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Tom Q's comments on RTS review (Reply to this comment)
by tomq
Jan,
Thank you for your favorable review of my book, "Relearning to See" (RTS). I want to respond to your review and people's comments on your review:
1a. Corneal refractive surgeries (CRS), like LASIK and Radial-Keratotomy, do not change the true underlying physical and mental causes of myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. As you stated, the eyeball is squeezed abnormally long, short or oval, respectively. This is due to chronically tense external eye muscles, which is caused by strained physical and mental vision habits. CRS only change the shape of the cornea; they do not change the shape of the eyeball (obviously). Unfortunately there are advertisements for CRS which show, for example, a myopic eyeball being perfectly round and with a cornea which has too much curvature. This type of myopia is only true for less than 0.1% of all cases of myopia. If a person believes that his/her myopia is due to an "over-curved" cornea, then it might make some sense to have the cornea flattened with CRS: an unfortunate situation. The Bates Method gets to the core of the problem, eliminating the strain, eliminating the tight eye muscles, bringing the eyeball back into its original round shape.
1b. While the practical problem of how the eyesight can improve naturally again when corneal tissue has been artificially vaporized, (effectively etching a person's current prescription onto their eyeball), I have had reports from a Bates Method teacher I trained of improved sight with CRS people using the Bates Method. I am at a loss to explain what is happening physically here with this improvement, since as you stated, if the eye muscles let go of their strain, theoretically a person who sees clearly from CRS would then end up with blurred vision. Still, if I had had CRS and afterwards experienced blurred vision, I would give the Bates Method a chance to see if it can help improve my sight.
1c. Many people have told me they have changed their minds to have CRF as a result of reading RTS.
1d. While many people have said that they are happy with their CRS, the underlying physical and mental eyestrain remains. And, of course, vision can change after CRS, just as it does for most people without CRS. CRS do not prevent future changes.
1e. An ophthalmologist friend of mine (who has taken my classes) said that many CRS people are coming to him with dry eyes. Tears are not able to adhere normally to the cornea due to the edge between the regular corneal curvature and where the cornea has been lasered. There are many problems with CRS that many people are not aware of, many of which eye doctors are not legally required to tell people about before CRS. These problems are considered not "significant" enough by authorities who regulate CRS. They have ended up being significant to many CRS patients.
2. Presbyopia is due to the lens not changing its shape to have more curvature in order to see clearly up close, called accommodation. A non-accommodating lens does cause an error of refraction in presbyopia, since close vision is blurred. Since CRS only affects the cornea, CRS eye doctors tell CRS people they will need reading glasses later on (after age 40). Of course eye doctors do not know about the thousands of people who have improved or eliminated their presbyopia with the Bates Method, include Dr. Bates. Presbyopia appears to be due to a chronically tense, internal eye muscle (ciliary) which controls the shape of the lens. When the ciliary muscles relaxes, presbyopia goes away. That is the best theory I am aware of. Whether this theory is true or not doesn't seem to matter to Bates Method students who have improved or eliminated their presbyopia. In my work, results matter.
3. RTS was not written for eye doctors.
4. I am glad to read your emphasis of the vision habits. To improve eyesight naturally, many people tend to think in terms of eye exercises, with which they usually fail. Bates taught vision habits for "all day long."
Thank you again for your review. It is one of the more accurate, thorough and intelligent ones I have read since RTS was published.
Sketch (Shift), Breathe and Blink---Always and All Ways
Tom Quackenbush (no relation to Hugo!)
Author of "Relearning to See: Improve Your Eyesight-Naturally!"
Editor of "Better Eyesight: The Complete Magazines of William H. Bates"
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Sep 28 '05
2:23 am PDT
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Marvelous timing, Jan (Reply to this comment)
by ASourdough4
Just as my eye doc is scheduling some surgery, you come up with a welcome alternative. Even light plastic lenses are a problem when they simulate the bottom of a Coke Bottle - I am vexed to re-read an article published about my Great-Grandfather, who, at age 93 could still read without correction - that was in 1913! In a primitive part of Nova Scotia. Nowadays, I see small children wearing severe corrections; readying themselves for who knows what is next? Implanted Security Cameras?
A great review!
Maurice McDonell = Asourdough4
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Jun 28 '05
7:57 am PDT
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Sounds like a very useful and important book (Reply to this comment)
by Howard_Creech
Did you know that Groucho Marx played Dr. Hugo Z. Quckenbush in A Day at the Races?
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Jun 26 '05
12:44 am PDT
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Re: I don't think (Reply to this comment)
by jankp
That's what I thought before I read this book, Sue. They do make money by doing the very expensive surgeries, of course. If people are not told what is causing their vision problems and how correct vision habits could improve them, they are not getting the best advice. Optometrists may reject the research/science in this book and feel they themselves are giving the best advice, but that doesn't mean they are. Right?
Jan
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Jun 25 '05
5:21 pm PDT
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Re: Very interesting....... (Reply to this comment)
by jankp
Melissa, I meant that your incorrect vision habits have been covered up. I wonder if your eye's shape can be permanently changed when you have vision habits that contributed to your nearsightedness. Don't just take my word for it, but read what is in this book. I thought laser surgery changed the lens of the eye as I read, but the book explains why that wouldn't help in the long run.
Jan
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Jun 25 '05
5:13 pm PDT
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I don't think (Reply to this comment)
by millinocket,  in Books
very many doctors are making money telling people to wait before they have a procedure. I'm sure that Melissa did and Kim will work with their doctors to make the decisions that are right for them.
Interesting review of an interesting topic -
Sue
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Jun 24 '05
10:31 pm PDT
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Very interesting....... (Reply to this comment)
by melissasrn
....only I don't believe my nearsightedness has been "covered up" as the laser surgery truly changed the shape of my eyes.
I knew going in that I'll need reading glasses one day, but this affects my close up vision and not what I see far away.
So far I've very happy with the results from my surgery and would easily do it all over again.
Melissa
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Jun 24 '05
10:00 pm PDT
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Re: Vision... (Reply to this comment)
by jankp
Oh god, please don't have it! Doctors make money with that kind of 'advice.' Check this book out or similar ones and learn the correct vision habits first, ok? Yes, hopefully many will be helped by this review.
Jan
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Jun 24 '05
11:53 am PDT
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Re: Wow! Some very interesting points are... (Reply to this comment)
by jankp
Aw, Phil, you're up a creek without a paddle if you want to improve your sight now. If you learn to relax your eye muscles and get rid of eyestrain, you will change your prescription and your vision will become blurry. As you say your sight is getting worse and it will continue to. You may even get cataracts. I'm sorry. The book, of course, is very interesting and you can spread the word about it.
Jan
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Jun 24 '05
11:50 am PDT
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Vision... (Reply to this comment)
by kld718, in Books
I have definitely planned to have the correctional surgery when I reach the appropriate age. I am in my mid-twenties and my doctor recommended that I wait a few years.
I might have to check this book out because it sounds very interesting. I know that you can improve your eyesight but having better habits. I have actually improved my eyesight at one time and had a lower prescription number. But the last time I went it had gone back up so I was discouraged.
Thanks for writing about this book...I'm sure many of us will find it very interesting and useful. Good review Jan.
Kim
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Jun 24 '05
10:20 am PDT
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Wow! Some very interesting points are... (Reply to this comment)
by popsrocks, in Books
...brought out in this book. After having laser surgery for better site about five years ago, I am losing that sharp vision I had when it was first done. I also happen to be on the computer now and never did any close work like that before.
I'll have to look into this one.
Thanks,
Phil
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Jun 24 '05
4:13 am PDT
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