"What's Your Eye-Q?"

Discover How You Can Go Beyond 20/20 Eyesight
to More Clearly See and Interpret the Light!

Over three out of four people believe that their sight is the most important sense they have. This is probably related to the fact that about 80% of what you perceive through your senses comes in through your sight.

Good eyesight plays a crucial role in your mobility and your enjoyment of life so it would certainly make sense to optimize your eyesight as much as possible without the use of artificial and unnatural aids that may only worsen your vision with continued use.

 

Why Eyeglasses Can Actually Make Your Vision Worse

While it is true that eyeglasses bring some people improved vision and relief from pain and discomfort, they do more or less harm; and at their best, they won't improve your vision to normal.

Most people don't realize that their visual abnormalities are a dynamic process that can vary regularly throughout the day due to a variety of conditions. They simply are not set in stone.

Pioneering physicians examined 20,000 school children and found that more than half had normal eyes with sight that was perfect at times, but not one of them had perfect sight in each eye at all times of the day. Their sight might be good in the morning and imperfect in the afternoon, or imperfect in the morning and perfect in the afternoon.

Many children could read one Snellen test card with perfect sight, while unable to see a different one perfectly. Many could also read some letters of the alphabet perfectly, while unable to distinguish other letters of the same size under similar conditions.

What was true for those children was also true for adults.

The degree of imperfect sight varies within wide limits. Its duration can also vary. Under some conditions it might continue for only a few minutes or less, while under others it might prevent the subject from seeing the blackboard for days, weeks, or even longer.

The bottom line is that you or your children do not have a static, unchanging visual impairment. It changes widely throughout the day.

Eyeglasses Don't Compensate for Variable Vision

One of the most foundational flaws with glasses is that they provide an unchanging consistent correction for a refractive error in your eye that is CONSTANTLY changing.

After you begin to wear glasses, in most cases, the correction has to be steadily increased in order to maintain the degree of visual acuity secured by the aid of your first pair. Wearing glasses progressively decreases your vision with time.

A person with myopia of 20/70 who puts on glasses which provide them with a vision of 20/20 may find that in a week's time their unaided vision has declined to 20/200.

When people break their glasses and go without them for a week or two, they frequently observe that their sight improves. As a matter of fact, sight typically improves to a greater or lesser degree, when glasses are discarded. Although many might not be aware of or recognize this change.

The difficulty of keeping glasses clean is one of the minor discomforts of glasses. On damp and rainy days, the atmosphere clouds them. On hot days, the perspiration from your body may have a similar effect. On cold days, they are often clouded by the moisture of your breath.

Every day, they are subject to contamination by dust and moisture, and marks made by your fingers due to unavoidable handling. It is seldom they provide an absolutely unobstructed view. Additionally, they are easy to misplace or break.

Other downsides of glasses include:

  • The cost of glasses and eye doctor appointments
  • Unnatural and a non-holistic remedy for your vision health – they send the wrong message to your mind and body
  • When you use them as reading glasses, to some individuals, they can be socially embarrassing and a sign of aging
  • May cause eye injury

And if you have children, there's a growing consensus that…

Oftentimes, Your Kids Don't Even Need Glasses

Behavioral Optometrists routinely use stress reducing glasses (during reading and computer work) that increase visual performance and prevent vision deterioration. These glasses are not designed to compensate for refractive error, work exceedingly well as a preventive tool, and are never prescribed by ophthalmologist (including pediatric ophthalmologists).

Now, think of all the issues I mentioned above with your eyeglasses, and apply them to your kids.

I would strongly advise you to exercise extreme caution before you impose glasses on your children. It really is tragic when children are destined to a lifetime of having to wear glasses because, of all age groups, they are the ones that best respond to natural eye improvement strategies.

A study conducted by Anglia Polytechnic University in Cambridge, England, found that the very best intentions by optometrists to correct short-sightedness in a group of 94 children, in fact, made the children's vision worse.

Another study published in Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavia in March 2002, showed that in hunter/gatherer populations less than 2% of the children required glasses, unlike European or Asian populations that have up to 50% of children needing glasses.

The study of 229 hunter/gatherer societies found that refined cereals and sugars were rarely, if ever, consumed in these groups living in their traditional manner. But the moment they had Western contact, these foods rapidly became dietary staples and the loss of the children's vision followed after that.

Eating whole, natural and unprocessed foods without an excess of grains, sugars, sodas, or fruit juices helped keep their insulin levels in check.

The reason many children require glasses for vision correction is due to increases in free insulin-like growth factor (IGF).

Remember, if you start your kids out on glasses you could be starting their slow vision deterioration at a very young age.

