is' ,the faetthat almost fifty per cent of our populatioa wer.,glasses.An author has mentioned in a lighter vein that, .!f eligibley9llg men choose to sidetrack bespectacled girls, theirpickings are slim indeed !' The statement may Jeem a bitexaggerated, but it is nevertheless true. Visual problemsare propping up at an alarming pace.

Only2to3 percent of the population have eye-problemsat birth; yet possibly a full 70 per cent run into some kindof trouble with eyesight during their lifetimes. statistics showthat we are becoming a generation of visually handicapped.Nearsightedness, astigmatism and a variety of hidden viiualproblems such as co-ordination and perceptual difficurtiesrelated to eye-inefficiencies are all on the rise.

More often than not, we remain unaware of the,,prcblem.since most eye examinations do not check for these,.hiddenproblems, they go undetected and consequently untreated.They include erratic eye-tracking, sluggish or inefficientfbcusing, unstable fusion (eye-teaming skills), reduced peri-pheral awareness, inadequate depth perceptiop and awkwardeye-to-body or eye-to-hand co-ordination. persons sufferingfrUi?r such defects may experience trouble tracking, a liniacross a page, shifting focus from far to near (or viee versa),difficulty in converging on an object or judging the distanceand position of an object correctly. Some person$,.db notuse both eyes together but one at a time.

Impaired visual skills narrow our field of vision andlimit our perspective, sometimes leaving in theif,. ryakebizarce symptoms which seemingly have nothing to'.do witheyes or sight. Undue fatigue, easy irritability, mental$nsion,a stiff neck or an aching back, all could be symptoms ofa visual defect.

vVISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

Had we stili been living free in the wilds' our eyesprobably would not have run into the kinds of trouble theydo today when we require them to take on tasks for whic'hthey arc not biologically prepared. It is like asking someonewho has never run a mile to compete for the marathon inthe Olympics. Our eyes valiantly try to go the distance butmay fade in the stretch and breakdown. It does not alwayspoi .* in eyeglasses or become as obvious as a crossedeye; Uut it dois-cause confusion at the subconscious level"od oft.n

leads to those vague aches and pains or fatigueat the end of the day which drags us to the bed as soonas we walk in doors. Those who listen to their bodies willquit before the spine is permanehtly curved or.the burningin ttre stomach has been converted into an ulcer or themigraine has come to stay; but not all listen well, or atafl]Tne attitude of this sociity is to prize the mighty intellectand to reward the indefatigable student.

What are we doing to ourselves to impair our visionand wear out our eyes wnile-qne rest of our body remainsstrong ? You are doing it right at this minute as youconcentrat6 on fittle olack marks on a page which youtranslate into meaning. NOw there is not much wrong withthat-it is doing it hour after hour without respite that isharmful. The problem is that we have left-over eyes. TTbyevolved during the ages to work well for the huntdr andthe country farmer, but they are not suited for the lifewe lead today. A city-dweller uses his eyes in vastlydifferent ways than did the man who hunted and gatheredfruits or edible roots all day long. Today we rely uponour eyes for between 80 to 90 per cent of the informationwe reieive about the world. Our eyes have always done theirbest to accommodate us; but they cannot change overnight-or in a century

Though looking at distance is natural and restful forthe eyes, we barely give them a chance to do so. In fact'we continuously engage them in near-point work, concentrat'ing on minute details.

INTRODUCTION\

t',, Doriog his school years, an average student ploughsthrough some 150 b6oks i.e., 15 books I year. In coilele,'thc number jumps to anywhere from 20 to 30. This giveslittle time for the eyes to do what they do best: look to-wards the horizon.

Even after completing studies, there is no respite forthe poor eyes. A doctor will have to make time at nlghtto plough through medical journals if he is going to stayabreast of what's happening in his field; an engineer or anarchitect will continue to draw plans; an accountant willremain busy with numbers; a fabric designer will spend herdays working on intricate patterns.

What has happened is that the amount of work weare asking of our eyes is greater than what they are madeto handle. And like an overworked radiator in a car caughtin stopandgo triffic, they break down. Glasses have be-

' come the badges of courage handed to persons who chooseto push through the massive amount of material societyexpects them to digest.

Now several things occur when we ask the mind tobe alert and think critically : our muscles tense and ourbreathing becomes shallow. We adapt our whole body intoa-ifighting' posture. 'The book may be dfficult but I willget through it' , we consciously or unconsciously tell ourselves:.

'And later, when we end up with a sore back, we dq-not feel like going for an outing or playing a badminton,match. In effect the eyes and the body say: 'Are jtou-crazy ? We are tired and stif and want sotne time of . . . .'.And we end up or relax by watching television or,readinga magazine article on how to plant a money-plant in awindow box ! The material is not as difficult, but we arestill looking at little marks on a page or just sittingt*ff3:r*,

*. engage our eyes the whole day long in tasksfor which they are not yet evolutionally ready. Incorrectand excessive use of the eyes and inadequate rest to the

JVISION TRAINTNG PROGRAMME

eyes are the chief causes of visual problems. Add faultynutrition and inflexible visual style and the list is complete.

'We have been made to understand that most eyedefects are hereditory and, therefore, largely unchangeable.Therefore ye have come to accept the idea that there isbasically nothing we can do to change the situatiori exceptwear glasses. To the contrary, abundant research indicatesit is unlikely that the breakdown is programmed into thEspecies; there is solid cvidence that we are doing somethingto cause it.

If visual problems are of our doing, we can take stepsto undo them. That is what VISION THERAPY is all-about.

We need such eyes as would allow us to perform awide spectrum of tasks-near as well as distant-with equalease. And developing such eyes is a comparatively easytask. The succeeding pates will enlighten you about hoFto accomplish this goal.

2, STIHAT IS VISION THERAPY ? A\"Do you understand ?" he asked."Yes, f seer" she replied.Such overlapping of meaning in language is not simply

an accident. It undoubtedly is the result of early man'$perception that vision and comprehension are intimatelylinked. But as science attempted to explain eyesight bycomparing the eye with a camera, the concept that 'sightis related to insight' got lost in the new technology thatpermeated our thinking. The time has come to revise thisattitude, for now we can explain and put into practice anidea which has been around since times immemorial :Vision is not only what we see, but also what we areprepared to perceive.

b.

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WHAT IS VISION THERAPY ?

Vision is much more than openingl,.ttg eyesn the wayone might turn on a television set. The ability to compreheudwhat we see is a process involving the brain as t"il as theeyes. It has developed through trial and error. The wayHomo sapiens sees today is the result of his developmentthrough the ages; the way each individual sees is the pioductof his or her own development throughout his - or herlifetime.

Vision is an active process which begins at birth andconstantly untergoes minor shifts and alierations due to :(t) a basig predisposition to a specific personality, evident.at birth, (2) biochemical influences or nutrition and (3) thephysical environment.

To put it in other words, vision is no mere passiveoccurance like breathing, but is, instead, a complex andlearned process which occurs mainly in the brain. The waywe think affects our vision and our vision affects the waywe think. Impaired visual skills narrow our field of visionand limit our perspective. By improving our visual skills,much as we can improve co-ordination of other parts of thebody, we can realise an expanded perspective or vision.

Good vision is much more than acuity, which onlyre&rs to how clearly you can seg. It involves a wholespectrum of skills viz., How well can you .use both eyestogether ? 'How quickly can you judge lef\,from right ?How well do you see objects in space ? Can you shift focusfrom near to far (or vice versa) quickly and easily ? [Iowgood is your visual memory ? Are your visual.skills equalto your age or needs ? Besides, vision is'tied up with howyou move, think or come to a decision. In fact your visualproblems provide a clue to what kind of stresses youdpedate under. Distortions of eyes are considered to beproblems in reaching a depision, reflections of behaviouralstyle and indications of some form of, stress, whether it bepsychological or e.nvironmental.

,,'aa.,ard,i

:'-/VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

Yet ht the present time, most routine eye-examinationsjust check for disease and test visual acuity on a chartthat is well over hundred years old. You may do remarkablywell reading those'small letters and be disease-free, butYou can still be walking around with a load of hiddenvisual problems which can do anything from making yourigid or cranky in your outlook, giving you a backache ormaking you seem less intelligent than you are. You mayknow you have got good ideas in your head, but youjust don't seem to get them out. And the block in thepassageway could be an inefficient visual system.

The basic premise of vision therapy is that vision islearned. Since that is so, we ,can learn to see properly - ifwe have been doing anything wrong-with proper guidance-Vision therapy is a method to train the entire visual systemincluding the brain to operate at peak efficiency.

Vision therapy includes a series of exercises and, behaviour modificaiion drills which will help an individual

unlearn many incorrect visual responses or habits. It is ameans of helping a person develop healthy vision, undistortedand flexible

-enough to meet all possible needs, right fromreading a book to spot a horse on the hgrizon.

