1.
Improvements in Distance Vision
Esther guess what? The doctor confirmed my vision improvement
of 1 diopter, and lowered me another .25! Love you!
Valerie Velazquez, Ojai, California, October
2011
Hi Esther, Just wanted to thank you for our meeting in September.
I only worn my sunglasses a couple of times since we met. My vision
while driving at night has improved. I used to be
very sensitive to oncoming headlights of cars, and now it doesn't
bother me at all. (unless it's a hugh SUV parked right behind
me) Can't wait till level 2.
Anita Garatie, Newbury Park, California,
October 2011
In
the one year that I have used the techniques I have found profound
healing and clarity. I can recommend this protocol as I have personally
restored my vision. It can be done without surgeries or glasses,
all while finding balance through natural healing.
Walter Kalwies, Santa Rosa, California,
July 2011
(Walter stopped by my table at the 2011 Raw Health Expo and told
me he had attended my lecture there the previous year. Since that
talk he had not used his glasses at all, used my recommendations
instead, and in the meantime he has returned to perfect eyesight.
~ EJvdW)
Dear
Esther, Two days ago I visited optometrist and checked my eyesight
with refractometer. It showed 1 D improvement in two months. I
have flashes to about -5D now (I can see clearly at 20cm).
I asked optometrist to try the Method and he agreed. He has hypermetropia
and he wears bifocal glasses: +5,5 for close work (lower part
of lens) and +2,75 for distance (upper part of lens). His vision
was 20/200 without glasses. In one hour he made 5 lines! Sway
and swing helped him.
Alex Svirid, Ukraine, July 2011 (Alex
started at -9.50 Diopters in November 2010 ~ EJvdW)
After
lesson 4 of the email course: Esther, I
got a perfect vision for both eyes, thank you again. Hope anyone
who has the same problem like me could find you and get a lot
of help from you. I'll be doing your lessons on and on, amazing
resources. Thank you again and have a wonderful life. Best regards,
Judy
After the email course: This course has
given me 20/20 vision both at distance and near. I'm not staring
anymore. Also my eyes are not tired out any more late afternoon.
Also, I am comfortable with both brightness and darkness. At last,
my eyes have more tears because they're shifting. The course was
fabulous! My first confidence about this course became real. In
my opinion, this course has to be the required course for people
who see the eye doctor. Vision can be improved naturally by taking
this course. Eyes are one of the most important organs in our
body. But almost everyone gives up improving vision because they
think it's already fixed and it is something that cannot be improved
by our effort. This is the very risky myth about vision. People
have to change mind and have to try this course. This course is
not an 'extra' fun course that they may or may not take if time
is available. This course is a life mandatory course really. If
someone wants to take off glasses or contact lenses, some credential
helping guides are necessary. I really want to encourage anyone,
who has any interest of improving vision, to try this course.
In my case, I got the fastest result. In three weeks my staring,
bluriness and dryness were gone. But, anyone can be the candidate
for the better vision. Try it and don't give up. It'll come. Thank
you Esther.
Judy Cho, Berkeley, California, March 2011
(Judy had lasik surgery 3 months before
starting the course and was struggling with very tired eyes and
fuzzy vision. ~ EJvdW)
After the email course: Vision seems for me
to be a good "barometer" of my general health. I already
notice the improvement also when I read without contacts or glasses.
I can keep the book farther from my face, and still see it good.
This is the only encouragement I needed. Now I know it can and will
get better, just a little work on my ways of living and a little
attention to my general health. I thank you sincerely for your help.
I'm spreading the word, so that other people can take advantage
of this wonderful technique (my family for a start, since everybody
wears contacts). Sincerely yours, Mirko
Mirko K, Bissone, Switzerland, February 2011
After lesson 1 of the email course:
I am enjoying reading your course....it all makes sense....and
I am having small improvements already. I love your warm writing
style....it is encouraging.
Barry K, Burnaby, Canada, January 2011
During the e-mail course: "I want to tell you
that I practiced Palming with your recording, and I LOVE it!
You designed it in a very professional and loving way. After
such palming session I could even look at the eye chart without
usual discomfort and tension, and the letters were truly blacker
and clearer than before. Sincerely, Oxana"
Oxana K, Brooklyn, New York, October 2010
After the email course: [This course] "makes
your dream of new sight come true, to achieve the impossible -
"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MADE POSSIBLE". I am really
grateful."
Paresh Dave, Mombasa, Kenya, September 2010
After lesson 3 of the email course: "Dear Esther,
I happily announce to you that my vision has started improving.
I am heading towards my second prescription. Relaxing into
seeing allows the rest of the natural vision habits to come automatically.
It will take some time to have clarity again, but I do not worry
about it, since I know what I have to do. Love, Christos"
Christos K, Athens, Greece, June
2010
"Esther is a great teacher! She is joyful and inspiring.
Esther carefully guided me through each lesson. Because of her
work, I was able to regain normal vision habits and get on the
way of gradual vision improvement. In a period of only one
month, I went from -4.50 to about -3.00. I strongly recommend
Esther's work, and suggest that people take good care of their
eyes with natural vision habits and ways to relax the eye muscles
to ensure they keep their eyes in good health."
Vitalina K, Sacramento,
California, May 2010
"Hi Esther! Hope all is well. I hope you remember me, my
name is Marc Meisels. I'm the college kid that you came
and visited in beautiful Isla Vista to help me with my eyes.
