The following is an excerpt from Salubrious Living by Arnold DeVries and Ben Klassen:
Better Vision Without Glasses: The Newest Methods of Building Perfect Eyesight Without the Use of Artificial Contrivances
We all want good eyesight eyes that see clearly, that are bright and denote vitality. We do not want to suffer from eyestrain, nor do we enjoy wearing unattractive and bothersome glasses. Oculists and optometrists have been unable to give us healthy eyes. In spite of the increasing numbers of eye doctors who have entered public service in recent years our eyesight is becoming worse and worse. But this condition is not without solution. Thanks to the work of Dr. William H. Bates, of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, as well as other broadminded doctors and scientists, we now have a system of eye care which is marvelously effective, one which is able to give you excellent eyesight without the use of glasses.
Hygienists were the first to grasp the importance of the discoveries of Dr. Bates. They quickly employed the techniques he recommended, and with good results. Patient after patient has discarded his glasses after using the Bates system of the eye training for a few weeks to a few months. But the oculist and optometrist, those who should be most interested have shown practically no interest in Dr. Bates discoveries. They continue recommending and fitting eyeglasses to their patients in spite of the overwhelming evidence that these are unnecessary if the more natural hygienic measures are employed.
HOW FOOD AFFECTS OUR EYES
Now let us consider the eyes from the standpoint of the newer knowledge of hygiene and the latest discoveries of Dr. Bates. First the matter of nutrition and its relation to eyesight will take our attention. Prior to World War I it was not known that food had any important effect upon the eyes. But when the armies who invaded Belgium took most of the dairy stock, and fresh fruits and vegetables became very scarce many of the Belgians developed hemeralopia, better known as night blindness. Many things were tried to overcome this ailment, but all to no avail. Then came the summer and a new supply of fruits and vegetables, together with more dairy products, and the night blindness soon disappeared. At first this was quite a mystery but now it can easily be explained. The fruits, vegetables and dairy products are good sources of vitamin A. In recent years it has been shown repeatedly in experimental tests that night blindness frequently occurs when vitamin A is lacking in the diet. Of course this vitamin is no cure-all for every eye disease and its lack is not the cause of all eye troubles. Nevertheless, it is of greater importance than any other single element in determining eye health. If you want good eyesight you should refrain from eating those foods which have lost their vitamin A through modern methods of food preparation. Use plenty of green and yellow vegetables, which are among the finest sources of Vitamin A.
The importance of vitamin A has frequently caused nutritionists to overlook the effect of other elements upon the eyes. In reality, the eyes are helped by an abundant supply of all the vitamins and minerals. Deficiencies of calcium, potassium and sodium, in addition to vitamin A, have often produced blindness in animals. Then these elements are added to the diet, and the animals regain their vision. Nursing calves become blind if their mother’s diet lacks certain essential vitamins and minerals. In nutritional deficiency diseases such as pellagra we also find that the retina of the eye is inflamed. Dr. Sydenstricker, of the University of Mississippi Medical School, has shown a deficiency of riboflavin in the diet frequently causes dim vision and bloodshot eyes. In addition, it is reported that a lack of riboflavin frequently causes cataract in animals, and it may do the same in man. The eyes of experimental animals also become diseased when vitamin C, vitamin D, paraminobenizoic acid, inosital and certain amino acids are lacking in the diet. These facts should speak for themselves and show you the importance of using foods which have not lost most of their vital elements. You should use only raw foods in your diet, foods which still have the elements the eyes need. Remember that vitamin A is easily lost in the cooking process, that much vitamin C is lost when milk is pasteurized, and that refined grains have lost most or all of their original content of riboflavin. Use natural plant foods if you want good eyesight.
SUNSHINE IS GOOD FOR YOUR EYES
The second great need of the eyes is plenty of sunshine. Fish which live in dark caves, into which no sunlight enters are blind. Their eyes atrophy and in many cases disappear. Light, especially sunlight, will strengthen the eyes. If you have dark sunglasses, discard them, for they do you more harm than good. Then go outside and let the sun shine on your closed eyelids. Start doing this very gradually; a few minutes or less the first day is enough. Eventually you will be able to let the sun shine on your lids over longer periods of time. Blinking into the sun is also good for the eyes but it should not be overdone. In the beginning stages this blinking should be done in the late afternoon or early morning when the sun’s rays are not so strong. If you follow these instructions and give your eyes sunbaths you will soon note that your eyesight is improving and that your eyes are less sensitive to strong lights.
RELAXING THE EYES
The finest known method of relaxing tired, strained eyes is to palm them. Place the cups of your hands over both eyes so as to exclude all light. Then completely relax and try to see nothing except black. At first you may see gray or flashes of other colors.
But just keep trying until you see black, black and only black. Try to imagine a black box or some other black object if that will help when they are tired. When cataracts exist palming is especially valuable.