This is obviously something no parent would want for their children.

Program Works Exceptionally Well for Children

Further in this report, I will discuss more specifics of a natural vision recovery program, but there is a major point you need to understand when making the decision to put glasses on your child.

If they are under 12 years of age, or even under 16, and have never worn glasses, they usually improve in a few days, weeks, or months, and nearly always within a year, by doing something as simple as reading a Snellen test card every day.

Warning: LASIK May Cause You More Problems than Improvement

Warning: LASIK

The latest laser technology can slice and dice your cornea, reshaping it through computer driven instruments to correct refractive error.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if a simple surgery could provide a quick fix? I know many of you have considered LASIK (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) surgery. The challenge is that for many, LASIK produces amazing results in the short term.

But what many people fail to consider is the long term perspective. Recent studies raised further questions on the safety and efficacy of laser surgery for improving sight.

And most patients do not recover 20/20 vision. The long-term view is not much better.

Even for those who initially attain "perfect" 20/20 eyesight, the improvement diminishes for many after six months, requiring the use of glasses for such tasks as night driving or reading.

And the costs?

Most insurance companies still do not cover the procedure. Here are just a few examples of the pricing and option complexities you face:

  • $2,105 for all laser-based vision correction procedures in which a single price is quoted.
  • $1,662 for non-customized LASIK using a bladed instrument (microkeratome) and excimer lasers not guided by wavefront analysis.
  • $2,341 for wavefront-guided LASIK using IntraLase.

Even more troubling is your risk of complications and side effects from botched or problematic LASIK surgery – many of which have been downplayed to the general public.

Even though the FDA is supportive of LASIK surgery, their own website on LASIK surgery raises the following risks you should be aware of:

  • Some patients lose vision – Some patients lose lines of vision on the vision chart that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery as a result of treatment.
  • Some patients develop debilitating visual symptoms – Some patients develop glare, halos, and/or double vision that can seriously affect nighttime vision.
  • You may be under treated or over treated – Only a certain percent of patients achieve 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts. You may require additional treatment, but additional treatment may not be possible.
  • Some patients may develop severe dry eye syndrome – As a result of surgery, your eye may not be able to produce enough tears to keep your eye moist and comfortable. This condition may be permanent.
  • Results are generally not as good in patients with very large refractive errors of any type – You should discuss your expectations with your doctor and realize that you may still require glasses or contacts after the surgery.
  • For some farsighted patients, results may diminish with age – The level of improved vision you experience after surgery for farsightedness may decrease with age.
  • Long-term data are not available – LASIK is a relatively new technology. Therefore, the long-term safety and effectiveness of LASIK surgery is not known.

Are you ready to give it a try? I would not recommend it.

And besides, remember I'm driven to find a natural, holistic approach for both of us. This certainly does not come close.

Could a Natural Option Really be this Simple?
Amazingly the Answer is "Yes."

Your mind is the source of much of the stress from outside sources brought to bear upon your eye. Every thought of effort in your mind, of whatever sort, transmits a motor impulse to your eye; and every such impulse causes a deviation from the normal in the shape of the eyeball and lessens the sensitiveness of the center of sight.

If you want to have perfect vision, therefore, you must minimize stress in your mind. Mental strain of any kind always produces conscious or unconscious eyestrain and if the strain takes the form of an effort to see, an error of refraction is always produced.

Mental strain may produce many different kinds of eyestrain. While there are many types of strains, there is only one solution for all of them, namely, relaxation.

The health of your eye depends upon your blood, and circulation is very largely influenced by your thoughts. When your thoughts are not attended by any excitement or strain – the circulation in your brain is normal, the supply of blood to your optic nerve and your visual centers are normal, and your vision is perfect.

When your thoughts are abnormal, your circulation is disturbed, the supply of blood to your optic nerve and visual centers is altered, and your vision lowered.

You can consciously think thoughts that disturb your circulation and lower your visual power; you can also consciously think thoughts that will restore normal circulation and thereby improve not only all errors of refraction, but many other abnormal conditions of your eyes.

You cannot, by any amount of effort make yourself see, but by learning to control your thoughts, you can accomplish that end indirectly.

When a disturbing thought is replaced by one that relaxes, your squint disappears, the double vision and the errors of refraction are corrected and this is as true of abnormalities of long standing as of those produced voluntarily.

In a fraction of a second the highest degrees of refractive error may be corrected, a squint may disappear, or the blindness of amblyopia may be relieved.

If the relaxation is only momentary, the correction is momentary. When it becomes permanent, the correction is permanent.