The traditional approach to visual pr,i6t.ms has so farbeen to prescribe glasses and do no more. The real s4u5e$of visual disturbances are not sought. Vision therapy, hsw-ever, strikes at the root of the problem. It begins with thepremise that vision can be protected from deteriorating,developed to its full potential and enhanced to meet anyspecial need. Vision therapy can help prevent, control oreven diminish nearsightedless or farsightedness.

Following vision therapy, behaviour or personality, too'may change - for the better. However, changes in behaviourare alwayi more subtle than the visual changes. A personin whom a particular way of acting and reacting has beeningrained for decades cannot be expected to wake up onem6rning and find that the old patterns have dissipatedwith dreams.

r0

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WHAT IS VISION THERAPY ?

Vision therapy is divided into three parts : ( I ) Assess-ment of visual style and present visual $tatus, ( 2 ) Exer-cising and ( 3 ) Maintenance. These parts work together tobring about favourable changes in our visual habits andteach\ us the correct use of the eyes.

( 1) Assessment : Most of us take vision for granted.We are not aware of how we use (or abuse) our eyes. W'edo not know what the results of our visual habits are.Assessment involves learning to identify our visual style andpersonality and pinpointing our specific visual problems,such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyper-metropia), astigmatism, lazy eye or muscular imbalances.

Our visual style is the way we use our eyes to collectvisual information. Even in the smallest of daily tasksn wemake choices about what we focus our eyes on and whatwe'ignore. We may love reading or have a fascination forwhat is going on around us. We may hate puzzles but lovedriving, be fascinated by architectural details or vastpanoramas. Whatever catches our eyes affects their develop-ment. Our lenses and muscles become programmed to rvorkin set patterns. Year after year, we repeat these patterns,these visual habits. This can lead to unnecessary eye-strainor limit our flexibility in gathering visual perceptions. Aninflexible style may worsen existing visual defects.

Self-assessment helps us to become aware of thesedaily habits. Through a series of tests, we become consciousof our visual style. A detailed questionnaire helps us torealise how we use and apply our visual style in variousdaily situations.

We then combine this information with the results ofspecific tests that reveal the presence or absepce of near-sightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, lazy eye, fusionproblems or other muscular imbalances. We learn to recog-nise how our eyes feel when we focus or relax them.

This process of self-assessrnent works hand-in-handwith o0r eye-doctor's continuing care.-It is undesirable to

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VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

practise any therapy solely on one's own. However, informedself-care,ffien cdmbined with professional attention, providesa solid base for improvement of vision.

( 2 ) Exercising : After the process of assessment andself-assessment we can select the training programme thatwill work on our particular vision problems. The exerciseprogrammes are designed to concentrate on the managementof nearsightedness or farsightedness. They can be combinedwith special supplementary programmes that stress exercisesfor lazy eye, supRression, inadequate fusion or muscularimbalances.

Each programme consists of a four-week series ofdaily exercises. One half-hour a day is all the time thatis needed. Each exercise is'f6llowed by a weekly evaluationsection so that we can meaSure our progress. We see ourrange of clear vision increase, find that we do not have todepend on our glasses so much, happily observe the eyestraindiminishing and become more flexible in our visual style.

These exercises are effective because the inner working-sf the eye can be favourably influenced. We can changethe way we focus and fix otlr gaze. Those of us who arenearsighted need to release focus; those of us who arefarsighted need to increase it. This can be accomplishedthrough exercises involving simplc techniques. '

Though the programmes require commitment andsincerity, they are not complicated. In fact, the exercisesare ea$y and provide fun.

When performing the exercises, remember these tips :( I ) Read through each exercise before beginning. Get

familiar with it. Understand its purpose and goals.( 2 ) Perform the exercises in a well illuminated, quiet

place. Sit on a comfortable chair or stand erect with weightevenly. balanced.

( 3 ) Do not overdo the exercises. Keep the focus soft.Let the body and eyes be relaxed. Vision improves from

. relaxation and not from eye-strain.L

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WHAT IS VISION THERAPY ?

( 4 ) Do not expect instant results. Build visual strengthslO'wlt. 'The programmes lead, step by step, to bettervision. Do not skip an exercise or rush.-It is necessary torepeat an exercise over and over again to gain masteryover it.

.

( 5 ) Learn to identify personal visual style in all dailyactivities. Be on the lookout for incorrect outlook.

( 6 ) Practise those exercises that seem difficult againand again. Challenge yourself.

(3) Maintenance : Once wehave improved our vision,we would like to maintain it that way. Therefore, we mustcontinue doing the exercises at least once a week. If we.feel that our vision is deteriorating, we can repeat the four-week programme.

The two most important parts of maintenance are :(1) keeping a high level of self-awareness about how weuse our eyes and (2) spending time without glasses as oftenas possible.

Once we are aware of the ways we abuse our eyesthrougl the bad visual habits that we have developed, wernust be on our guard. we do not want to slip back intoold, destructive patterns.

whenever we are doing activities that do not requireclear and sharp vision, we should take off our glasses. Theprogressive development or worsening of eye problems canbe slowed down or halted altogether Qf tnis simpt. technique.unless glasses are periodically takin otr, thi eyes cannotattain their full potential.

In conclusion, it can be , said that vision therapy isa system which helps us change our approach to viiualperception. we learn to recognise our visual style. webecome aware of the way we use our eyes to view theworld.

vision'training also teaches us how to use the physicalcomponents of our eyes. we learn about the crystilline

T13

14 vFIoN TRAINING PRoGRAMME i

lens and various eye muscles and their functions. We learnto change the way we focus and move our eyes'

This dual approach helps overcome incorrect mentaland physical habiti that lower natural visual acuity'

Although some people who undergo training may endup no longir needing giassts, and indeed this may be tbe,.uron you picked up this bookn the aim of vision therapyis mucl

-or. than that. Vision therapy offers a means ofprotecting and enhancing your own vision and that of thenext genJrations. Vision-ttrerapy is an experience in percep-tion. Its aim: seeing everything !

The structure of the eye : The ey-e-{ one of the mostimportant organs and probably most usdful 9f the various,ror. organs if oot body. No wonder, nature has protectedthe eyes"by lodging thim into conical bony sockets calledorbits.

-SR

R

ch

-1R

C-corneaR-retinaP-pupilV-vitreousS R-superior rectus

muscle

S-scleraAC-aqueous chamberCM-ciliary muscleF-foveaI R-inferior rectus muscle

(Fig.3.1)

Ch-choroidI-irisCB-ciliary bodYON-optic nerve

3. THE EYE AND THE VISION

L

;?

THB EYE AND THE VISION

Only about *th of the eyeball is externally visible. Thispart, too, is protected by the eyelids.

The eyeball is made up of three concentric coats :(l) the outer, fibrous sclera (also called the white of theeye), (2) the middle, blood-vascular choroid and (3) theinner, nervous retina.

The sclera is thick, tough,.white and opaque. It maintains.the shape of the oye, protects the inner structures andcreates darkness inside the eye.

The centre of the front part of the eye has a thin,transparent watchglass-like coat called cornea. The rays oflight coming from various objects are bent by the corneato bring them to a focus on the retina.

The middle coat of the eye i.e., the choroid is madeup'chiefly of blood-vessels and hence nourishes the eye.

The inner retina consists of numerous nerve cellswhich receive light rays coming from the outside world,convert them into electrical impulses and transmit them tothe brain.

The black or darkbrown (sometimes yellowish, bluishor greenish) part of the eye, is called the iris. It lies exactlybehind the cornea. At the centre of the iris is a smallciicular opening called the pupil, which allows the lightrays to enter the eye and controls their intensity by changingits own size (i.e., the pupil contracts-i-tt-bright light andexpands in dim light).

Behind the iris is the crystalline lens, which is normallytransparent. It is held in place by 72 suspensory ligaments.When this lens becomes opaque, the person is said to besuffering from cataract.

From the back of the eyeball starts the optic nervewhich conveys the electrical impulses originating in theretina to the brain.

That part of the brain which is concerned with visionis called the visual cortex. It is here that the impulses

15

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VI$ION TRAINING PROGRAMME

aoming,from the retina are processed and interpreted andthe person 'sees'.

Th, hur*onious and co-ordinated movements of thetwo eyes are brought about bf six pai6 of muscles, fourof which are called the 'recti muscles' and two are calledthe 'obliqui muscles'.

Th-e function of the eye : The main function of the eyeis obviously : seeing. Our. eye is a wonderfully efficientorgan. It produces images by collecting and processing thereflected rays of light that bounce off the surfaces of every-thing around us. As soon as the light touches our eyes,

'the pupil responds, contracting or dilating. Once it passesthrough the pupil, the light is directed by the lens to theimage transmission centre of the eye, i.e., the retina. Theretina transforms the light images into encoded electricalimpulses that travel to the brain, where they are registered,evaluated and reacted to in an instant.