I want to say thank you so much for starting me off right on my
path to clarity, I am currently "sitting" in the seat
of perfect vision (20/20 clear flashes) nearly 60% of my day.
Also, my astigmatism was cut down in HALF (this was checked a
few months ago, so I imagine it is down even more now).
Words cannot express my gratitude.
Anyways, I was deeply suffering and now I truly feel when my eyes
open up, it's as if I am opening up to LIFE. I am happier, more
relaxed, I FEEL more, my personality is more sociable and relaxed...
easygoing... I enjoy food and just the simple sensations
of life... everything is so much more colorful, vibrant, ALIVE.
This brought compassion to my heart because I see so many fellow
college students and other people suffering with glasses...
they don't know what they are missing out on!!
I want to help others reach their true full natural human potential
for clear eyesight, so I have created a website.
I understand my calling isn't going to be a Bates Teacher but
I can use my extremely developed expertise of website design and
writing skills to help thousands of people, this is my goal
right now, and my current dream of contributing to humanity."
Marc Meisels, Isla Vista, California, March
2010
(When I met Marc in December 2008, his myopia was -2.50 in both
eyes with -1.75 astigmatism. ~ EJvdW)
"My vision is stable - 20/20
indoors. I haven't tested it outdoors recently, but
I assume it will also still be 20/15. I'm really happy with
this Esther! Through my work place, I attend training classes
every Tuesday and Thursday morning, and there is a definite difference
in how I see the board since coming back from our visit with you.
It is generally more clear, and if I see blur, the tool that works
the best for me is to focus on the white of the board."
Deb B,
Minnesota, August 2009
"I
passed my drivers license without the restriction of corrective
lenses! I'm
so pleased about this! I never anticipated the great feeling
of freedom - free from my glasses - it is wonderful!"
Deb B, Minnesota,
May 2009
"Hello Esther, Thanks again to come over to our
meeting on May 14 in Tucson. It was quite a new way of approaching
eye sight improvement for me. I've been doing mostly palming,
sunning and swinging; not eye chart yet. And guess what, there
is improvement already. My sight with contacts is significantly
better, I guess I will need reduced ones soon. I am
also thinking on going with glasses only for a while so I
can practice more often. Best regards,"
Alfredo
Hernandez, Tucson, Arizona, May 2009
"I passed the DMV test today!
I'm so happy that I can drive with an unrestricted license now.
I was a little nervous, but I did what you suggested and looked
at the background first, which helped me to relax. It was
easy!"
Marie Samson, Ojai, California, December
2008
(It took only two lessons
followed by two months of relaxing into seeing without using her
-2.00 glasses, for Marie to improve her vision enough to easily
pass the DMV test! ~ EJvdW)
Below are copies of Marie's old and new driver licenses:
| 
|
|
| 
|
Above
left: Marie's Canadian license with the restriction ("Condition
A") that I underlined.
Above right: the back of her Canadian license, stating
the restriction is a requirement for glasses or contact
lenses.
Left: Marie's unrestricted Californian license.
|
After the e-mail course:
"Hallo Esther, I want to sincerely
thank you for your course and your support. I have definitely
seen improvements. Soon after beginning the course I
started using glasses of -3.25/-3.50, only when I really needed
it. The 20-line on the chart quickly became readable with these
glasses, so last week I progressed to a pair of glasses with -2.50
for both eyes. So besides seeing a difference, it is also
measurable! After I take the glasses off, the flashes of
clear vision come back faster, so the eyes can apparently relax
easier.
My neck and shoulders are much more relaxed. They were as
stiff as a board when I first started massaging them. If
I wear glasses they tense up again immediately.
My light sensitivity has decreased considerably since the course.
The course was very good! I already knew the Bates principles
from Quackenbush' big book, but the email course gave the ability
to apply them practically. Also the support via email was
really nice to solve practical problems and questions. It
is quite simple really: seeing is (literally) believing."
Jurjen Grijpstra, Nieuwegein, Netherlands,
November 2008
(Jurjen
began the course with R -4.25 with -0.50 astigmatism, L -4.50
with -0.75 astigmatism. ~ EJvdW)
After the e-mail course: "I
wanted to let you know that I did take my drivers license eye
test last month and I did pass. It seemed like it was the
worry about it that was part of the straining of my eyes. It
was a big relief after I took it. Success! Of course,
the whole course was very helpful. Thank you!!!!"
Barbara Fedors, Stillwater, Minnesota, November 2008
After the
e-mail course: "This
course is an answer to the frustration of wearing glasses or contacts.
A potential savior from the problems associated with refractive
surgery. I like the practicality most. I had the book
Relearning to See before being introduced to the class, but thought
the information was overwhelming.
The book now makes more sense to me, and is helping me
to get deep into the things that I needed help with with the course."
Tracey Dixon, Lithonia, Georgia, September
2008
(Before the course Tracey was wearing
-2 glasses all day long. She chose not to use her glasses
at all during the 6-week course and her vision improved steadily
from 5/80 to 5/30 to 5/10 in that time. ~ EJvdW)
After the email course: "The
lessons you have taught me are with me every day. I have
been integrating them into new habits. I have more frequent
glimpses of improved acuity and definitely improved sun sensitivity.
I
continue to address areas of great importance, such as breathing,
relaxation and posture. I really like the depth and breadth
of material covered and the clear presentation of this material.
