Basic information

Dr. William Horatio Bates (1860–1930) was, at the time, one of the best ophthalmologists working in renowned New York hospitals; an ophthalmology lecturer; and also ran a private practice. He devoted his entire life to the study of eye function and the vision process.

In 1920, he published the book Perfect Sight Without Glasses, in which he disagreed with the generally accepted Helmholtz theory of vision (which is still used in ophthalmology today). This theory holds that sharp vision depends on tiny ciliary muscles located inside the eye, which supposedly "control" the thickness of the lens. Helmholtz attributed the primary role in accommodation to them. Dr. Bates concluded that the main tool of accommodation is not the lens, but the external eye muscles, responsible not only for eye movements but also for lengthening and shortening the entire eye in its anterior-posterior axis (similar to a camera lens or binoculars). Bates described experiments on animals and patients that, in his view, confirmed this theory (Perfect Sight Without Glasses, 1920, ch. 4–6); mainstream ophthalmology, however, continues to attribute accommodation primarily to the lens.

He explained clear vision of close objects by the work of the two (external) oblique muscles, which flatten (lengthen) the eyeball — much as a ball flattens when you sit on it — while precise vision of distant objects involved the work of the four (external) straight muscles, contracting ("shortening") the eye in the opposite direction. Bates' view that the eye functions in this way (through the extraocular muscles) is supported by unexplained cases of clear vision in people who, for one reason or another (e.g., cataracts), had their lens removed or were born without one.

What seems most notable about Bates is his approach to the patient and their illness. Bates did not wonder, as almost all ophthalmologists do, how to choose the best glasses for the patient. He thought about how to really help a given patient, that is, how to cure them of their ailment so they could see normally. The main assumptions of Bates' theory are:

1. Recovering Good Vision is Possible

   One of the basic assumptions of Dr. Bates was the statement that just as a broken limb can be brought back to full functionality through exercises and rehabilitation treatments, so can the organ of vision be restored to full functionality, meaning visual acuity, without the need for glasses.

2. Rejecting Artificial Lenses and Glasses

   According to Dr. Bates' assumptions, glasses and artificial lenses are to the eyes what crutches are to a person with a healed broken leg. A person with a vision impairment, if they do not reject their own crutches for the eyes (which are glasses) and undertake rehabilitation treatments, i.e., re-education and improvement of the visual organ, will never achieve improved vision; on the contrary, they can only expect a worsening of their vision quality and the need for stronger lenses prescribed by an ophthalmologist.

3. Visual Acuity is Variable

   One of Bates' theoretical assumptions was the statement that visual acuity changes from good to bad and vice versa, depending on the physical and emotional state of a given person. Bates noticed that vision is not constantly at one level of quality but changes continuously.

4. Re-educating Vision: Getting Rid of Bad Habits

   Dr. Bates concluded that most of the impairments hindering the process of vision are caused by improper use of the visual organ. Bad habits of using the eyes are always closely related to strain and tension, and this tension affects the entire body as well. Dr. Bates discovered that by learning good vision techniques (particularly relaxation techniques), the tension in the eyes and the whole body is reduced. He observed this when his patients learned methods of relaxing the eyes and mind, which directly improved their vision and reduced their refractive errors.

5. Relaxation: The Key to Success

   In Dr. Bates' method, the ability for passive and dynamic relaxation is the first and most basic technique that leads to improved vision. By relaxation, we mean not only the general skill of relaxing muscles but also mental relaxation, without which the process of vision is not possible. The relaxation techniques that Bates used proved sufficient in many cases to achieve improved vision for many of his patients.

6. Basic Techniques Used by Bates

   Here we will only list the basic techniques Bates used with his patients, which produced surprising results in treating vision impairments. These techniques will be described in detail in the appropriate sections of our portal. These will include: body and eye relaxation, palming, central fixation, sunning, swinging, visualization, blinking, micro eye movements, flash technique, analytical looking, and many others that we will try to discuss here.

Visiting an ophthalmologist is important for several reasons. First, they will determine your vision defect, which will facilitate choosing exercises for a specific defect and serve as a benchmark for vision improvement. A specialist visit also allows for the identification of unusual changes in the eye, degenerations, tumors, and other eye diseases that may contraindicate the exercises described here.

It is also worth mentioning follow-up visits to track your progress. A follow-up eye examination should be done no more often than about once a year. This is due, among other things, to the large measurement error of the so-called "computerized eye exam." To track your progress between visits, you can use a Snellen chart.

To perform the exercises presented here, the eye must try to work, and it won't do this if we put on well-fitted "prosthetics" such as glasses. Generally, we recommend the following approach:

1. For vision defects of 1 diopter or less, exercises should be performed without glasses. People with such defects should stop wearing glasses altogether. Exception: when driving a car, wear the lenses prescribed by your ophthalmologist.
2. For vision defects greater than 1 diopter, buy glasses about 1 diopter weaker and use them for exercises and daily wear. Exception: when driving a car, wear the lenses prescribed by your ophthalmologist.
3. People wearing contact lenses should stop using them (they cannot be used effectively for exercises) and buy glasses (see points 1 and 2 above). Alternatively, you can exercise in the morning and evening, before putting in your contact lenses, and do mainly relaxation exercises during the day.

Using lenses weaker than your full prescription makes your eyes work. At first, it will certainly be an effort, but after a week or two you will see how much stronger your eyes become. You will start recognizing things that were previously very blurry and practically invisible.

So remove your eye "prosthetics" and get to work...

Since vision exercises place a significant demand on your eyes, it is worth supporting them with a proper diet or supplements. We don't want to encourage you to take everything you find in a pharmacy, but please read the tips below, and perhaps you will use some of them for the benefit of your eyes. We highly recommend using eye drops, particularly those with hyaluronic acid, to keep your eyes properly lubricated.