REFLECTED

(I'ig. 3.2)Thus, the eyes are only 'hgfit collectirg' centres; actual

seeing is the function of the brain. The information gatheredby the eyes is combined within the brain with our knowledge,memory and emotions. Vision is the product of this blend.That is why visual training is also concerned with behaviour,and visual style. What we see in our mind's eye, how ourpersonality views the world, is as importafit as how oureyeballs collect light.

16

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HIGHERBRATN

- CENTERS

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CENTEFSRETINA(TNTENSTTY CONTROL)LENS( FOCUSTNG)IRIS(PUPTL CONTROL)

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THE EYE AND THE VISTON

Binocular vision : We have to consider the fact that we'have two eyes, each looking at the world from a slightlydifferent angle or perspective. Though each eye forms its ownimage, we don't see double because the two images are'fused'by the brain to give rise to a single, three-dimensionalnproperly located picture.

There are two requisites for fusion : (1) The lightentering the two eyes,'as they look at the same object, mustfall on corresponding points on the two retinae and (2) thetwo images formed on the two retinae mdst be almostequally clear. If these two conditions are not met, fusion.may develop only partially or'not at all.

.

Loss of fusion :( 1) Due to unequal clarity of images formed on the

two retinae : As said above, the images transmitted from. the two eyes must be almost equally clear for full fusion tooccur. If this is not the case, .the brain is receiving an imagefrom one eye that is far less clear than that from theother. The brain cannot combine these two dissimilarpictures without lowerin$ the clarity of sight that is achie-ved by the stronger eye alone. Therefore, the brain auto-maticilly turns off ths weakertye's picture. This causes ayariety of vision problems; but it serves to allow the clearestpossible sight from the stronger eye.

( 2 ) Due to misalignment of the eyes : If both the eyesare not directed at the object w are viewing (as happensin squint[non-corresponding areas of the two retinae lqrestimulated and the brain receives two non-fusable images.The brain then selects the 6ne image that is clear andOorrectly located and ignores the gther image to preventdouble vision.

Such turning off or ignoring the image, on the partof brain, is term,ed 'suppressioh'. If suppression is detectedbefore it becomes an entrenched rneurological response' itis easy to elidiffite it by strengthening specific eye musclesand promoting'the vision of the weak eye.

't_.1

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--/VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

- However, if suppression goes on for too long, it canlead to more serious vision problems. The neural connectionsbetween the suppressed eye and the brain suffer from disuseand even glasses cannot 'wake up' the weak eye to its fullpotential. Such eye is termed 'lazy' or 'amblyopic' eye.

If amblyopia (or laziness of the eye) is caught early,it can often be corrected by exercises. If long-standingamblyopia cannot be fully corrected, vision training exer-cises must also be directed at the 'strong' eye to relieveit of undue strain and prevent development of a freshrefractive prror or worsening of an existing one. A largenurnber of children who have a lazy eye, develop nearsightedness in their strong, working eye unless they performexercises to improve the binocular balance.

4. HOW TO USE THE EYES ?Faulty ways of using the eyes are sources of eye:strain

and lead to the development of visual defects. I.f you wishto care for your own eyes and those of your children, youshould know and learn the correct ways of using the eyes.The correct use of the eyes will, more or less, ensure themaintenance of good vision, reduce the chances of thedevelopment of new visual defects and prevent further'deterioration of existing visual defects.

Reading and writing : As has been stated at numerousplaces earlier, our eyes are meant to look at distance. Nearworks such as reading, writing etc. are, so to say, unnaturalfor our eyes. But these are the very tasks that societyprizes. We cannot avoid all the close-range or near-pointwork that is required today; however, we can make life alittle easier for our eyes by following certain simple rules.

( I ) Always read or write in the sitting position, i.e.,you should be seated at a desk in a comfortable chair(not on the floor), not lying on your stomach or on yourside. Keep your head and the back straight, and not tiltedto any side. Do not stoop forward.

:+-:i,i.,1

HOW TO USE THE EYES ?

The desk or table should be at waist level wlpn louare seated. Working at a surface too high gives as nyichdistortion as viewing a movie from the front rowr'Thechair should be such as would permit the feet to remainplanted on the floor; if the feet do not touch the floor,use a small stool or phone-books or a box under them.

( 2 ) The illumination of the book should also beconsidered. It is necessary that the place where you reador write is very well lighted. If reading during the day innatural daylight, preferably sit near a window in such away that the shadow of the hand does not fall on thebook. If reading at night, position the lamp such that thelight comes from your left (presuming that you are a righthander). The lamp should be good enough to providestrong illumination.

( 3 ) It is desirable that' the book you read has non-glossy papcr, reasonably big types (letters) and good printing.

( 4 ) The material you read should be in front of youreyes and at a distance at least equal to the length betweenyour knuckles and elbows. In simple terms, hold thematerial in front of you so that your elbow makes a rightangle when you are holding the book.

( 5 ) The iirclination 9f the book is also important.The text should be parV\{el to the plane of your face, notflat on the desk, .which is why desks conStructed at a 20degree incline are better for reading and writing thanhorizontal surfaces.

The parents of a scholar-or anyone who reads andwrites a great deal

- should consider constructing a simple

inclined platform to set on a desk. Such an inclined deskenables a person to read more efficiently with less efforton the part of eyes. FIat surfaces cause'the visual systemto worl(harder to make up for the distortion.

If you choose to hold the book you are reading inyour hands, hold it up so that the pages are parallel tothe plane of your face. Do not allow the book to lie onyour lap.

++.1

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19

\/20 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

( 6 ) Blink rnore often when you 4te reading or writing,Quite lgme persons forget to blinkwheithey.arl .ogrorrrldin.r.e1$ine: .Ol! blink per line is the minimtim requiiement.Initially, this blinking may have 1o be done'consciously.Later on, however, it becomes a habit. staring contributesto eye-strain and blinking provides rest to the- eyes.

( 7 ) Do not block out peripheral vision, a commonpractice of people who get too involved in close, detailedwork. Try not to be distracted, but be aware of what isgoing on around you.-

(8) While reading or writing, make sure that you arebreathing properly. If your breathing is shallow, take a fewdeep breaths now and.then.' (9) Perhaps the singre most important factor inpqotecting your eyes when you read is to take a break

approximately every 20 minutes. For the average reader,.this-means taking a break after every 3-4 pages of ion-fictionreading or every 8-10 pages of fittion -trioiog. Look upacross the room or out of the window, at disiant objects,continue to do so for at least two minutes. Do oot ,.ru*"near-point work tilt the distant objects are quite clear. Itmay seem a waste of time to look out of.the windowevery so often. But in the end you may not get as tiredas you would othbrwise be; yo; may be ablJ to absorbmore; the most important point is itrat you won't pushyour eyes past the point where there is nothing they can doexcept adapt to the strain they are under

"trJ ro !iu" yootrouble when you want to do something else-like sei clearlyat a hundred feet or play cricket.

(10) After an hour of reading or writing, get up andstretch- Move around. Take deep breaths.- iook at thehorizon. Ensure that your distant vision is as clear as itwas before you sat down to read.(ll) Do not indulge in close-range work, by keefrngawake till late hours. Remember thai your eyes ieed morerest than your body

k.

'# ${E h* F,s i&,EYES ?HOW TO REST THE

(12) Never read in a moving vehicle. Similarly, donot rghd when you are sick. Reading may keep you frombeing bored while you are travelling or bedridden. Butsurely you won't like to drive away boredom at the costof good sight.-

Television : Althbugh the television manufacturersassure us that radiation leakage (X rays) has been reducedto little or none as long as the set is in good workingorder, you might as well take the precaution of sitting atleast five or six feet away from the screen. This is parti-cularly important if you own a colour television. Albeit, donot sit so far away that you have to strain your eyes tosee details.

Never watch television in a darkened room, even ifit-is a late night movie. The illumination of ih. ,oornshould ideally be such as would match that of the televisionscreen. In any case, keep a small light on.

While watching television, sit comfortably, with the backfully supported and the head drooping slightly backwardso that the eyes remain partly shut. Take a break ev.erynow and then, just as suggested while doing close-range work.

Sewing, knitting etc. : Sewing and knitting are alsoclose-range jobs and suggestions made while discussing'reading' pre applicable here too.

Do not stareteye-sight moving

at the cloth or the stitches, Keep thealong with the needle or the pin.

Excessive use of and inadequate rest to the eyes isone of the causes of most visual problems. very few personsknow how to rest the eyes effectively. Given below aresome simple measures which bring about profound reliefand provide relaxation to the eyes. Any one or more ofthese measures can be employed to rest tired and gritty eyes.

,T1rl

2t

5. HOW TO REST THE EYES ?

22

\r.1

VISION TRAINTNG PROGRAMME

( f ) Palning : This is a method par excellence toremove eye)fatigue.