There
is power in all the information you sent. I keep referring
back and learning more."
Mark Seidelmann, Duluth, Minnesota,
September 2008
"I have seen a big improvement this week in my vision!
I am really excited...thanks for all your help!"
Marty Meyer,
Independence, California, July 2008
"When we came home from vacation I noticed how much
better my eyes were. The TV is much clearer, and in the
morning as I lie in bed everything is clearer, things like that.
It is a little challenging, but luckily I am able to do my work
without glasses. It seem that each day it gets better.
Many colleagues said that I look so rested, and I think that is
mainly because I relax the muscles around my eyes. My husband
also says that my face looks much more relaxed.
Now that I have read lesson two I understand better what is meant
by staring and that I do stare. So that's a point of attention,
especially now that I'm behind the computer again all day.
Swinging was not easy at first, I used the thumb technique to
let my eyes glide, but now I can do it without the thumb.
I love palming, that is truly a great relaxation.
My acuity is now 10/30 both eyes, 10/40 right, 10/50 left, which
is an improvement from last week (10/40 both, 10/40 right, 10/60
left). I was quite pleased."
Yvonne Garst-Koffa, Bracknell, England,
June 2008
(Yvonne is taking the e-mail course, she
wrote this after completing lesson 2. ~ EJvdW)
"It is unbelievable, but my vision is now improving daily. I
have been going without my contact lenses for nearly three weeks
now, with incredible results. The odd thing is that I didn't
do anything for it, other than looking around in a relaxed way.
Continue to spread this method in the world, many people can be
helped by this! Kind regards,"
Marc
de Leeuw, Halsteren, Netherlands, April 2008
"I think my vision is really improving. Every day, new details
jump out at me from the view from my window - satellite dishes
on rooftops, balconies on buildings a mile away, even garbage
on the street (which is a delight to see). I'm so excited!!"
Jean
Noel B, Los Angeles, California, March 2008
(Jean Noel also passed her driving test without glasses last month,
so she no longer has a restricted license. ~ EJvdW)
"Dear Esther, I practise a lot of sunning, strobing and shifting.
These have helped improve my acuity from 20/100 to 20/40 (seeing
the chart using both eyes). I can see 20/200 and 20/100
clearly but there is a slight blur at 20/80. Lines 20/50
and 20/40 are blurry but I can still see enough to figure out
the letters. I am proud to say that I am not sensitive to
light any more. Sun light does not hurt my eyes. Thank
you so very much :-)"
Shane
G, Kalgoorlie, W. Australia, November 2007
(Shane reported seeing only as far as the
20/100 line with both eyes at the start of the email course, and
he was very sensitive to sunlight. Now, after only 3 of
the 6 lessons, he is making wonderful progress. ~ EJvdW)
"I think your [email] course is fantastic and so are your
personal guidance and answers. This is exactly what I was
looking for. You are a true follower of Bates, and you also
integrate new science without watering down the Bates Method."
Frans
Postma, Alphen a/d Rijn, The Netherlands
"Dear
Esther, It
is.............!!!EASY!!!! I
wish that this lesson was first. I had the band contest
today. On the way up to the contest I had many flashes [of
clear vision]. During today, I had more flashes than I ever
had. I AM making progress. I also felt a divine touch,
considering that God is answering my prayers on this. I
can obtain at least a small flash very easily now. I love the
ant you had in the lesson. The advice on being curious of distance
detail and imagination has went a long way today. I believe
that a permanent improvement is just around the corner.
When it comes, I WILL NOT put my current glasses on ever again.
I'm not putting them on anyway. They hurt my eyes and give
me a drastic headache. Thank you for your wonderful help."
Greg
J, Plantersville, Mississippi, October 2007
(Greg is rapidly overcoming nearsightedness of -4.00 by following
the email course and bynot wearing glasses at all. ~ EJvdW)
After lesson 4 of the email
course:
"I
can now read well at 27 cm. I sometimes have flashes of good sight
when looking at the eyechart. Wednesday morning I
could see 10/30 uncorrected in really good light, and on Thursday
I could see 10/20 clearly for a long time with -2.00 contacts.
I now enjoy my sunning a lot and miss it when there's no sun.
I even enjoy being outside more."
After finishing the email course:
"Dear
Esther. I must say that I am really glad I decided to take
this course. My eyesight has improved quite a bit since
I started the course. I still have a long way to go but
I know I will succeed. You've given me all the necessary
tools. Thanks a lot for guiding me along and answering my
questions. It has really helped me to be able to ask you
all those questions that came up during the course. I appreciate
your time and dedication. I'll let you know any major improvements."
Regina Lindemann, Katwijk, The Netherlands, September 2007
(Regina's
prescription had been -6.00 in both eyes with astigmatism. She
started the course using compensating lenses of -5.00 for the
right eye and -5.25 for the left. Within 6 weeks she was
using -4.00, while on sunny days she uses -3.50. ~ EJvdW)
"Esther Joy Joy, My vision is improving! I'm down to
-6 in both eyes, without astigmatism. I can see at night
too! I can feel my eyes are shifting into wholeness.
Thank you so much for being an important catalyst :)"
Esther Davis, San Diego, California, July
2007
(In
April 2007 Esther started her path to clarity, beginning at -7.00
with -1.75 astigmatism in her right eye, and -6.50 with -1.25
astigmatism in her left eye ~ EJvdW.)
