First of all, let me tell you that I don’t like eyecharts. I think they are boring. I much prefer to look at the trees. But they certainly have their use.
I noticed that whenever I look at an eyechart as a chart trying to see how many letters I can make out I can almost never can make any. On the other hand if I just glance at it like an object (just something to look at) without trying to make letters I have some glimpses of improved vision. Sometimes if I just look at the eyechart for a few seconds the letters would come into focus but that does not usually last. The psychological switch is very subtle though and I cannot always get into the required state.
Another point is that eyecharts are different. Different eyecharts have different impacts. I like the one I made myself (just printed some letters on a sheet). I made several others too but they did not seem to be as good.
Actually the worse thing about the eyechart is its falsehood. People usually treat eyechart like a way to test their vision. Virtually every advice on the eyechart includes something along the lines to look at it until you can see a letter (or a line) clear (or clearer). Well, in my experience, if you can see one line or letter clearly, all of them become clear (except the very small ones, and sometimes even they are clear).
So I recommend you print your own eyechart. Don’t even bother with small letters, you can always print another chart with smaller letters when your vision becomes better.
For those of you who just want to print eyecharts and don't want to make your own, here's an excellent resource.
The main point to keep in mind is that you should be able to relax while you look at it. And if you remember the letters and are able to imagine them, it’s even better, I think that is what Bates called memory and imagination as an aid to vision.
By the way I am not good at memory/imagination thing myself but Bates reports some amazing stories. There is a case of a doctor who was cured when he was able to imagine that the printed letters were perfectly black.
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2 comments:
I certainly appreciate your honesty--and the fact that you are not trying to sell anything--both refreshing and rare qualities.
If you are not good at memory and imagination, why don't you ptactice it until you are? Without memory of black you are a novice who can't do a single thing from the Book -- black period is used everywhere! Practice regularly with small Snellen card from close distance in good light. Look at a letter without strain for a short instance, then close your eyes and remember the blackness of the letter. Notice central fixation first between the letter and the blank card margin, looking far enough away so that you can't read the letter while not looking at it, gradualy decreasing the distance until you can shift between sides of the same letter. Notice the swing of the letter with both open and closed eyes.
When you practice it, you will be surprised to find out something about your vision. Particularly how imperfect it actually is even at the close point where myopes are supposed to see well.
For months and years I've not been practicing this thing, the exact thing what Dr. Bates said to do, because I used to find it more interesting to look far away waiting for a clear flash to happen there. It might be the case with you too :) It's crucial to start practicing from the close distance, because it's the only "resource" that myopes actually have. The card must be regarded at the distance where you DO see best, not almost best. Looking further than that is a big stress and unfavorable condition for myopes. People tend to underestimate that.
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