(Fie. s'1)Sit on a chair, with a desk in the front. Close the

eyes and lightly cover them with palms (with the fingersciossirg at iight angles), as shown in the figure. Place thepalms in such a way that the nose'remains uncovered andthe eyes remain behind the slight 'hollows of the palms.Rest the elbows on the desk. The aim is to prevent lightrays from reaching or entering the eyes. Hence take careto leave no gaps between the fingers or between the edgeof the palms and the nose.

Taie deep breaths. Think of some happy incident; orvisualise a distant scerle; Continue to do so fot 2 to 3minutes or more.

( 2 ) Looking at distant objects : As stated at a numberof places in this book, our eyes are made to look atdistance. Just looking at distant objects rests the eyes. Ifthe eyes feel stiff or tired following prolonged work atclose-range (e.g., reading, writing, watching television etc.),they can be rested by looking at the horizon for a fewminutes.

( 3 ) Rythmic movements : Leisurely and gentle rythmicmovements bring about muscle'relaxation and alleviatestrain. A variety of rythmic movements can be undertakento relax the muscles of the eyes and the body.

b1

HOW TO REST THE EYES ?I

( a ) Bar swings :23

(Fig. s.2)Stand in front of a window or a door which has

verticle bars or grill. Through the bars, direct your gazeto distant objects. Now sway.slowly and rythmically, likethe pendulum of a clock. Transfer your weight from onefoot to the other. Keep the body muscles limp and lax.Breathe rythmically. Continue to do so for 2 to 3 minutesor more.

, (b) Round swings :

(Fig. 5-3)

J24 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

Stand keeping a distance of 8 to 10 inches betweenthe two feet. With the help of the left forefoot, slowlyturn to your right, through 90 degrees. Let the arms swingalong with your body. Revert to the original position. Nowwithout stopping and with the help of the right forefoot,slowly turn to your left, through 90 degrees. Let the armsswing along with your body. Throughout the procedurenbreathe rythmically and direct your gaze to low-lying distantobjects. Continue this motion for 2 to 3 minutes or more.

( c ) Hearl movements :

\--->

(Fig. s'a)Sit comfortably. Keep the eyes closed. With your head'

slowly and gently form figures ef o in air. Moveyour head,rythmically and breathe rythmically. Contilrue to do so for2 to 3 minutes or more.

( 4 ) Hot and cold compresses : Apply hot and coldcompresses, alternately, to your face, eyebrows, closedeyelids and phepks. Use small towels or. pieces of cottonwhich have beeh soaked in hot or cold water. Apply firstone, then the other, ending up with a cold compress.

Such compresses open up the small blood vessels ofthe face and the eyeballs and dre extremely soothing.

II\

I

H.

-)-

'l:i1i '-

SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART ONE

-rlfI

25,

( 5 ) Water splashes : For a few seconds, sprinkle coldwater from a running tap, on the closed eyes. Thereafter,do not wipe the water on the face with a towel; allow itto dry.on its own.

(Fig. 5.5)( 6 ) Massage of the face and the eyes : With the help

of a napkin soaked in warm (or hot) rvater, vigorouslyrub the skin of the forehead, cheeks and the neck. However,the eyes should not be rubbed.

Follow this up by gently massaging the forehead andthe closed eyelids with the fingertips.

This will relieve the tension in facial and eye muscles.( 7 ) Magnet Therapy* : Magnetic treatment, too, has

been found to be immensely useful in bringing aboutrelaxation of the eye-muscles. Special magnetic frames areavailable, which can be worn on the face for 5 to 10 minutes.Cool magnetic waves emanating from the magnets rest theeyes and relieve strain.* Details about Magnet Therapy have been presented in chapter 14.

6. SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART ONEAs stated earlier, our visual style or the way we

employ our eyes to collect information has a definitebearing upon our visual status. Each of us has our ownvisual style. tt is our personal way of using our eyes toview the world. It evolves as a result of the physical abilities

26 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

of our eyes and the psychological and intellectual inclinationsof our minds. It affects the way our eyes develop, the kindsof visual strengths and weeknesses we have and the way wehandle perceptual tasks. ki a cycle of continuous inter-action, bur mental attitude toward perception influencesour", eyss and the physical responses of our eyes influenceour mental attitude to perception.

Unfortunately, we take our eyes and sight for granted-We seldom think about how we use our eyes. It is necessaryto realise how we approach visual taslis so that we canidentify potential visual problems, areas of viSual stress,and general perceptional handicaps. To gain self-awareness,we nied to'understand the connection between how wesee and how we think.

There are two general categories of visual style : fixated-central and scanning-peripheral. Most of us use either ofthese two-styles, depending upon the task on hand. However'we tend to fall into one category more than the other. Letus have a look at these basic styles and understand howthey affect the working of our eYes.

FIXATED-CENTRAL STYLE

If we are comfortable with detail, enjoy readfig andclosed visual spaces, we are probably fixated-cenffal. Wedirect our gaze to objects close to us. We arc attiacted toall print, read every word and rarely skim. Our eyes arcconverged or overconverged most of the time. Ws-areprobably nearsighted, or will be some day.

When combined with high endurance, the fixated-central visual style leads to a vision-intensive approach toperception. People with this style can usually concentrateand read for long periods of time.

The result of this style is that the crystalline lens isput in a bulged position most of the time. This may leadto lens inflexibility and pro{uce gluggishness when shifting,focus from near to far. The long-term result of high

=";.d1l

SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART ONE 27

endurance, fixated-central visual, style is worsening near-siglrtedness.

The high endurance, fixated-central style seems a blessingin our present culfure. Despite problems of eye=strain,increasing nearsightedness and focal inflexibility,' peoplewho are able to concentrate on detail hour after hour andto handle close-range or near-point tasks are well suitedto society's demands. Years of complex and competitiveschooling and high esteem for well-read persons who dowhite-collar jobs make this style seem useful. Because ofthe acceptance and praise that hxated-central people receive,they oft-n ignore (or are unaware ofl the possible harmfulside-effegts of this style until it has begun to affect theirvision.

Sometimes, however, fixated-central viewing may becombined with low endurance. Headaches, limited concen-tration and general visual discomfort are the results. If thisis our style, we are trapped. Not inclined or able to use'our eyes in a general scanning way' we are stuck with afocally intense ityt. that causei problems. We canngdnioythe pleasures of reading. The crystalline lens is constlntlybeing strained by the impulse to focus on nearby' objects.Muscle strain and fatigue make convergence hard to maintafui.Endurance gets lower and lower. Headaches or evennervous tension can result.

Note : Vision and mind are intimately related. Specific visualhabits or traits are often combined with certain mental attihrdesand intellectual approaches. If we have a fixated-cerrtral' visualstyle, we will tend to be well ordered and methodical in ourpursuit of information. Children whp possess this style may spendmany hours reading alone. They are generally well organised andare good about finishing a task once it is begun. As adults, theytend to have good memories, are avid rsaders and are successfulat work. If excessively fixated-central, they may have troubleintegrating separate pieces of information into larger concepts forpractical application.

. In both types of fixated-central styles, appropriate eye-exbrcises, development of focal flexibility and use of rela-

28 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

xation techniques canvisual problems.

lessen physical strain and resulting

Scanning-Peripheral style : ff we .olgy visual tasks thatrequrre a"general overview, like sports and'outdoor activities(or- occupations) and dislike close-range or near-pointactivities, we are probably scanning-peripheral. This styleis usually corelated with farsightedness or no noticeablerefractive (visual) error.

In general, this information collecting style is the waymost children view the world. Farsighted ui biittt, they learnatr,out their environrnent by coirstantly collecting impressionsand information from.all around them. They do-not relyupon eyes alone for information collection. Touch, taste,smell, hearing-all are equally important. since the crystallinelens is very flexible in young children, they are usually nottroubled while performing close-range or near-point tasks.

Adults who retain a scanning-peripheral style may usetheir eyes to amass a lot of general information, to becomeaware of much that goes on around them. But they maybe handicapped by the inability to handle close-range ornear-point tasks. If they have a visually demanding job,they are likely to work slowly, to depend upon conversationor other clues to gain information. They may suffer fromeye-strain and discomfort when forced to do prolongedclose-range or near-point work.

The crystalline lens in the 'scanning-peripheral eye isflattened and often slow or unresponsive to the demandfor lens-bulge (e.g., while reading). If the nature of workmakes it necessary to do a lot of near-point work, eye-.strain, headache or general fatigue may result.

Note : A scanning-peripheral style can cause carelessness anda haphazard approach to learning and concentration. This stylecan limit the amount of reading we do, Iimit our ability to aceuirenew written information and increase our interest in T.V. andradio. Adults who possess this style can be quick-witted, givento theoretical thinking and comfortable with creative, self-generatedideas. However, they may be frustrated by the inabitity to collectand deal with detailed visual information at home and on the job.

H.