"Hi Esther,
it was very nice to meet you, I would like to thank you greatly
for your lesson, it was very interesting and I could see results
right away."
Roberto Urias, San Clemente, California,
July 2007
"Dear Esther, Yesterday for the first
time ever I went to a movie and wore my 75 percent glasses.
In the past, I wore the stronger glasses because I didn't want
to miss anything. Instead, I asked my husband if we could
sit a couple of rows closer. We didn't sit extremely close,
and there were plenty of people in front of us. We just
sat a little bit closer than we normally do back in the middle
of the theatre. I saw everything fine and did not feel any
strain. In fact, I was more relaxed than I have been in
days.
I love the program. Thank you so much for setting me free
from glasses; I know I am not there totally yet, but I also know
that I will be! Also, I forgot to mention that I am using
the Stressaway program and really enjoying it.
I will keep in touch and let you know how it is going. Love,
Madelyn"
Madelyn
Flammia, Winter Park, Florida, July 2007
"My optometrist was very cooperative in reducing my prescription.
It's without correction for astigmatism and reduced diopters,
-5.5 L, -6 R from -6.5 -1.25 L, -7 -1.75 R. Extraordinary
thing happened...I was walking on the beach in my reduced prescription,
and as it was a bright day out, my vision became very clear!"
Esther
Davis, San Diego, California, April 2007
"My eyesight is improving substantially, the blur has disappeared
for a great deal. I'm doing a lot of strobing. I
haven't used my glasses at all for the past 3 weeks, and it is
a great relief to be independent from them."
Jurgen
de Jong, Middelburg, The Netherlands, March 2007.
(Jurgen wrote this 3 weeks after starting the email course with
-6 diopters of nearsightedness combined with astigmatism. ~ EJvdW)
"This is the first day I can
remember of NO eyestrain or eyeball soreness, despite many hours
of reading & computer work. I'm doing something right!
Thanks for all your help & inspiration. I'm finding
as my sight clears & I let go of more tension, I am more &
more friendly, relaxed, & outgoing, like a happy child."
Nancy Neff, Fishkill, New York, February
2007
"Hi -- this lesson was a great summary of the course &
also a big help with driving, especially at night. I have learned
so much! Be assured I will continue to study the lessons &
will keep you informed of my progress. About last night driving
after dark to CT & back, I have never done the trip in such
a relaxed manner: I almost felt like my glasses were too strong!
Thank you!"
Nancy Neff, Fishkill, New York, January
2007
(Possibly Nancy's biggest challenge is driving at night, when
she uses her strongest pair of glasses to feel safe. She sent
this after the last lesson of the email course ~ EJvdW)
"Woohoo! *blink* It *blink* was *blink* a *blink*
pleasure *blink* to *blink* meet *blink* you *blink* too!!! *blink*
*blink* *blink* hehehehe I'm
sure our paths will cross again :-) You are awesome!
Thank you so much!"
Serafina Pechan, Long Beach, California,
January 2007
"Please let me know when you will be back again because
I would love my husband to take your workshop. (If he is
willing of course). My eyes have been so much better ever
since, and if I get a blur at times, I just relax and breathe
and it starts to shift."
Heather Fenton, Los Angeles, California,
January 2007
(Heather took a day class on vision improvement in June 2006 ~
EJvdW)
"My eyesight is great. I'm getting enough sleep
these days and it helps."
Mark Lowe, Torrance, California, January
2007
(Mark's
vision had just begun to get blurry both near and far when he
took a day class on vision improvement in June of 2006 ~ EJvdW)
"Hi -- Happy 2007! I'm working my way through Lesson
5 & thought you'd like to hear what I've noticed so far.
These lessons keep getting better & better! This might have
been the most useful yet for me, & is probably also the one
I need to practice the most. The affirmations in particular are
challenging. I am pleased with my vision improvement progress!
- Letters on the eye chart aren't consistently clearer (yet!),
but are almost always blacker, & I am getting many more sustained
(several seconds) clear flashes.
- My neck is much looser. I think this is largely from your stretch
of bending over & letting my head hang, then moving it back
& forth, which I am doing a couple of times a day. My chiropractor
said he can't believe the changes in my C2 vertebrae, which has
really softened. So I guess my neck is indeed looser!
- My emotional state seems more stable. When something upsetting
happens lately, I have been able to "shake it off" quickly
& retain my positive attitude, instead of letting it drag
me down & affect my mood & energy for hours as it would
have done before.
- I seem to be sleeping more soundly, & not needing to stay
in bed so long to feel rested.
- When I wash my face or put cream on it & brush my fingers
over my eyes, the eyeballs feel much softer than they used to,
which I am hoping is a relaxation response & means they're
not straining to reach forward in the myopic elongated way so
much.
- My depth awareness has increased: I am noticing much more what
is in front of or behind what, which is nearer & which farther,
etc. I practice this with tree branches whenever I'm outside.
I know this is good, as I used to see everything flat.
- My floaters really seem to be clearing up.
I've read a lot of Bates materials and vision improvement books,
but this course has consolidated it all; you've put it together
in one place. Thank you so much!
Take care & thanks for everything.
Love & enthusiasm & gratitude,"
Nancy Neff, Fishkill, New York, January
2007
(Nancy
followed the 6-week course by email ~ EJvdW)
"I'm working my way through Lesson
2, which is excellent; I LOVE the facial massage! It's also a
good reminder to me that I should be doing more palming. I'm noticing
that the letters on the eye chart aren't much clearer, but they're
definitely darker."
