The "See Clearly Method"

[your_dreamguy]

Hello,
I have a Class I medical with a restriction for "Must Wear Corrective Lenses." This is due to a slight astigmatism I have in both of my eyes.
I recently heard an ad for the "See Clearly Method." This is a program, you must pay for and you are sent some eye exercises that you can do that supposedly improve your vision.
This program is touted as an alternative to laser surgery. In the informational video I was sent. They used some "airline pilots" to promote the method. The airline pilots claimed that they had the corrective lenses restriction removed from their medical after using this method.
Have any of you guys used this or are familiar with this?
If so, please let me know. I just want to get feedback before I start asking some doctors.
Thank you.

 

[generaltso]

I have a question too - I got a e-mail message from a company that claimed that if I took their pill, my penis would grow 4-5 inches overnight. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[gundriver]

Hey man,

I know someone who ordered the kit who used to be 20/20 or 20/15 but from hours of surfing for Porn he dwindled to around 20/30. He used the "method" for a month or two and was able to pass a military flight physical requiring 20/20. He said it worked well, it was like exercising your body. The problem is it apparently takes alot of discipline to stick to it. 30 minutes a day of exercises and an hour each wearing an eye patch. What the hell, go for it I'd try it over eye surgery any day. And about the penis enlargement method, I'm a gunpilot it can't get any bigger.

 

[bobbysamd]

William H. Bates

Try reading this book: Bates Method for Better Eyesight without Glasses, by William H. Bates, ISBN: 0030266300
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated
Pub. Date: January 1981. You can find it at bn.com or probably your public library.

This book has been out for years. I knew an old United Captain (retired circa 1980) who was told at age 22 or something that he needed glasses. He told me he got the book, practiced the exercises, and never needed glasses. Unfortunately, my vision was too far gone for the exercises to help me, but you might have a chance with your vision. I dunno, however, if the exercises will help astigmatism. I understand that astigmatism is more of a cornea problem than anything else.

Hope that helps.

 

[hyper]

Bobbysamd raised a good point. It depends what your present eyesight is. I have a very good friend that is an opthamologist and we have discussed the exercise subject in the past. She says that with allot of discipline, SOME may improve their vision to the point that they don't need glasses. Others (as myself) are too far gone, albeit the prescription can be decreased. If I remember correctly, I believe she said it was only effective for far-sightedness. I could have that backwards. At any rate, this is no secret and nothing new. Someone just decided to market it. D%$m, I missed another "why didn't eye think of that?"

 

[bayoubandit]

The eye exercises sound more like a fix for ambliopia, or lazy eye. Due to the weakened muscle in the eye the exercises stregthen the muscle, in turn increasing vision. From what I've been told and read about this, the younger you are the better your chances are for improving vision.

 

[ACE]

Just memorize the eye chart.

 

[bobbysamd]

Eye exercises

The eye exercises sound more like a fix for ambliopia, or lazy eye. Due to the weakened muscle in the eye the exercises stregthen the muscle, in turn increasing vision. From what I've been told and read about this, the younger you are the better your chances are for improving vision.

I agree, given my example above. I got the book and tried the palming and other exercises Dr. Bates suggested, but I could discern no improvement. I was nearing forty at the time.

Look at all this from a practical matter. As long as your vision allows you to hold a First Class Medical, you should be set to apply to the majors, or anywhere. I understand that since I've been out of aviation, which is nearing nine years, that airlines have relaxed their vision requirements drastically. I understand that even Delta has relaxed its stupid 20/20 date-of-hire vision requirement. Also, I understand that the FAA has relaxed its vision SODA policies. So, maybe it's no longer so vital to have such perfect vision anymore.

Hope that helps some more.

 

[bayoubandit]

Bobbysamd

I figured you were talking about ambliopia, since I've never heard how eye exercises can reshape the cornea. Anyways, about the airlines, my personal experience is as you say-relaxed. I was looking at some website that showed a very high number of mono-vision?? (one eye) pilots out there. I know there are a few flying for the airlines. I know of one person who failed the eye portion of the medical during our interview. They told him to go to his eye doctor and get it straigtened out. The Dr. just had to fax in a paper saying the applicant could see 20/20. He didn't have to retake the eye exam with the company. Easy enough.

I've tried to do some research on getting a SODA with ambliopia out of curiosity. Since it is an incurable disease, I was curious to how the FAA treated it. No luck so far!

 

[willi7]

After continually having her lense strength increased my wife did these eye excercises... It works very well if you are dedicated and stick with it.. It has been kept underwraps as most eyedoctors don't make much money selling this program. In fact her eyedoctor told her that it was a waste of her time. She now can see better than when he started working on her..

She doesn't have a lazy eye either!!

 

[Flightist]

Correction for Presbyopia?

Hi People!

I'm hesitant to make remarks on something I have no experience with (the see clearly method). But after seeing all the "speculation" going on here, I'll chime in too.

As most of you may know, most of us with normal vision start having near vision problems at about age 45. The condition, called Presbyopia is caused by the fact that the muscles around the eyes begin to lose their ability to reshape the eye (flatten the cornea) for looking at things up close. My experience was that somewhere around 45 my ability to focus down to say 15 inches steadily degraded till at my present age (50) I can only focus unaided down to about 3 feet. I use about 2.5 diopter near vision correction (the add power #).

I have always assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the see clearly method or similar eye exercises might forestall this condition somewhat, maybe lessening the strength of your near vision correction. I would also assume that doing the exercises at the first signs of degredation would be best. I'm willing to bet results vary greatly between people.

In the time it took me to write this I probably could have look up on the net what see clearly people claim but I gotta go fly. I think some else showed make it their mission to find out the facts for the good of all of us.

 

[Flightist]

Found this "independent review"!

http://www.allaboutvision.com/buysmart/see_clearly.htm[/URL]

 

[uwochris]

I actually bought the Bates book and have done some of the exercises.

I have seen no positive results, in fact, my vision is worse than it was last year. I never really did the exercises religiously though- plus, it mentions in the book that if your vision is very poor, you will likely have to spend 2-3 hours daily on the exercises!

The Bates relaxation methods, however, work wonders. I always notice temporary improvements in vision, specifically with the "palming" exercise.

 

[Eric]

So if I do these exercises religously, my vision will get better? Then I'll have to go buy new glasses! I can't afford the 'See Clearly Method'.