Another method of relaxing tired, strained eyes is to blink often. Whenever you notice the slightest eyestrain blink your eyes about 20 times. Children blink more often than adults do, and this is one factor which accounts for their better eyesight. If you have a serious eye defect you should blink much more often than otherwise. It is especially important to blink frequently while reading. Don’t blink so often that it interferes with your reading but simply stop occasionally and blink gently a dozen times or more.
EYE EXERCISES
The use of eye exercises forms the basis of all modern hygienic systems of the eye training. The eyes need exercise just as do the other parts of the body. When this is lacking the muscles and tissues attached .to the eyeball become strained and rigid. They are no longer capable of giving efficient service. Then, when a program of eye exercises is employed, the muscles regain their flexibility, suppleness and coordination. There is an increased flow of blood to the eyes, bringing greater amounts of nutritive material. The tissues gain better tone and strength, and recovery is facilitated. The following exercises should be employed by all who have weak eyes. Blink several times between the movements. Blinking will enable you to do more exercise and will keep your eyes from getting sore, especially where you are doing the exercises for the first time.
1 . With your middle finger very gently massage the closed eyes in a rotary motion.
2. Alternately close the eyes very tightly and open them as wide as possible. Do this at least 20 times per day. When you squeeze your eyes shut, the tissues around them are exercised, and this does much to prevent the formation of unattractive lines in the surrounding skin. The muscles attached to the eyeball are also exercised, and the tear glands, which supply an alkaline secretion which keeps the eyes bright and clean, are stimulated.
3. Look upward and then downward as far as you can. Alternate the movement. Do not move the head in doing this exercise; move only the eyeballs.
4. Look to the right and then to the left as far as possible.
5. Look up and to the right, then down and left. Reverse the movement and look up and to the left and down and to the right.
6. Roll the eyes around in a circular motion. Look to the right, down, to the left, upward and then to the right again. Repeat at least 10 times and reverse the direction of the movement.
7. Hold a pencil or similar object about 1 or 1 1 inches from your eyes. First look at the end of the pencil for a few seconds; then look at some object in the distance. Do this alternately at least a dozen times.
8. Hold some object about 14 inches from your eyes. Then move it in every possible manner- up, down, to the right, to the left, obliquely and in a circular path. Keep your eyes on the moving object all the time but do not move your head. This calls into action all of the six important eye muscles
GENERAL EYE CARE
Most of the things which optometrists tell us harm the eyes, are really good for them. Reading fine print, reading in a dim light, reading in a moving automobile or streetcar, reading while lying down- all of these have been claimed to weaken the eyes. However, in reality, they do not hurt the eyes at all. You can read all the fine print you wish and it will actually improve your eyesight. You can’t gain strong eyes by pampering them. The eyes were made for use and the more they are used, within certain limits, the stronger they will be.
Now we come to the question of glasses. One of the first things most students of eye gymnastics ask is: “Will I be able to discard my glasses?” In most cases the glasses can be discarded; the only exceptions are those individuals whose eyes possess mechanical deformities such as flattened lens. Simple eye ailments such as nearsightedness and farsightedness quickly respond to eye gymnastics. It should be remembered that eyeglasses in themselves never remedy eye troubles. They are simply crutches, and the more they are used the weaker the eyes become. As the eyes weaken the glasses must be changed. The new glasses have stronger lenses and the eyes are correspondingly weakened still further. If the patient lives long enough for this process to be carried to its logical conclusion, blindness is often expected. So if you wear glasses and do not suffer from a mechanical eye defect the first thing to do is to discard them. The longer you wear them the more difficult it will eventually be to bring your eyes back to a normal, healthy condition.
After discarding your glasses begin an eye-training program which includes attention to every hygienic measure that has been proven helpful to the eye. First go on a fast in order to improve the general condition of your body and hence give your eyes a better chance to become healthy. The length of this fast should depend on the condition your eyes are in while being treated. If you have cataracts it will be necessary to undertake a long fast. Other eye troubles do not often call for long fasts. After the fast pay the greatest attention to your diet. Remember to use only uncooked foods which are rich in vitamins and minerals. Give your eyes daily sunbaths, palm them at periodic intervals, blink them as often as you can, and use all of the different eye exercises everyday. By doing this you should notice a distinct improvement in your eyesight within a few weeks to a few months. During the fast there may be some improvement, and as you get well along in your eye gymnastics you will notice that your eyes are stronger than ever. Don’t expect miracles. There won’t be any. The possession of perfect eyesight does not come overnight. But in the end, if you pursue your work every day, you should gain a set of normal, healthy eyes which require no artificial contrivances of any kind to enable you to see easily and clearly.
Read the Salubrious Living Book Review written by Michael Jeffrey.
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