Nancy Neff, Fishkill, New York, December
2006
"My reading is so much better, I now don't need reading glasses
at all. I can see the tiny print font on the face of my
watch (especially under sun) which is good. My distant vision
is slowly getting better, especially under sun, but it gets blurred
at night and in stores. I know I need to be patient and
continue to have correct vision habits all along. I'm looking
forward to lesson 3, thanks!"
Jamie Clark, Ellicott City, Maryland, October
2006
(Jamie
broke his glasses in September and decided he didn't want to ever
wear glasses again. He had lessons by e-mail to regain his
vision naturally. ~ EJvdW)
"It's been now 1 month since I took off my contacts, I've
felt much better and my eyes are much more relaxed. I don't even
have the temptation to put them back on. The clear flashes come
all the time now, as opposed to once in a blue moon."
Jacqueline
J, Rome, Italy, August 2006
(Jacqueline started at -5.00, and decided to throw out her contacts
from day one, choosing to see with her own eyes instead. She's
doing very well ~ EJvdW)
"Thank you Esther. It was a great pleasure meeting
you. I am blinking a lot and relaxing my eyes and I see improvement
already! It was a great day! Blessings to you!!"
Heather Fenton, Los Angeles, California,
June 2006
"It's been really busy and I've still done some of
my eye exercises, but not as diligently as I should. BUT, the
cool news is that I
could still tell my eyes were improved from what they were. Today
I went to my eye doctor and found out for sure. Between
2002 and 2004, my eyes got worse pretty fast. I don't know if
it was because my late husband was so sick and just the stress
of all that or if it was from wearing contacts for so many years
and they hurt my vision or just what, but I stopped wearing them
after my husband got real sick and then decided I didn't want
to go back to them. Between 2004 and 2005, my eyes didn't change
and I was all excited. The eye doc, however, is one of these moody,
pessimistic kind of guys and his response was "Well, sometimes
that happens but then they get worse again." That ticked
me off and that is when I read the book Better Vision Without
Glasses and also contacted you and started doing some of the exercises.
As a result, a year ago, one eye was -5.25 and the other was -5.0.
Today, one eye was -4.5 and the other -4.25! I had planned to
tell my eye doctor what I had done, but he was so pessimistic
that I ended up deciding to just let him be baffled... I
forgot to even ask him about my astigmatism, but I've noticed
that with the astigmatism chart, it shows good improvement, too.
Anyway...
I really need to get busy and do more again and get them even
more improved by next year! I am so loving this!
I
hope you are doing well. I'll try to keep you updated on how it
all goes."
Cindi
Mose-Castle,
South Carolina, April 2006
"I
did it! with your help. I went for my NH Driver's license
and for the first time since I got my license I am not restricted!
Yippee, Yahoo... you are the best."
Sharon
Taylor, Concord, New Hampshire, March
2006
"My vision is improving daily. I am so glad Cathy and I took your
instruction. Most days I can see quite clearly in the morning
and by end of day it is quite blurry, but I haven't put my glasses
on for going on three weeks. I have told several people
about NVI and one friend's eye doctor told her to talk to me and
do whatever I am doing for her eye."
Carol
Amrein, Skowhegan, Maine,
November 2005
(NVI = Natural Vision Improvement. ~ EJvdW)
"I am blinking lots more and finding that I can use the computer
now without glasses -- except when I'm really tired. And
that's probably a good indication of when I shouldn't be at the
computer anyway. :)
I'm finding the blinking is showing me that I often gaze/stare
without focusing. Blinking helps my eyes to focus and perhaps
my mind as well? Seems like my mind is so often "out there"
and blinking brings it back to the immediate. A fascinating
experiment of remaining in the present. :)
I can't thank you enough for your work on Sunday. Karol
and I have been in contact and are both finding value in the exercises.
I went to your website and will return. Much to explore
there!"
Mariah
Williams, Liberty,
Maine,
November 2005
(Mariah and Karol attended a one-day vision workshop ~ EJvdW)
"Esther, Hi -- ... a quick hug & "thank you!" ... I drove
up & back this time with the new -3.25's & had no problem
-- this is HUGE. I am convinced a lot of my improvement
is coming from not wearing my glasses hardly at all: even when
I drive, I take them off at stop lights, & to back into parking
spaces. I'll let you know how the color light therapy goes.
See you in a few weeks. Take care, & thanks again.
You are really helping me!"
Nancy
Neff, Fishkill, New York, March 2004
(Nancy started vision therapy four years ago when her Rx was -12,
and has been taking lessons with me since May 2003, when she was
using -8 for driving at night, and -6 in daytime. Now at -3.25
she has made excellent and steady progress! ~ EJvdW)
"I passed the DMV test today without glasses! Thank you
so much for your help and guidance!"
Bethany
Reis, New Paltz, New York, June 2003
(In
less than 4 months Bethany went from -2.50 diopters nearsighted
to throwing away her glasses ~ EJvdW)
"Anyway, thank you for your class. It was very good.
A surprising benefit: I am driving without glasses and feeling
like I am a safer and better driver. Blinking and sketching
instead of staring at the road makes the difference."
Barbara
D, Asheville, North Carolina, March 2003
"I
want to thank you again for the teaching you stared with us last
Sunday. I was very encouraged after the meeting not to use my glasses
again and I haven't! It's going well - I love the palming technique.