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SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART ONB 29

There are .advantages and disadvantages of either ofthese visual styles. Problems arise when -we get lock{dinto one,style i.e., cannot alter it even when necessary. Ifthis happens, we cannot get the most out of whic[eversituation we find ourselves in. A balance between the twostyles prornotes visual acuity and physical as well as in-tellectual health.

The next part of this chapter contains a number ofsimple tests and questionnaires to detect our presentpersonality and visual style. Parents should try to judgetheir children's personality and visual style. Once we havebecome aware of our visual style (and therefore its limi-[4tions), we can make conscious efforts to make it more

,balanced and thus eliminate possibilities of developmentor deterioration of visual errors in the future.

Detecting visual style(l) Visual approachApparatus : Figure 6.1Glasses

ChildrenRoutine

a

Use glasses only if absolutely' nece-ssary to see the picture clearfli,Same routine as adultsStudy the picture given below forthree seconds (count three). Close theeyes and cover the picture. Thenanswer the questions that follow.

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30

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VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME,/

\{hat's Wrong Withscene generally : .

a o a . . . a o a t . . a . a . . . . a a '

a '

a o ' '

t I r '' ' ' ' '

t

lt "

.'. ' '

o ' ' '

tt

' In the pictufoo there were how maqy persons ?. . . . . . .:

cars'? ._. . . . . . . . buildingr ? .,. .1. . . . . . printed signs ? .. . . o, oHOW many fidgfS Wefe thefe in the Caf ?..........o...'

(Fig. 6'1 :Describe the

H0TgL

F'ISH tN6

N\\

Was the building made of brick, woodor concrete?...... )

SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART ONE

Did you see a pattern on any'person's clothing? Whatpattern was it?.,. ..Did you read any sign ? Whatdid it say ?.in the picture?.... .,.Did you firstnoticethe street,the building or\ human figures ? . . . .

Now uncovef the picture and glance at it for the count ofsix. Cover the picture again. Answer the following questions :

What new parts of the picture did you see ?.\Uhat caught your eye this time ?. . . .In the picture, there were how many persons ?. . . .cars ? . . . . buildings?. . ; . . . . . . . printed signs?What did the printed signs say ?.

Did you see anything unusual in the picture ?

3r

Did the picture....thg moon?the objects you

show trees ?...o.,....,.the sky ?noticed in the picture.

Uncover the pictur e again and look at it for the countof ten. Answer the following questions :- What did you see that you had overlooked earlier ?

What signs did you read ?Did yoy notice the television ? an umbrella ?

the manholg ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the policeman ?the pig? .the white car?......

Did you see the man with a dog ? .. . . the manwithout arms? ...the fish?

Did you notice the man sitting backward in the car ?i

printed 'signsthe policeman's jacket ?, . . . . . . . . the ffiis-

List all the objects you noticed

3;2 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

EvaluationOn first viewing :( I ) did you notice general shapes, outlines and

textures ?(2) did you(3) did you(4) did you(5) did you

notice a few objectsnotice large or small

in detail ?objects ?

read printed signs ?catch any of the unusual features of the

picture ?On second viewing :( I ) did you change your visual approach from general

to particular or vice versa ? . . .(2) how much more detail did you pick up ?( 3 ) did you read most of the signs ?( 4 ) did you see most of the persoos, animais or,l

,cars

the(s ) didpicture ?On third viewing :( 1 ) what did you concentrate upon ? minute details

or general overview ?(2) did you feel you had seen the whole picture ?.

you catch more of the unusual features of

( 3 ) are you still curious about the picJgfe ? . .--: ... .or are you bored ?

Note : During the three-second and six-second stints, the mostrJesirable and well-balanced response to this' test is to register thebasic 'theme' and overatl contents of the picture while noticing somespecific details. Persons with a fixated-central visuat style find somedifficulty in picking up the general theme of the picture but do

b

,33SEIF-ASSESSMET{T : PART ONE

idehtify details. On the other ha.nd, persons with aperipheral-scanning visual style easily comprehend the general theme of thepicture but' pick up only a few details or have difficulty inremembering them.

(2) Visual style in everyday situations :(A) Reading :( I ) How many hours a day do you spend reading ?(2) What do you read ? Newspapers, magazinesn fiction,

non-fiction ?( 3 ) Do you enjoy reading ?( 4 ) Can you read fast and eaiily( 5 ) Can you read non-stop for

?

an hour or more'?

( 6 ) Do you remember 'what you read ?.. . . .( 7 ) Do you lose yourself .while reading or are you easily

disturbed by noises, conversations or visual distractions ?

( 8 ) If you encounter an unfamiliar word while reading,do you reach for the dictionary or carry on ? .

( 9 ) If you do not understand a phrase or a sentence,do'you read again and again ? .. . .

(10) Do you overlook words or letters and thereforedo you have to read the sentence again? . . . .

(11) Following reading or writing, do youeye-strain or headaqhe ? afler how much time

Note :Persons with fixated-central visual style-enjoy reading and if given a choice, prefer it to an outdoor walk,can read for hours at a time, anywhere, any time with minimaldistraction,

* read smooii.hly, with good speed, concentration and retentioo,* display good visual memory of the passages read;* can sit, almost motionleqs, for hours while reading.2 / Vision Training Programme

suffer from,l

'\.

34 VISION T'RAINING PROGRAMME

Persons with peripheral'scanning visual style-:f dislike reading and prefer long-range or far-point visual tasks;:r tend to read qnly when required but not for pleasure,:F become restless following prolonged reading, experience concen-

tration laPses or nervous tension,>r often skim articies, read parugraphs out of ordero are generally

impatient. and tum to the end of the section to know owhathappelts',

* have not-so-goodinformation that

visual memory and cannot easily retain thehas been read.

( B ) Television vierving :( 1 ) For how many hours a day do /you view

television ? . .(2) Do you look at the T. v. intensely or performother tasks or converse simultaneously ?

( 3 ) Do You sit close to the T' V' or reasonably far ?( 4 ) While watching the T.V., do you rely as muoh on:

your ears as on Your eyes ?. . . .( 5 ) While viewing the T. V., do you prefer complete

darkness in the room or do you keep a light on ? '

Note : Generalty, persons with a'fixated-central visual stylesit quite close to the T.f., prefer a sma[[ screen and a dark roomand watch with great concentratton'

persons with a scanning-peripheral visual style sit far awayfrom the T.V., prefer a larger screen and a lighted room' maysimultaneously, perform other tasks and possess a not-so-goodmemory ,of things seen.

(C) Hobbies:( 1 i Which hobbir=q.have you cultivated

orgo?

(Z) How do you pass your free time ? Collect stampscoins ? read ? listen to music ? play outdoor sports ?for outings?....

SELF-.ASSESSMENT : PART ONE 35

Note : Persons with fixated-central visual style are usually seento po$sess hobbies requiring close-range vision. They prefer collect-ing stamps or coins to gardening or swimming.

Persons with scanning-peripheral visual style usually cultivateoutdoor hobbies. They prefer playing badminton or hockey toplaying table tennis or cards.

(D ) Driving :( I ) Are you relaxed when you

tense ?drive ? Or become

\t'a(2) Do you enjoy driving(3) Do you pay attention

?

to developing traffic patternsway ahead of you ?

( 4) Do you have trouble shifting your focus fromfat to near or near to far ?

( 5 ) Do you pay attention to what is going on toright and left ?your

( 6 ) Do you look into the rear-view mirror frequently ?(7)(8)

Do oncoming carsI

Do yop find nightJimake you tensedriving difficult r

?

o tiring ?

' Note :?ersons with fixated'central visual style-

d find that night driving is tiring ,'F tend to sit forward and view straight ahead,*

.have trouble with driving at dusk or night,>F are rendered tense or taken by surprise by oncoming traffic,* do not automaticatty take into account the traffic on the left or

the right.Persons with scanning-peripheral visudl style-

:F enjoy driving and are therefore relaxed,* are less troubled by night-driving,;F have endurance for long drives,3r enjoy sizing up developing traffic patterns far ahead of them,:p sit back and view the panorama

36 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

( 3 ) Personality( A) Nature :(1) Are you shy?....(2 ) Do you suffer from an inferiority complex ? ,( 3 ) A1e you at ease while talking to elders or well-

known persons?....( a ) Do you usually consider yourself less intelligent

or successful than others ?. . . .( 5 ) Do you hesitate to use or display your talents ?'( 6 ) Could you speak or sing if pushed onto a stage ?'(7 ) Do you become unduly self-conscious in a crowd ?(8) Are you an introvert?.........(9) Can you get familiar with strangers soon?...,.-(10) Can ygu make friends easily ?. . . .

How many fast friends do you have ? . .:. . . . .(11) Do you like solitude ? ....(12) If given a choice, will you prefer reading in solitudE

to chit-chatting with friends ? . . .... . .'...(13) Are you unduly polite and well-mannered ? . . ...'Note

:

Persons with fixated-central visual style are usually shy,introverts, reserved and unduly self-conscious. They usuallysulfer from an inferiority complex, lack confidence, feel.nervousin a crowd or while talking to superior persons, love solitudeand have only a few friends.

