It can be confusing… Should you work on using your vision faster and faster, or slow down more? What if neither way feels right?
In some ways, speeding up makes sense. But not in all ways. I break it down in this video.
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I founded iblindness.org in 2002 as I began reading books on the Bates Method and became interested in vision improvement. I believe that everyone who is motivated can identify the roots of their vision problems and apply behavioral changes to solve them.
After all these in-depth analyses there doesn’t seem much for me to usefully contribute, but I can say thank you all for these thoughts. I have heard also of ‘saccadic vibrations’ which a might be the same as the micro saccades which David refers to? The higher frequency brain waves (gamma, lambda) discussed in the video is interesting which is tied in nicely which the concept that the deeper the relaxation/meditation, the more aware we are and the more we can accomplish. A popular saying, ‘less is more’ applies here. Bates mentioned in his book that a teacher wrote to him saying, “The better my eyesight becomes the greater is my ambition. On the days when my sight is best have the greatest anxiety to do things.”
Yes, I think saccadic vibrations must be the same thing. They define more types of movements too, like drifts, but I feel like that introduces unnecessary complexity.
Thanks, David, for this post/video and for all the information you provide. I’ve been seeking information for a while on how one might increase or improve saccadic and microsaccadic movement of the eyes. If you’re aware of any exercises, relaxations or other techniques kmown to enhance the missing saccade movement, please advise.
Thanks
I think the saccades, the larger movements, are usually fine. If you can track a moving object, your eyes are making saccades. The eye doesn’t move very smoothly, as observed by a third party or camera, even though it can seem like it must be moving smoothly when your perception is smooth.
To improve microsaccades, any traditional Bates Method exercise can help, or exercises to help several aspects of good vision like good blinking, positive thoughts, interest, awareness of peripheral vision (anything outside the very center details), and more.
The direct approach is what I briefly mentioned in the video. It’s possible that you would need to work on the above things first with some simpler exercises, to establish some basic convictions like the fact you see best where you’re looking, and that your vision works best when your mind is calm and you let your eyes and face relax, so that you won’t get off track.
Anyway, a direct approach is learning to use your vision in the most natural way possible, by combining the principles of good vision in the right way where it produces the microsaccades. You pick a point/object of fixation, then notice many other details around it while maintaining your interest in the point of fixation, understanding that the more you notice the details around it, and automatically glance around at them, the clearer your point of fixation will be.
So the microsaccades happen as a result of doing many things right. You won’t be able to just do one thing to cause more microsaccades.
Thanks for such an in-depth and helpful reply. I need to return to Dr. Bates’ Long Swing. I’m not sure what it does for me, but I haven’t been practicing it for the past several weeks, and my vision is worse. In addition, I’ll work with the approach(s) you so kindly describe in your reply above, attempting to be more aware of peripheral details near my central point of focus. Thanks a lot.
Just to expand on your post David – Yes it can be confusing! Eyes were designed to see / scan movement or anything of interest in the FULL field of view its involuntary for those who don’t require glasses. Sacadic movement stops the staring when you are zooming in on [fovea sightseeing colour] detail ; accompanied with a temporary loss of peripheral vision. Staring is the negative side of fixation. The mind [possibly men’s challenges] is processing interrupting the response to sight. Dynamic vision is enhanced by blinking. Intuition short circuits any processing time lapse. The Blinking reflex ± 75th of a second protects our eyes; saccadic movement scans in clarity interest for ± 40th of a second the rest is blurred to some extent. Connecting to the body language is essential perception for sportsmen and women; tennis players, cricket batsman, formula one racing includes the vehicle its self. Birds flying – golf balls… part of the package that perceives visual impressions not forgetting “[digital] memory of detail” in relaxed mode:- and archery.
I like that you acknowledge the full field of view in your teaching – Bates didn’t focus on that as much as he could have. Lack of peripheral awareness is significant as a symptom of bad vision, as much as blurry central vision.
It’s awesome how during those sports the equipment you’re using becomes like an extension of your body, just another mass of molecules clustered around you that you’re in control of… but without the nerves, etc.
Slow down or Speed up… there are many sight seeing skills to practice. So both are appropriate in different circumstances, and discovering the relaxing breathing pattern to suit the activity. Lets take the flying analogy. a Boeing 747 with passengers and luggage can’t stay on the runway after its reached 254 km / hour! when landing from 30,000 feet in twenty minutes its falling out of the sky at 25 ft per second the auto pilot know’s whats going on! Hang gliding has its dangers and thermals and energy rushes, not knowing where exactly you will land but helps us see things from a different point of view. Our [digital] memory notes the central fixing details; possibly for future – aha I have seen something like this before: recognize a face profile a number plate. Our eyesight is truly amazing and we rarely touch the capacity of it. “Adrenaline helps” but do we see things for the first time like the detectives at a crime scene. Or when you are having a blitz around the house spring cleaning discovering things requiring mending, cleaning and cluttering stuff you have completely forgotten about. Now the base ball situation. with a full audience watching the ball. Can the striker connect to the participating audience? Strategy codes and body language are all part of the 3 dimensional game plan. It requires experience and practice. Our eyes can relax while moving around – experiencing size and distance need to connect to the hidden lines of perspective perception, light conditions and awesome stereoscopic vision where both balanced eyes render three dimensional imagery from 4 inches to 500 feet almost instantaneously. That’s lost – just not there – in flat screen activities! Use recovery time to challenge the variables. These vision fitness practices need only take a few minutes. The dynamics of walking and driving can be most restful. Enjoy and explore your vision health its there for detailed examination and lifes full throttle activities.