Improving your eyesight with the Bates method
Good question! In this section Plus goes in search of answers to nagging questions. This time: Can you train your eyes so that you don’t need glasses anymore?
Around the age of forty, many people really have to believe in them: the glasses. However, there are also people who are convinced that you can train your eyes in such a way that you no longer need glasses – neither for far nor for near. What’s up with that?
A small piece of history to start with: in the early twentieth century the American ophthalmologist William Bates developed his so-called Bates method. By developing the right viewing habits, you could improve your eyesight, eliminating the need for glasses over time. Bates assumed that stress in particular caused a lot of damage to the quality of vision. In recent years, the Bates method has gained more adherents, probably partly as a result of the increased interest in alternative medicine.
Bates: no scientific evidence
In 2009, GezondheidsNet asked various experts for their opinion about the efficacy of the Bates method. It turned out that opinions are strongly divided. Scientists see no benefit in the method, partly because no scientific proof has been provided to date. In addition, they refute various claims of the supporters of the Bates method with data that have been scientifically researched. In conclusion, you can say that the method mainly works for people who sincerely believe in it – in that sense it can be compared to alternative medicine.
Relaxation for your eyes
The Bates method assumes, among other things, that you improve your eyes through daily relaxation exercises for the eyes. Although there is no scientific evidence for this, it is a fact that it is good for the eyes to relax regularly. Relaxation exercises can ensure that you are less likely to suffer from dry or watery and itchy eyes. In addition, it is good for concentration: your eyes work closely with the brain and because of the relaxation it is easier to concentrate again on what you are doing. The simplest exercise is this:
- Sit with your elbows on the table or on your desk.
- Make two bowls of your hands and place them on your eyes, with the palms at the level of the eyes.
- Close your eyes and sit like this for a few minutes, breathing in and out very slowly.
Training eye muscles?
What can be trained are the eye muscles, but then we are talking about a specific condition: convergence weakness. The eye muscles do not work well enough together, so that your vision becomes blurred or double when you read, do handicrafts, write or work on the computer. When someone suffers from convergence weakness, training certain eye muscles can help. Because there are different types of exercises, each with their own effects, it is the ophthalmologist or orthoptist who determines which exercises are suitable. Effect only occurs if someone continues to do the exercises consistently. Other treatments for convergence weakness include prismatic glasses – not to be confused with reading glasses! – or even surgery.
In short…
No, it is not possible to train your eyes in such a way that you can throw away your glasses. Relaxation exercises can provide minimal improvement in vision, with an emphasis on ability. However, the improvement will then be so small that it will not make a difference in terms of prescription.
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