Persons with scanning-peripheral visual style are usuallybold, confident, extroverts and happy-go-1ucky. They do nothesitate to talk to strangers, make friends easily, feel quite atease while talking to superior .persons and dislike $olitude.

M

SELF.ASSESSMENT : PART ONE

( B ) Approach to life :( I ) How well can you face a difficult situation ?(2 ) Can you take an immediate decision and

3,7

actaccordingly ?

( 3 ) Do you lose too much.time in thinking ? . . . .(4) Do you try to run away from difficulties ?( 5 ) Do you usually make comprornises or settle for

less ?

( c ) occupation and approach to work :( 1 ) What is your occupation ?(2 ) Does your occupation entail a lot of near-pointvisual work ?(3) what tyw' of work would you prefer, if given achoice ?(4) Do you work methodically and zealously?.

. . .( 5 ) Do you always complete the task you undertake ?Note :Persons with fixated-central visual style prefer sedentary

occupations entailing long periods of near-poinf work. They sitfor hours without rnoving. They are very methodical in theirwork and usualty complete the work they undertake,

Persons with scanning-peripheral visual style are usuallybusinessmen and seldom ptof.rsionals like ooctois or charteredaccountants. In other words, they are found in occupations whichcall for team-work' They prefer a, more active life and dislike

Note :Persons with fixated-central visual style usualty finddifficulty in reaching a decision in the face of a difficult situation,

or they cannot put the decision into practice. They make corr-promises quite readily . -Persons with soanning-peripheral visual style not only takequick decisions but

.

even put thom into practice. They do notlose'4ndue tirne in tfrinking and do not ro*ptomise easily.

\39 V$ION TRAINING PROGRAMME

sedentary jobs. They are sornewhat careless incal and lacking in concentration. They

work, less methodi-do not necessarilY

complete the task they undertake"

(D) Education 3( I ) How many Years have You spent arn

i

studying ?

( 2 ) What are your educational( 3 ) Did you earn good marks( 4 ) Were you a favourite with

qualifications?......in schooUcollege?....tgachers.? . o . . . . . . , t .

Note :persons with fixated-central visdal style spend many years

in studying and are educationally welt-qualified. fn school/college,they work very hard to Secure a good percentage of marks inthe examinatiolls.

persons with scanning-peripheral visual style are less interestedin read,ing or writing. Hence they do not'secure high marks in

- school/college examinations.

sports ?.-----;1 .-.'.' .

(Z) Are you more interested in playing than in studying ?a a a- a-. a a a ! . a

'

a . a a . '

a

'

a r' A o t 'aaaaaa.a'a"'O"o'O'

( 3 ) Which sports do you like : indoor or outdoor ?( 4 ) From among outdoor sports, do you like such

sports as provide individual opportunities (viz. tennis, cricket)or which call for team-work (viz. football, hockey) ? ' ' ' ' ' '

( 5 ) Would you prefer playing a ganie to reading aninteresting book ?

(E) Sports :( 1 ) Do yoLr actively and regularly participate in

( 6 ) Do You PlaYAre your reflexes fast

Note :Persons with

a lack of interest

such games as require fast running ?enOUgh ?. . .... "........ "' " " I

a fixated-csntral visual stYlein outdoor sports. If at all,

usually displaythey play such

k

SELF.ASSESSMENT : PART ONE

I games - as proviO'i-*runces for individual success or39

not entail muLh qhysical labour. They would, preferbook to playing a fast_garye.

which doreadin g a

Persons with a scanningperiplreral visual style are sportsmenand athletes. They have a great liking for fastn-outdoor games.Among outdoor games, they play such gams-gs require i tru*effort'. They prefer playing in the open to readinglbook at home.

( f ) Social life l( 1 ) Do you participate in social functioni ?(2) Do you like social gatherings and crowds ?

Note :Perspns

.with a fixated-ceniral visual style generally tikesolitude, keep away from sociat functions and feel awkward -ornervous in a gathering or a crowd.

Persons with a scanning-peripheral visual style enjoy socialfunctions and gatherings and always look forward to rneetingfriends and relatives.

COI{CtUSIONFor efficient and trouble-free sight, a well$alanced

visual style is necessary. -An undue inclination towards apafiicular style produces or aggravates a host of problems.

For example, the fixated-central style may, over the years,give rise to or worsen myopia and exophoria; the scanning-peripheral visual style is, many a time, found associatedwith hypermetropia and esophoria.

If your answers to the questions and tesls descrjbedin this chaqter indicate that you possess a particular visualstyle, you should strive to avoid misuse of your eyes .andbring about a gradual modification in your style. For example,if your's is a fixated-central visual style, you will make it apoint to look out of the window every now and then whilereading or writing; ,besides, you will take a break afterevery half an hour of near-point work. If you becomeaware of the fact that you miss or overlook details when

40 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

walking down the street, you can consciously focus yourattention and your eyes on objects that lie on your sides,which you usually ignored earlier. Remembei that thetransition may prove to be a bit difficult. But with perse- -verance, you will be able to modify your visual style sboneror later and increase your visual potential.

In fact, moulding your child's visual style correctly isa better way of attaining the goal of strong eyes and flexiblevision, for the whole life.

What to do for a child ?Spend a few days watching your child; notice its reading

habits, general approach to tasks, levels of concentrationetc. Then fill out the questionnaire given earlier in thischapter.

'Remember that children upto the age of six or sevenare naturally scanning-peripheral. This style begins to getmodified, as the child learns to read and write. Hypermetropiamay delay and myopia may hasten this transition towardsa more balanced style.

Once you have determined your child's visual style,takg time lo explain to it in simple words, the concept ofvision-training. In general terms, let your child know thatyou are going to work with it to help it get the mostoutof all the visual activities it undertakes : sports, games'school-work, reading etc. Do not criticize the child for itsway of approaching visual tasks. Offer gentle suggestions.

In our practice, we see a lot of kids who need vision-training. To get their full participation and co-operation, itis necessary to explain to them what it is all about and whythey are'going to do it. They must learn to recognise theirvisual style so that they can correct their bad habits. Forexample, if we were talking to a child with a fixated-centralstyle, we would say z "It seems that you look very hard atthings, too intensely, with too. much concentration. That iswhy your eyes tire. You do not notice all that is going onaround yott."

b,

SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART TWO 4t

To a child who is excessively scanning-peripherat, wervould say : '1You really notice a lot of what is going onaraund you. But you have trouble paying keen attention toone thing.at a time. There are times when you move youreyes around when they shou,ld be held steady e.g., while

' reading. This may make it hard for you to learn."

7. SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART T$fOAfter determining the nature of our visual style and

personality, we should find out if we have specific visualdefects.

This chapter contains a serigs of self-assessmentprocedures which would make us aware of our presentvisual status and existing visual errors like nearsightedness,farsightedness, astigmatism, amblyopia, muscle imbalances,fusion problems or suppression.

These tests are not designed io take the place ofprofessional eye.care. They provide us with a clue to visualdefect present in our eyes and form a part of an overallvision-hygiene programme.

Self-assessment tests reveal potential vision problemsso. that we can seek good professional advice and care.

Self-assessment tests work in conjunction with a doctor'sdiagnosis. The most effective way of, h6ndliing vision problemsis to combine professional therapy with a deep personalcommitment to self-care.

After each test, there is an evaluation. note. At theend of the chapler we collate this information with theinformation abodt visual style which we gathered in theprevious chapter.' Our conclusions guide us in selectingthe vision-training programme that will solve our specificproblenrs effectively

( 1) Myopia (Nearsightedness): Myopia is a visual defectin which a person cannot see distant objects clearly. Thenear vision is usually quite good, as the name suggsts.

42 VISION TRAIMNG PROGRAMME

In myopia, parallel rays of light coming from distantobjects are bent mors than normally inside the eye, sothat they come to a focus some distance ahead of theretinb (the'screen of the eye). Hence the image formed onthe retina is fuzzy and the person sees blurred images.

(Fig. 7.L)Nearsightedness is on the rise throughout the world.

'We are fast becoming a generation of handicapped persons.The age at which this defect begins is going down fromadolescence to the pre-school years and the, number it affectskeeps. going up, especially among the educated.

Traditional medicine clings to the idea that myopiais the result of a hereditory predisposition for an elongationof the eyeball, and furthermore that there is nothing wecan do except resort to stronger and stronger glasses as thedefect advances.

If myopia is inherited, from whom did we inherit rt ?Why weren't our forefathers nearsighted to the same degreeas we are ? Nearsightedness is practically unknown wherebook-learning is. not prized. In our iulture, the city-bredfolk are more prone to myopia than their country cousins;honours students and graduates have higher incidence ofmyopip than school dropouts.

