What Is the Bates Method?

The Bates method is named after ophthalmologist William H. Bates (1860 to 1931) who popularized a method of improving eyesight by retraining the way an individual used her eyes. He published "Perfect Sight Without Eyeglasses" in 1920. "The Bates Method for Better Eyesight Without Eyeglasses" (1940) is still in print and widely read.
Dr. Bates believed that eyesight could be improved by doing things such as palming the eyes, sunning them while they were closed and reducing mental strain. He had many supporters and critics alike.
British writer Aldous Huxley, his most famous supporter, learned his method and claimed his eyesight greatly improved which he wrote about in "The Art of Seeing" in 1942.

Identification

• The Bates method is a theory that eyesight can be improved by reducing mental strain and copying the habits of people with healthy vision. Dr. Bates taught his patients how to palm the eyes by covering them with their hands to create a black field to create mental relaxation. He advised them to sun their closed eyes to improve their health. He also taught them how to "swing" their eyes by standing and swaying the body and the head from side to side to allow the eyes to also move in a way to reduce staring.
  The Bates method has been adapted by other eyecare educators and it is still being taught by people who say they have helped many improve their eyesight dramatically.

Significance

• The idea that an individual can do anything to improve eye conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism (when the shape of the eyeball is elongated, creating imperfect sight) and presybia (an inability to read fine print closely) is revolutionary.
  The Bates method has routinely been criticized by mainstream Western ophthalmologists who advise that not receiving the proper eye care is unwise.
  Most ophthalmologists believe that no eye exercises or anything can be done to correct imperfect eyesight other than surgery or wearing corrective lenses.

Benefits

• There are many people who say that they have improved their eyesight by using the Bates method. As there are many variations of it, it is easy to see why its detractors are not so easily persuaded.
  The hallmark techniques of the Bates method includes palming, sunning the eyes, and using some form of swinging or "shifting" the eyes as a regular eye habit. Staring is discouraged and in some cases, Chinese acupressure points are also taught to reduce mental strain.
  As eyesight is both objective and subjective, improvement may be in the eye of the beholder. A person can place a number value on her sight at 20/30 or 20/20, but the improvements can also be as subjective as a belief that one's ability to read food labels has improved or that night vision has improved.

Features

• Today the Bates method has been commonly taught as a re-education of the way one uses eyes to see. Reducing mental strain is emphasized, as is the methods of using palming the eyes several times a day to induce relaxation.
  Variations of swinging is also taught, whereby sitting in front of a computer, one can move the head back and forth, side to side, keeping the eyes on the screen, as a way to prevent staring. In the Bates method, a fixed stare was equated with enforcing unhealthy eye habits. Sunning was controversial: Initially Dr. Bates advised people to look at the sun directly. Later he directed patients to keep their eyes closed.

Warning

• Under no circumstances should anyone use the old-fashioned method of sunning that advised people to look directly at the sun. This can create permanent damage to the retina of the eye.
  If you have any eye disorders, work with your eye doctor. If you are interested in learning the Bates method, contact a local eye educator who has many years of experience and who can provide a list of successful clients.