September, School and Sight

Now that the summer is sadly over, we are getting back to our regular work and studying schedules. Kids are going back to school, so we need to remember the importance of eye health and vision hygiene. A large percentage of children are annually diagnosed with poor eyesight and/or an inability to see clearly. Nearsightedness and farsightedness are the most common conditions.

If these are not addressed, kids may fall behind educationally and have low self-esteem.   Yet unfortunately, this issue has been made more acute by our increased use of screens (smartphones, computers, televisions etc.).  Today, everyone, including children, spends too much time in front of screens. That can cause eye strain and headaches. Squinting, sitting closer to the television or board at school, as well as holding smartphones and tablets closer, and an unwillingness to read, could serve as indicators that a person has vision problems.

Excessive screen time can cause the eye muscles to strain, thus causing fatigue. In fact, studies have suggested prolonged exposure to digital screens could potentially be contributing to the rising prevalence of short sightedness in children.

As we all know, making sure our children are ready to go back to school is important; that includes ensuring they have good eyesight which is a crucial part of the learning process.  So, it’s essential their eyes are in top condition.

Bates method of natural vision improvement

As you may already know, I have added the Bates method to my services. Doctor William H. Bates was an ophthalmologist in New York City 100 years ago and created a natural method of improving eyesight. He helped many of his patients cease needing glasses and improve vision without surgeries or medications despite having conditions like cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and many others. The method is remarkably simple and based on relaxation of intraocular and extraocular muscles by adding daily practices.  It can be achieved with positive intentions and patience. One of Dr. Bates’ projects was working with schoolchildren to improve their vision by putting Snellen eye charts in the classrooms, so kids could check themselves daily without pressure and get familiar with them. Another practice was palming: a patient rests his or her eyes in total darkness by covering them with palms and relaxing.

In one of the articles from Better Eyesight monthly magazine, Dr. Bates wrote: “Teachers who have studied my book or have been patients find it an advantage to have the children palm five minutes three or four times a day. They claim that palming quiets the children and gives them an improved mental efficiency, which is a great help to their memory and imagination as well as their sight. I believe other children should be taught how to palm, swing, blink and improve their vision of the Snellen Test Card…It has been in continuous use for more than twenty years in the public schools of New York and other cities…  The method is of great value to young children in kindergarten and children in the high schools and should be practiced by students and teachers in colleges and universities.”

This natural method helps not only schoolchildren and students at colleges and universities, but also their parents and other adults. Bates made an interesting observation-teachers in glasses have more kids in their class who also wear corrective glasses. Kids are great imitators of adult behaviors, including bad vision habits like staring and squinting. So, by practicing relaxation eye practices adults can influence healthy eye hygiene in their children.

Playing time and movement are very important for our body, including eyesight. To improve hand-eye coordination, there is value in participating in sports. Try to encourage your children to spend time outside and maybe join them or play ball with your friends. By experiencing natural light and seeing objects at various distances, eyes will get a much-needed workout and we will learn to adapt our vision rather than spending most of the time focusing on near vision tasks. Physical activity also improves the circulation and function of all organs, including our brain and eyes.

 I personally improved my eyesight with Bates method, got rid of my glasses. My first reaction was skeptical, given my medical training and experience as an ophthalmologist. But it really works, I saw great positive results in many of my students I teach quarterly during vision training courses. And as Dr. Bates said, unless your eyes are removed, any vision issue can be improved.

Eye care tips for everyone:

1. Take breaks from your screen and give your eyes a chance to reset. Use the 20-8-2 rule: after every 20 minutes of sitting, stand for 8 minutes, then move for 2 minutes.
2. Avoid eyestrain and stare by blinking more often and maybe just closing your eyes for a minute or two when appropriate.

1. Spend at least 30 minutes to an hour outside each day to stimulate your eyes and get a healthy dose of Vitamin D. Walk, run, bike-it will improve circulation to the whole body, including your eyes.
2. Include vegetables and fruits such as carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens in your diet to help support healthy eyes and may prevent or lessen common vision problems. Essential Vitamins A, C and E, antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, protect our eyes.

I wish everyone healthy and happy September, good (or improved) vision at the start of the school year.