See Clearly Method

The See Clearly Method was a vision enhancement program partly based on the Bates Method of the 1920s. It was developed in Fairfield, Iowa, by four doctors who operated what they called the American Vision Institute. The program was marketed heavily from 2001 until its demise in 2006,

Purpose

• The purpose of the See Clearly Method was to improve the user's eyesight by performing a series of eye exercises. The promoters said that the user eventually would not need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, and that conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma could improve without the need of treatment or surgery.

Exercises

• The program consisted of a series of exercises performed 30 minutes per day to strengthen eye muscles and improve their flexibility. The exercises included shifting focus between one's finger and a distant object, holding a magazine upside down at a distance and attempting to pick out words and letters, and palming, which involved closing one's eyes and placing the palms of the hand against them.

Effectiveness

• The effectiveness of the program came into question because of its lack of scientific foundation. According to AllAboutVision.com, many common eye problems such as nearsightedness and astigmatism, are caused by one's natural eye construction, and others such as presbyopia are part of the aging process and cannot be reversed. Consequently, eye muscle exercises are ineffective in improving these conditions.

Litigation

• In 2006, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller filed a lawsuit against the developers of the See Clearly Method alleging unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims of its effectiveness. The company was ordered to pay $200,000 in restitution to consumers, and to completely shut down all business operations in the state. Steven Beresford, a founding member of AVI, has claimed that the attorney general was paid off by the American Optometry Association, which is why the lawsuit was filed, according to AllAboutVision.com.

New Program

• As of 2009, the AVI offers a new program it calls the Power Vision Method, which can be downloaded at its website visiontherapy.net. Unlike the See Clearly Method which cost the consumer $350, the new program is available without charge.