If myopia were simply a condition which happened tosome and not to others, the following statistical variableswould not follow this orderly and predictable pattern i

x Before the age of ten years, approximately three tofour per cent of the population are nearsighted. By the timechildren complete middle-school education, ten to fifteenper cent are nearsighted. At the end of high school education,

h.L

SELF-ASSESSMENT : PART TWO

t'

43

the number has jumped to twenty per cent. And at the endof college education, the incidence has soared to thirty tothirty-five per cent. None of our other senses is prone tosuch an overwhelming and rapid deterioration.

'r At the U. S. Naval Academy, the new entrants havegood visual-acuity since it is a basicrequirement foradmission.By graduation, a high percentage become myopic.

* Among children of migrant workers, who are neverat school for any greht length of time, the incidence'of,myopia remains a fairly constant six per cent. Farm childrenwho spend more time outdoors, gazing restfully at thehorizon.:, have a lesser incidence of myopia than city kids.

* In a survey of Eskimo families, only 2 out of 130persons who could not read or write showed myopia; yetamong their children who dere attending school and eatinga \Vestern diet, approximately 65 per cent were nearsighted.This happened in a single generation in a population knownto be somewhat farsighted. When the grandparents.wereexamined, they showed the same absenee of myopia as theirprogeny i.e., the parents of the nearsighted group. If itwere true that vision is inherited, the grandchildren shouldhave beep farsighted. But, on the contrary, they wergnedfsighted. Although this example shows a massive reversalin a single generation, the erroneous assumption thatnearsightedness is hereditory still persists.

" In Japan, before world war If, the figures for myopia

were quite high. During the difficult years of the war,academic education was neglected; when the fighting stoppedand the schools were about to re-open, it was discoveredthat myopia. among the student population had nearlyhalved. As )ears went by and education continded, theincidence of myopia rose again. It has now shot back tothe pre-war figures.

We could go on and on quoting studies and statistics,but they all tell the same story : as literacy rises, so doesmyopia. Yet books continue to be written stating that

44 VISION TRATNING PROGRAMME

myopia is inherited-the result of a lengthening of theeyeball. But why did the eyeball stretch our ? The studyon Eskimos mentioned above alone would seem to disprovethe heredity factor. It appears that we are doing somethingto ourselves to cause the rapid increase in the incidence ofmyopia.

The propounders of the gepetic theory argue thatchildren of nearsighted parents are mostly nearsighted. Butthis probably is the result of certain personality traits :ambition, inhibition and scholarliness. Dr. Francis Young,

' .a psychologist at Washington State University, makes aninteresting analogy to illustrate the lack of logic in incrimi-nating heredity for myopia : if an English-speaking personmarfies an English-speaking person, they will give birth to

, a child who also becomes an English-speaking person. ButiS the English inherited ?

Myopia does not occur ovepight; it comes on slowlyand may go unnoticed until a student complains that hecan't see what is wiitten on the blackboard or that hiseyes tire easily. As we have explained, it appears to becaused by overworking specific eye-muscles to focus atnear-point. The human eye is at rest while looking into thedistance. .

The eye under constant stress tries to send a warningsign : pain. "Hey you, I am tired. Why don't you stopreading for a while?......." Athletes talk about theirpain; the diligent student simply presses on to the next page.

Eventually the eye grows accustomed to the strain,gives up sending pain messages, but grumbles when askedto see a far : o'Y4hy do we need to bother with that ? I candp this close-range work'for you so well ...... "

After a long period of reading, there will be a slightamount of temporary blurring when-shifting the focus toa distant point. "What is this ? You want to look at theswset now ? IA'hy are you making my life so kard ? . . . ,"the eyes will say.

SELF.ASSESSMENT : PART TWO 45

If the stress caused by close-range work continues atthe same rate and the student marches right along-reading,reading and reading-the focussing ability for distant objectsweakens to the point where there is an actual loss of visual.acuity that can be measured on a chart. "I tried'to tellyou ! need rest; but what did I get from you'l Another book.Okay, I am getting used to the idea."

And as the near-point work continues, and the studentworks hard to stay ahead of his colleagues, the eye-muscleseventually lock ipto place ; the pressure has been too grearto overcome. The eyeball lengthens and the image the eyereceives comes to a focus in front of the retina, rather thanon it, as in a normal eye. "Okay, you win. Now I havebecome perfectly suited to your type of ffi-the life of ascholar. Of course, something had to be sacrfficed, and thatis my ability to see clearly at distance".

Sounds like a series of cliches ? Well, the psychologists,psychiatrists and other researchers who have studied theproblem of myopia say these cliches are more or less true.They are generalisations of course, but still statistically onthe graph

It has been stated earlier that myopia is related tospEcific personality traits. Again and again, myopes havebeen found to be introverts, introspective, shy, meticulous,disinclined to participation in sports and having a markedpreference for sedentary activities. They fre self-centred,dogmatic, diligent aud in control of the{r emotions. fnchoosing an occupation, -the myope tends to select thosein which individual achievement, rather than team effort, isnecessary. Lonely intellectual pursuits such as those ofauthors, jourqlists, doctors, architects and scholars arefavoured. \

Testing for nearsigbtedness :Props: Distant-vision testing chart provided at the end

of this book.

46 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

Glasses : Do not use glasses.'Routine :( 1) Place or hang the chart on the wall at eye level,

Make sure that the chart is well illuminated.( 2 ) Measure five feet from the chart; mirk it. Measure

ten feet from the chart; mark it. Measure twenty feet fromthe chart; mark it.

( 3 ) Stand at the twenty feet mark.( 4 ) Cover the left eye with the left palm.( 5 ) Read the chart from top to bottom, slowly. Do

not make undue efforts or squeeze the eyes while reading.Make a note pf the number of lines or letters you canread correctly.

( 6 ) Slep forward to the ten feet mark. Repeat theprocedure. Make a note of how many lines or letters youcan read correctly.

(7) Then step forward to the five feet mark. Repeatthe procedure, Make a note of the number of lines orletters you can

-read correctly.( 8 ) If you cannot clearly see lines or letters even from

five feet, advance towards the chart until you can. Makea note of the distance from the chart.

( 9 ) Finally, repeat the entire routine with the lefteye, keeping the right eye covered with the right palm.

Observation :Right eye :( I ) From twenty feet, I could read .( 2 ) From ten feet, I could read. lines correctly.( 3 ) From five feet, I could read. lines correctly.( 4 ) I could read all letters clearly from a distance of

.... fggt.Left eye :

.,( I ) From twenty feet, I could read.'' (2) From ten feet, I could read .

lines correctly.lines correctly.

&

SELF-AssgssMENT : PART Two 47

(3) From five/feet, I could read......lines correctly.( 4 ) I could read all letters clearly from a distance of

. feet.Evaluation I Clear vision at twenty feet means that

you have np or negligible myopia. Clear vision ar ten feetindicates mifd (low) myopia. clear vision at five feet indicatesmoderate myopia. Clear vision at less than five feet indicateshigh myopia.

Note : The visual acuity of the two eyes may turn out to bedifferent i.e., the visual status or refracting power of the twoeyes is not necessarily similar. If one eye has no myopia and theother eye is mlopic or if one eye has a lesser degree and theother eye a greater degree of myopia (or any particularvisual defect), the condition is known as anisomtropia.Anisometropia is often associated with other visual or oculardefects like fusion prob1effis, suppression of the vision of theweaker eye and latent squint (heterophoria). Tests to uncoy,er thesedefects have been described later in this chapter.

( 2 ) Hypermetropia (Farsightedness) : Hypermetropia isa visual defect in which the distant vision is usually quiteq99d (as the name suggests) but the person experiencesdifficulty while performing a near-point task. However, ifthe defect is severe, even the distant vision may be sub.normal. Even in such cases, the difficulty for work at neardi3tance is much greater than that for work ut

"

dirtrno,_

-Hyprt etropia which develops at or around the ageof forty years is given a special name : .presbyopiJ.P-resbyopia. develops because qf a gradual hardening ofthe crystalline lens of tbe eyen with a?vancing age.

In hypermetropia, parallel rays of light coming fromdistant objects, on entering the oy, are bent less thannormal, so that they come to a focus some distance behindthe retina. Divergent rays of light coming from nearbyobjects come to a focus farther behind the retina.-

Our eye has a certain power to increase the bending.(convergence) of light rays entering the eye. This power iscalled the 'accommodative power'. It is because of

48 VISTON TRAINTNG PROGRAMME

accommodation that a hypermetrope usually sees distantobjects quite clearly. However, the accommodative powermay be insufficient to enable the person to see near objectsclearly.

(8ie.7.2) \The constant use of accommodation taxes the muscles

inside the eye and many a time gives rise'to Syrnptomslike eye-fatigue, eye-strain and headaches.