I've read several books on vision improvement, but the most valuable
information I got was from you. You were able to break it down into
much simpler steps."
Sharon Smith, Phoenix, Arizona, May 2002
(back to top)
2.
Improvements in Near Vision
"I had a vision lesson from Esther 2 years ago, and
threw away my reading glasses immediately. Since then I've
also got rid of my sunglasses, and I now read menus for people
younger than myself! The key for me was relaxation."
Jimmi Wiz, Alabama, September 2010
After the email course: "Dear
Esther, I have read everything and practiced almost everything.
You
have done a wonderful job! I
have improved a lot but I am going to continue until I can read
everything without glasses. I
am able to use #1 glasses when working on the computer and I have
not used my regular prescription glasses except twice since the
first lesson. I
will let you know when I have reached my goal!!!!!!!!!! God
bless you! Love,
A."
A. J., Pembroke, North Carolina, June 2010.
(A. is in her early 60s and was using
a prescription of +3.25 for reading with -0.25 of astigmatism
at the beginning of the course.)
After lesson 2 of the email course: "Seeing everything
much more clearly with your guidance!"
After lesson 3:
"My vision continues
to improve and I just threaded a needle without magnification!
TADA!!
After lesson 3: "I
checked my progress today and there is measurable improvement!
Yay! Nice to see the numbers change even though I have not worn
my glasses and sense I'm seeing more clearly.
The medium chart was
both eyes 12" / 5 (was 7 a month ago)
left eye 12" / 5 (was 10 a month
ago)
right eye 12" / 3 (was 7 a month ago)"
After
the email course:
"I
checked my progress today and there is
more measurable improvement!
Still room for improvement in reading fine print up close. It
is pretty magical to read your text that decreases line by line.
Overall I look at it and think
this looks impossible but my eyes follow the words legibly
to the end and voila I have been able to discern it all! More
practice reading the fine print for me!
I am eternally grateful to you and Agoya
too
because he steadfastly encouraged me to take the course
and not judge it before completing it. Such a wealth of information
and so beautifully interwoven to support the student. YAY!!!
I am now an avid
ambassador for your vision course and hopefully many more
will beat a path to your door."
Pamella O'Dea, San Francisco, California,
November & December 2009 & January & February 2010
After the email course: "Hello
Esther,
I have completely enjoyed taking your 6-week e-mail course,
"Visions of Joy".. The personalized generous body of
course materials arrived weekly on schedule. I looked forward
to every installment laced with "joy and humor" ready
for my comprehension and application. The Bates method embellished
by your presentation has and I know will continue to serve me
relative to my continuing responsibility to the knowledge and
learned skills.
My vision has improved, initially by
eliminating the the 1.25 drug store specs. Then installing the
Ott lighting is a vibrant boost to visual clarity. Then from the
full gamut of "tools" my vision has improved slightly
continuing in the 20/15 acuity by the eye chart. In gratitude,"
Agoya Killeen, Santa Cruz, California,
October 2009
"I want to say to you Esther, that my eyesight has improved
so much, since our session on the phone. I read the paper
tonight. It was a little blurred, but I could see some of
the small print sometimes, then I rested the eyes and had another
go. bingo! All I am doing is the palming with your voice
once a day so far. Thanks so much."
Jan
Crisp, Bournemouth, England, January 2009
"Hi Esther, I loved our session. I am in awe of how differently
I am seeing already.
I even drove to Ventura last night to the .99 store and bought
3 pairs of glasses for $6. These are the ugliest of glasses
so it will be fun to not rely on them :-)
I am only using the 1.0 pair for my computer and for reading and
I can see just fine. Amazing. I put away all my other pairs
of glasses and put the 1.5's in my purse in case I need them.
I won't be using the 2's at all. I may get a few more 1.0's
as I leave them around the house!
I am practicing moving my eyes and looking at the white spaces
as I read and I am noticing the relaxing. Did a palming
session last night even. I will keep you posted.
I am completely inspired. And telling everyone!
Bless you and thank you for this experience and possibility for
seeing without glasses. Remarkable.
Martha"
Martha
Ringer, Ojai, California, January 2009
(Until yesterday Martha was using +2.25/+2.50 glasses for reading
and computer work, with a mild astigmatism. She only needed
one session to make this excellent improvement. ~ EJvdW)
"I am seeing better! It seemed like you gave me very
little information, yet at the same time it was an enormous amount
of information. It has brought a big shift in my perspective.
I previously did not understand the Bates Method, but now I think
it is fabulous! Wow, I'm really excited about this."
Dave
Palmer, Ojai, California, December 2008
"I have not used my reading glasses since we met. Something
is working!! Thank you so much for sharing your gift."
One month later, Josephine writes:
"Since
I adopted these basic principles,
I no longer need reading glasses! I don't
understand how this happened and while I believed it possible,
the results continue to amaze me."
Josephine Gross, Ph.D., Chatsworth, California, June & July
2008
(Josephine
asked me to help her overcome her need for reading glasses.
I gave her a page of standard size text to look at, which appeared
blurry to her. After practicing a relaxation technique for
5 minutes she looked at the same page again, at the same distance,
and remarked: "Where is the page with blurry print??"