This relaxation cannot, however, be obtained by any sort of effort. It is fundamental that you understand this; for so long as you think, consciously or unconsciously, that relief from strain may be obtained by another strain your improvement will be delayed.

That is why RELAXING your eyes and addressing the stressors that contribute to the stress are the keys to help you recover your vision.

Why Making Sound Dietary and Emotional Choices are Key Vision Enhancers

Temporary conditions may contribute to the strain to see that result in poor eyesight, but its foundation lies in wrong habits of thought.

Very seldom is the impairment or destruction of vision due to any fault in the construction of your eye. Of two equally good pairs of eyes, one will retain perfect sight to the end of life, and the other will lose it in kindergarten simply because one looks at things without effort and the other does not.

In addition to optimizing blood flow by relaxing and controlling your thoughts, you can also directly improve the nutrients your central nervous system and eye receive by focusing on high-quality nutrition.

Here are the dietary guidelines I follow to support eyesight:

  • Eat plenty of foods containing lutein – spinach, broccoli, zucchini, peas
  • Increase your intake of omega-3s – krill oil is a great choice
  • Eat nutritious raw egg yolks – they contain zeaxanthin and lutein
  • Consume plenty of raw vegetables and fruits – particularly dark berries
  • Avoid processed foods especially those containing trans fats

And now, for the rest of the story…

How Your Computer Could Add to Your Visual Stress

Particularly, in this high-tech age of amazing electronic devices, many people spend their entire day in front of their computer.

And this doesn't necessarily end when traveling on business or pleasure. While on the road, people are often glued to their laptops regardless of where they are in the virtual world.

Well, this can lead you to glazed-over, fatigued, and stressed out eyes.

And you're not alone. The American Optometric Association found that about 75% of computer users complain of visual discomfort after prolonged computer use.

As a result of the visual stress you might be enduring, you could suffer from:

  • Blurred or double vision
  • Visual fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Neck pain
  • Shoulder discomfort

There are steps you can take to help relieve this visual stress… but first, it's important for you to fully understand how to identify any visual inefficiencies you might have.

Sometimes, they are not so obvious… you may not even give them a second thought.

Take Your FREE Eye-Q Stress Test

Here's a quick questionnaire to help you determine whether you're experiencing visual stress:

1. My eyes feel tired at the end of the day Yes Sometimes No
2. My eyes feel tired after reading or using the computer Yes Sometimes No
3. I have trouble concentrating Yes Sometimes No
4. My vision gets worse after prolonged reading or computer work Yes Sometimes No
5. I have difficulty retaining what I have just read Yes Sometimes No
6. I skip words, lines, or lose my place while reading Yes Sometimes No
7. I get headaches during or after reading/computer work Yes Sometimes No
8. Words move, run together or double during reading Yes Sometimes No
9. Words go in and out of focus while reading Yes Sometimes No
10. I have difficulty judging distances when driving or playing sports Yes Sometimes No
11. I have difficulty tracking moving objects with my eyes Yes Sometimes No
12. I have difficulty catching or hitting a ball Yes Sometimes No

If you answered "Yes" or "Sometimes" to any of these questions, you're experiencing the effects of visual stress.

I strongly recommend you take action as soon as possible to alleviate the stress and protect your visual fitness.

15 Routines You and Your Family
Can Practice Now to Enhance Your Visual Fitness

Here are healthy vision habits I recommend you practice to optimize overall visual fitness.

Making a commitment to follow these practices will start you on the road to relieving your visual stress.

Even if you responded "No" to all of the questions in the questionnaire above, you still should follow these practices to maximize your vision health.

While Working, Reading, and Studying:

  • When possible, do not wear your distance prescription lenses while reading or working at the computer.
  • Avoid reading, studying, or working at the computer for longer than fifteen minutes without taking a quick break. During your break, look out a window or up at a distant object, allowing it to come into focus. If possible, get up and just walk around for a minute or two.
  • Make sure you have good lighting while reading or studying. Whenever possible use natural or full-spectrum lighting.
  • Have your desk facing into a room or out of a window. Remember to take frequent breaks to look off into the distance while working. This is an important one and typically easy to implement, so put it high on your priority list.
  • Choose a chair that does not limit movement. Your feet should be flat on the floor and pointing straight ahead.
  • When you read, make sure that you are seated in a comfortable chair with your back erect. Poor posture often leads to holding reading material too close.
  • When reading, tilt your book up about 20 degrees and look up at a distant object as you turn the page.
  • Take a one to two-minute break from reading or studying every 15 to 30 minutes. It will allow you to read for longer periods of time.

When Travelling:

  • Avoid reading or other near-point activities while riding in a car. Instead, look off into the distance and relax your eyes.
  • Whenever possible, take a short vision break by removing your glasses when someone else is driving the car you are in.