While the evidence clearly indicates that myopia is theresult of environmental factors,.the causes of hypermetropi4are not so clear.

The behaviour associated with farsightedness is almostopposite to that associated with_lyopia. Research hasshown that farsighted individuals tend to be more concer--ned about tomorrow than the here and the now. They arcusually extroverts, confident, less meticulous or diligent andtend to show off their emotions. They like overall organi'sation and structure but tend to gloss over details. Theychoose professions where teamwork is essential..g., busine,Fs.They are often the centre of activity-but on the playingfield rather than the chess club or the table-tennis court.They enjoy team sports like hockey or football.

Testing for farsightedness :Props : Both near as well as distant eye-sight testing

charts provided at the end of this book.Glasses : Do not use glasses.Routine :( 1) Place or hang the distant-sight testing chart on

the wall at eye level., ( 2 ) Measure twenty feet from the chart and mark it.( 3 ) Stand or sit at the twenty feet mark.

H

iSELF.ASSESSMENT. : PART TWO 49

(4) Hold the near-sight testing chart in your hands.-Children and adults below forty should hold it at a distancJof six inches from eyes, adults forty to fifty years oldsirould hold it at a distance of fourteen inches from theeyes, whereas adults above fifty should hold'itata distance.of twenty inches from the eyes.

( 5 ) Cover the left eye with the left palm.( 6 ) Look at the neir-sight testing chart. Focus if

possible. Can the smallest print be easily read ?

Are all th6.letters quite clear ? Keep looking at the distantchart for,a while.

( S ) Shift the gaze quickly back to the near chart.( 9 ) Note the focal shift. Is the smallest print clear ?

Does the print become clear after some time ? Do_ you,liave to move the near chart slightly away to bs'able_ toread the smallest print ?

(10) Would you say that rebding the distant chart- iseasier for you than reading the near chart ?

(ll)'Repeat the entire procedure with the feft eye,keeping the right eye covered with the right palm.

Obseryatiol :t Right eye :' ( 1) I could read all/only some lines of ths distant

chart clearly.( 2 ) The letters of the distant chart were clear immedi-

ately/after some time.( 3 ) I could/could not read the smallest print of the

near chart clearly.( 4 ) After shifting the gaze from the distant to the

near chart, the print was immediately (a) clear or (b) clearafter some time or (e) clear only on moving the nearchart away.

( 5 ) I could read at distance/near more easily thannear/distance.3 / Vision Training Programme , -' ',

50 VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

Left eye 3( I ) I could read all/only some lines of the distant

chart clearly.( 2) The letters of the distant

diately/after some time.( 3 ) I could/could not read the smallest print on the

near chart clearly.( 4 ) After shifting the gaz.e from the distant to the

near chart, the print was immediately (a) clear or (b) clearafter some time or (c) clear only on moving the nearchart away.

( 5 ) I could read at distance/near more easily thannear/distance.

Evaluation : If you can immediately see clearly distantas well as near charts, you probably do not suffer fromhypermetropia. After shifting the gaze from distant to nearchart, if the smallest print becomes clear only after sometime or on moving the chart away, or if the smallest printis not clear, you have low to moderate hypefmetropia. Ifyou can't read even the distant chart clearly and if youhave greater difficulty for near than for distance, you havehigh hypermetropia. If your age is about 40 years and ifyou have recently started experiencing difficulty for,near, yeuhave a special type of hypermetropia, termed presbytrpia.

Note : The visual status of the two eyes is not necessarilysimilar. Ono eye may be normal and the other farsighted, or,one eye may have a lesser degree of farsightedness and theother may have a greater degree of farsightedness. Such acondition is called anisornetropia. Anisometropia is often associatedwith other visu al or ocular defects like fusion problerns,$uppre$sion of the vision of the weaker eye and latent squint.Tests to detect the presence or absence of these defects have beendescribed later in this chapter.

, ( 3 ) Astigmatism : Astigmatism is a visual defect whichis caused by an irregularity in the surface of either thecornea or the crystilline lens. When corneal or lenticulbr

chart were clebr imme-

SEIF-ASSESSMENT : PART TWO

sur\ace is regular, all the light rays entering the eye forma point focus. But if corneal or lenticular surface is irregu-lar (i.e., steeper in one plane and flatter in the other), thelight tays entering the eyes form two separate focal lines.This has been diagrammatically presented below. A. persottwith astigmatism usually sees a part (meridian) of an objectmor clearly than another part (meridian) situated at'aright angle to the former part.

C D E FG#

Gie. 7.3)VV-the vertical meridian of cornea which is more curved (steeper)than HH-the horizontal meridian of cornea. Note that the rays oflight striking the cornea along its vertical meridian are bent moreacutely than those striking the cornea along its horizontal meridian.Hence instead of a point-focus, two focal lines are fogned (at B and F)._

-tJgdelstanding how astigmatism develops can be instru-inental in preventing or treating it. If posture is tilted otthe face misshapen, the eyes will attempt to compensate forthe distortion and try their best to maintain a correctbalance, straining some muscles and relaxing others.

How a physical imbalance can lead to optical distortionscan be easily understood if we imagine that the body iscomposed of triangles balancing on top of one another. Ifone of the triangles is not balanced, the others won'tbe, either

5r

oA

52. VISION TRAINING PROGRAMME

----//

- ---7 /

f/f/I

- --- -7///,//

(Fig. 7.4)Besides blurred vision and eye-strain, astigmatism often

resralts in headaches.Testing for astigmatism :Props : Dial chart given below.Glasses : Do not use glasses.Routine :( 1 ) Cover the left eye with the left palm.( 2 ) Hold the dial chart in the right hand and stretch

the arm so that the chart comEs to lie far away from theeye.

b

SELF.ASSESSMENT : PART TWO 53

0-1 80" 0-1 80"

1 65'

15 90"(Fig. 7.5 : The astigmatic ilial chart)

( 3 ) Slowly bring the chart closer to you until at leasts.ome lines are dark and relatively clear.

( 4 ) Determine the darkest (clearest) and the lightestlines. Are they situated at right angles to each other ?

( 5 ) Rotate the chart through ninety degrees. Thespatial location of the most clear and most blurred linesshould remain the same.

( 6 ) Repeat the entire routine with the left eye, keepingthe right eye covered with the right palm.

Evaluation : If all the lines appear equally clear, it.indicates an absence of astigmatism. lf the line of a parti-cular meridian appears darker than the rest and if the lineperpendicular to it appears the least clear, it is an indica-iion of astigmatistn. - Tttt greater the difference in tone

120eTob'

I54 VISION TRA}NING PROGRAMME

between the clear and the blurred lines, the gredter thedegroe of astigmatism.

t({) Suppression : We have two eyes, the retina of each'eyq foilning an -i4qaee of its own. Yet, when we look at anobjdct, we do not see it double because our brain processesthe two images and fuses them into one. Such fusion ispossible only if the two images are almost similar in sizeind clarity. Our brain cannot fuse two considerably dissimi-'lar images. The images on the two retinae will be dissimi.lar if the refractive power (visual status) of the two eyesis vastly differeft (i.e., if one eye is n'ormal or has a slightdefect and the other has a greater defect requiring a glass.or .if one of the eyes is a crossed eye (i.e., it has tmnedin or out, so that'non-corresponding areas of two retinaeare stimulated). Dissimilar images are sour@s of confusionfor the brain. The brain, therefore, concentrates only onone (better) image and ignores the other. This phenomenonis called suppression.

The suppressed eye can perform by itself when hecessary,.,so that this condition is not discovered when the victimcovers the other eye; The person is not usually aware thathe is not seeing with both eyes together.

The vision of a person with suppression in gne eye coulCbe thought of as one dimensional. He finds it difficult to iudgethe location of an object in space correctly. He bumps itrtothings or knocks over glasses. He does not know or under-stand what is wrong or missing and why he is so clumqy.H. G. Wells hai written in his autobiography that he believedhis unbalance{ or uneven vision, good in one eye but poorin the other, prevented him from becorying a better writer.

If suppression is not corrected or /reated in time, thesuppressed eye gradually loses its power of seeing aqdliecomes amblyopic. .{,n amblyopic eye is a'lazy eye which'cannot be fully awakened,(i.e., its vision cannot be corrected)even with bppropriate glasses. Amblyopia hai been describedin greater details later in this chapter.

Testing for suppression :Props : A thin rope (string)

buttons or beads that will threadtightly, on the rope.

Glasses : Perform the routinewith glasses on

SBLF-ASSESSMENT : PART TWO 55

twelve feet longo threesecurelYn but not too

first without' and then

(Fig. 7.6)

ItTtH on, ,oa of the string to a door-knob. Placebuttons on the string at distances of six inches, eighteenindhes and four feet from the door-knsb.

( 2 ) Stand twelve feet fron the door-knob. Hold thestring taut against the tip of your nose.

( 3 ) With borh the eyes, look at $p hole of the bfttonclosest to Y