The text now looked perfectly clear to her. ~ EJvdW)
 "My
vision is perfect!" George
Parker, Andover, Connecticut, October 2007
In
October 2007 I was happily surprised to meet one of my former
students again while on a hike in Sedona, Arizona. It
had been about five years since George took one class with me
in New York to improve his vision. See and hear what
he says about his eyesight now at age 52!
(Click on the image to watch a 30 seconds wmv file. Recorded
in Sedona by Esther)
"Dear Esther, I am honored to have been a part of your
Natural Vision Improvement Weekend. In response to your
question of my progress, I want to share my success with you.
I have been diligent in doing the palming healing and the other
suggestions. I do the palming when I wake up during the
night also.
By Tuesday, the 26th, only two days after the workshop ended,
I had dropped from needing a magnification of 2.75 down to 1.25.
At times the 1.25 is a bit strong. With using the tools
you taught, I am able to relax my eyeballs and make beautiful
progress. Your very calm way of presenting helped me relax
to a degree that I haven't experienced before. This allowed
me to relax my eyeballs rather than being keyed up. One
especially helpful part was reminding all of us to change our
wording from "can't see" to "blurry".
I am passing this on to other people. :)
Are you going to be holding another workshop in Florida anytime
soon? Several people have expressed an interest in attending after
I shared my success story. Thanks so much for sharing your
knowledge with us!"
Beverly M, Melbourne Beach, Florida, July
2007
"The eyesight is getting better. But even more important,
the calming effect that relaxing the eyes has created is the true
blessing."
Ray
Flores, Culver City, California, June 2007
"I'm seeing clearer and clearer!
At first the +1.00 glasses gave me blurry vision; now I see clearly
with them. This is very encouraging."
Simran Bhasin, Los Angeles, California,
March 2007
(Simran
had been using +2.00 glasses for reading and computer work. ~
EJvdW)
"Thanks Esther. The first
2 lessons changed my mind, vision and life! I am reading
easier and easier thanks to blinking and strobing. : ) Your
course is golden. Bless you!"
Dave Klein, Sebastopol, California, February
2007
(Dave
took the email course ~ EJvdW)
"I
spent most of the journey home practicing the reading techniques
and was astounded that when I was reading notices in the airport
that they were so much better. I have not gone back to the
sunnies (which were prescription) nor the latest glasses which
I was convinced were not good for me and made things worse.
So, I am wearing all glasses much less and can read pretty well
lots of fine print in the open. I find now I really
prefer NOT to wear them all the time."
Tricia Liggett, Bayford, Herts, England,
October 2006
"The eyesight class yesterday was a great success.
Esther's technique of teaching allows for us to see ourselves
and our vision in a new light -- she helps make us aware that
we can and will be able to improve our eyesight, as she gives
us practical tools that teach and demonstrate how we see naturally,
with relaxation, and not with strained vision. It was a
great experience for me personally. I'm looking forward
to seeing how I will do in the next few weeks. 'Clarity is my
natural state.' -- my new affirmation."
Tysa Goodrich, Malibu, California, June
2006
"Hi Esther, such a good day with you yesterday, thanks for the
help with my eyes, I'm really trying to take better care of them
and your techniques were awesome! I do see better today!
My best, hope to see you soon"
Regina
Strongheart, Topsham, Maine, January
2006
"Hello Esther! ... I am very grateful for
having been allowed the experience of your session with me. It
seems that each day I realize more. Unbelievable yet real,
I have not used the reading glasses but to just verify what I
think I see and only 3x since the session. I find the most
significant changes after palming. Hardly am I aware of
a grainy/sandy feeling in my eyes or tightness during the day.
My vision overall is clearer, sharper & brighter! My
head/neck & shoulders are more relaxed in posture and in movement.
Mille gracie!! :-) Love & light,"
Phyllis
Cheresh, Phoenix, Arizona, April 2005
(Phyllis sent this note a week after
her one hour phone consult ~ EJvdW)
"In my first session with Esther, after not having been able to
read even the large print of a menu without glasses for 5 years,
I had the experience of reading smaller than normal print without
glasses. I also had been unable to use my eyes together
so I did not see 3-dimensionally. It is now a month later
and I only use glasses if I need to read really small print and
I see 3-D! Esther is a very caring, very generous human
being who truly wants her clients to grow and heal. If that
is what you want, then check her out."
Rob
Cohen, Stone Ridge, New York, October 2004
"This is to let you know that you did very well in your class
yesterday. It helped me to understand more clearly how to
use my eyes better with more relaxation and more "fluid" movements.
Thank you very much :) I wish I could go to more of
your classes to get more empowered to get rid of my glasses. Actually
this month is extremely busy with so many projects on my plate.
However I am grateful that I am now learning the vision
improvement at precisely the right time as it helps me to learn
how to relax better not only for my eyes but also to cope with
so many projects without feeling stressed out. In other
words, it is helping me to survive this month well :) Again
many thanks for your superb teachings!"
May Wille, Scottsdale, Arizona,
February 2004
"Yes, indeed I have not only enjoyed our session together last
nite, but also that I learned SO much from you. FURTHERMORE you
have already 'pushed' me onto my new clarity journey. I
have already discarded my strong glasses and now I am using a
weaker pair. Much to my surprise I can already read better
the tiny words on my pager! WOW! This morning I did
deep breathing which helped tremendously. I am so happy
and very grateful to you! MANY HEARTFELT thanks for everything
:) Namaste"
May
Wille, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 2004
"Thank you so much for teaching my husband, it is such a
relief not to have to listen to 'Where are my glasses?!?!!' several
times per day. He has not worn his glasses at all since
your class."
