in memory of
W.H. Bates, M.D.
1860-1931
W.H. Bates, M.D.
1860-1931
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Find a Bates Teacher
Consulting an experienced teacher can make the process much less daunting. You can be shown what it is you're doing right or wrong. It's not always obvious to someone trying to observe himself. Teachers work with a lot of people and will have experience in witnessing other students' breakthroughs and how they come about. Most teachers worked with other teachers, drawing from a shared pool of knowledge that has existed for nearly a century. Finally, teachers are doing this because they know it works. They can share their conviction with you when so many people around you may be discouraging you.
Association of Vision Educators
http://www.visioneducators.org
An association comprised of Bates teachers, behavioral optometrists, and other practitioners of vision education. Includes a directory of teachers in the US, Canada, and a few other countries.
Bates Association for Vision Education
http://www.seeing.org
Association of professionals dedicated to the teaching of the Bates Method. Based in the UK, but also includes teachers from the US and several other countries. A directory of teachers and other information is available.
Links to Natural Vision Educators
http://www.visionsofjoy.org/visionlinks.htm
Esther van Der Werf's list of websites of vision educators. It's a wide variety of educators including Bates method teachers, other approaches to vision improvement, and related areas of holistic healing.
Some questions to help you screen teachers:
- How has your own eyesight improved? Someone who hasn't had success in improving his own eyesight will not be able to teach by example or even have a direct frame of reference from which to draw from.
- What is your experience and qualifications? In the United States, there is no central organization overseeing the training and organization of Bates teachers, and they remain fairly scattered. The United Kingdom is considerably more organized, with the Bates Association (see link above), but they have no legal authority and mainly exist as a cooperative group dedicated to the same cause. Other countries have very small and/or disorganized organizations, if any at all. The worldwide community generally consists of scattered teachers who have received training from various other teachers. Teachers who put the most energy into training other teachers are not necessarily very good themselves. All this being said, some training from an experienced teacher is still better than none. Teachers who have learned on their own, and simply teach what they have applied with themselves, may still be very effective, and you may have to often overlook the lack of training and find out about their experience in teaching people to improve their vision. Ask an open-ended question and see what you get.
- How would you summarize what it is you teach? A physical eye exercise regimen is not the Bates method, which is about relaxation of the mind and eyes. Similarly, an exclusive reliance on emotional work is also not the Bates method, although emotional issues do naturally surface as the tension holding them is released. If palming, relaxation, and something addressing central fixation aren't included in what is taught, it probably is not the Bates method.