During Leisure Time:

  • Remove your glasses or contact lenses whenever you don't really need them. Experiment with this at home when you eat or talk on the phone. This will give your eyes a chance to relax.
  • Do not sit any closer to the TV than 6 to 8 feet and sit upright.
  • When walking outdoors, view a distant object close to eye level. Look at it softly. Be aware of your surroundings.
  • Spend some time outdoors each day without your glasses or contact lenses, so that your eyes can experience natural unfiltered light. Remember, put safety first.
  • Do something that you enjoy every day without wearing your glasses or contact lenses. This will give your eyes a short visual break, allowing them to relax.

A Unique and Patented Way
You Can Improve Your Vision in Only 10 Minutes a Day

I realize that finding the time to practice all these visual routines may be challenging for you. For example, due to the type of work you do, you may not be able to stop using your computer every 15 minutes.

Well, follow as many of them as you can. With my constant fast-paced schedule, I'm challenged by many of these practices as well.

So I felt determined to find a source of vision therapy that you could do wherever you are and in a short period of time that would complement the visual routines.

Now, forms of vision therapy have been around for many decades… with certain techniques being taught today at top Optometry schools dating back to 1928.

However, what my team and I discovered is a unique, and patented way to improve your vision fitness and to help relieve your visual stress… and it only takes 10 minutes a day.

Now, this is not a quick fix if you have a serious visual dysfunction – always check with your vision specialist prior to any vision therapy.

But to provide you relief from visual stress and help you optimize your vision health, this is a pretty amazing solution I strongly recommend.

Here's why…

How to Train Your Eyes to Work Faster, More Accurately, and More Efficiently

What I uncovered is a unique form of proven vision therapy that could help you improve your…

  • Visual attention
  • Reading efficiency and comprehension
  • Athletic performance and marksmanship
  • Aiming, tracking, focusing, and teaming of your eyes
  • Speed and span of perception and dynamic depth perception

… in only 10 minutes a day over a 3-week period!

When I say "proven," I mean backed up by 4 comprehensive studies reported in highly-respected optometry journals:

  • A study published in Optometry (Volume 77, Issue 10, October 2006) showed how research at Pacific University College of Optometry…
    • Revealed that using this patented technique over a 3-week period for just 10 minutes a day – yielded significant improvement in the participant's ability to aim, focus, and use their eyes as a team, as well as improving reading efficiency and comprehension.
  • The second study published in the Journal of Behavioral Optometry (Volume 16, Number 6, 2005)…
    • Demonstrated how this unique approach – resulted in a 90% improvement in Little League batting performance after only 3 weeks of use.
  • A third study published in the Journal of Behavioral Optometry (Volume 17, Number 4, 2006)…
    • Showed statistically significant improvement in visual attention, speed, span of recognition, and marksmanship by the Maui County Police Department when using this vision therapy.
  • The fourth study, conducted at Northeastern State University College of Optometry and published in the Journal of Behavioral Optometry (Volume 19, Number 2, 2008)…
    • Demonstrated how this specific therapy – significantly improved visual attention, focus, and depth perception in subjects.

So, what is this unique and patented form of vision therapy?

Space-Age System Ready to Help You Effectively See the Light!

Here are more features and associated benefits that make this system the only one of its type I use myself to improve not only my physical, but my mental vision…

  • Portable and easy to use – The unit can be easily collapsed and taken with you anywhere you go – powered by 4 AA batteries allowing usage almost anywhere.
  • Provides automatic shut-off power saver – If you get up and walk-away and forget about the unit, it will automatically shutoff within 2 minutes saving your batteries – U.S. unit comes with AC power adapter.
  • Comes with 3 factory-set exercise programs and 10 different speed settings – Helps you quickly get started on exercising and retraining your eyes.
  • Equipped with auditory stimulus option – By allowing you to hear as well as see the red and blue lights, it reinforces your eyes' ability to locate the target – enhancing your retraining experience.
  • Provides design-your-own program capabilities – Once you've completed the 3 factory-set programs, you can program the system to refocus in a particular area you need or create random speed eye movement exercises – there's really no limit to how you can program the unit to further boost your vision fitness.
  • Includes special reversible glasses to train each eye individually – Creates unique effect that allows you to alternately exercise the ability of each of your eyes to aim, track, and focus. Plus, at the same time, helps you train your eyes to work together in unison.

So, you can see how the Eyeport System is tops in my book.

More:

http://products.mercola.com/eyeport-eye-exercise/?e_cid=20121116_DNL_YRP_3&source=nl

© Copyright 1997-2012 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.