Sue
Kent, Schinveld, Netherlands, October 2002
(back to top)
3. Improvements by Children
After one
consultation by skype:
Hi, just wanted to let you know that Michael went to the Eye specialist
today (an appt we have had booked for a while). He couldn't believe
it - Michael went from 200 to 80 in his eye, that was him just
cupping and looking at the chart, he was amazed and asked how
long we had been patching (which is what the optometrist had said
we should try one more time as a last effort to improve his vision).
My husband told him that we patched for about an hour a day and
did relaxation exercises. The specialist was a bit confused by
this and then put the lenses on Michael's eyes and said that he
felt his eye had improved to only 100 and said for him to keep
doing what he was doing, and he would be back in November again.
He also said this was the best that eye had seen since he started
seeing the specialist a couple years ago. So THANK YOU!!!!"
Pauline P, mother of Michael, age 9, Taylor,
BC, Canada, September 2010
(Michael's right eye vision was at 20/500 when he had
his first vision session 3 weeks ago - this doctor visit shows
he has made an excellent 500% improvement. ~ EJvdW)
After the email course: " You might describe Esther
as one of Bates' apprentices. Her email course is a way
of reaching out to people like my son and I who live far from
her but need help. This course clarifies and renews the
principles of Bates, 80 years after his death, so that we may
benefit from the work that he wholeheartedly believed in.
I like all her examples and the way she wrote. It was just
superb.
I think there is an overall better understanding of the Bates
Method and it helped us figure out where there were holes in our
methods. The email course stresses many subtle points of
the Bates Method and makes you understand why we need to incorporate
them into our everyday lives. We were doing lots of blinking
and palming but not enough swinging and swaying and massaging
and visualizations to help our vision. Each week we would then
focus on new skills and it really made a difference. I was
struck by Esther's overall understanding of the method and her
skill in helping us to understand it better. Esther is a
breath of fresh air. Philippe definitely saw better. He
didn't reach his goal but I think we've been trying too hard.
That defeats the purpose."
Amy W, mother of Philippe (age 13), Stroud,
England, March 2010
Three months later: Here's our latest report: Eye
update:
6 May: Philippe saw line 10 (small letters) from 4-5 feet away
16 June: Philippe saw line 20 from 12 feet away.
That is huge progress! Philippe is so happy. I think
he's getting better than me. I went to the chiropractor
last week and I feel like it really helped my eyes so I am feeling
better all the time about them. I will keep working with
them. Love, Amy
Amy W, mother of Philippe (age 13), Stroud,
England, June 2010
After lesson 3 of the email course: "Hallo
Esther,
I would like to share Jessica' s progress with you.
We are really impressed!!
Jessica doesn't use her contact lenses any more. She brings
her reduced prescription glasses to school and puts them on only
when she needs them. Her vision is really improving.
She told me that she can read some words written on the blackboard
without glasses (and she sits at the back of the class!!!).
Last monday they were divided in groups and she sat closer
to the blackboard, so she didn't need her glasses at all!!!
She was really enjoying it.
She trains and plays football without lenses and she is doing
fine.
I checked her vision on the eye chart last sunday (6th of
september) and she could read line 40 from 15 feet!!! Three
weeks ago she could only read line 80 from 15 feet distance.
She did 15/40 with both eyes
15/50 with her right eye (and some letters of line 40)
and 15/80 with her left eye.
And three weeks ago she could only see
15/80 with both eyes
15/80
with her right eye
and 15/100 with her left eye
Thanks a lot."
After lesson 4: "Jessica
is very happy with this course and she sees improvements every
day. She can read more and more things from the blackboard (without
glasses) when she is at school. One month ago she couldn't
read anything from the blackboard!! It's really amazing.
Last sunday (20/09) we checked her vision with the eye chart.
Her vision is getting better and better. I'm so happy.
It's amazing to see how she plays football or goes outside
to play with her friends without glasses or lenses. I
was really worried because her vision was getting worse every
year after she was prescribed glasses, but now I see how her vision
is improving and I'm looking forward to seeing the day when her
vision is back to normal again!!!
Thanks a lot. You are doing a really good job. I wish
we had started the course 3 years ago when her vision problems
began...!! Kind regards, Lucia"
After lesson 6: ... "And
thanks a lot for the vision course. It feels so good to see your
child improving her vision day by day. Yesterday she sat in the
car and she could see the time in a small clock at the front
of the car. Amazing! Go ahead, never stop teaching Bates
method. You are doing a great job, Esther!"
Lucia G, mother of Jessica (age 12), Hilversum,
Netherlands, September & October 2009
"It was indeed a great pleasure meeting you too and for the
opportunity to work with you. A. and N. have greatly benefited
over the weekend. We can already see that A. has clearly
understood the concept of natural vision improvement and he is
very eager to get rid of his glasses and also is very enthusiastic
about the relaxation activities. You have made it very simple,
easy and fun for him."
E.N., New
Jersey, May 2009
(A.
is a boy, aged 12, who visited with his parents for three days
of learning the Bates Method. His prescription was R -5.50 and
L -5.75, with -1.50 of astigmatism in each eye as well.
He rapidly got used to seeing without his glasses in that time
and more than doubled the distance he can read the eye-chart from.
~ EJvdW)
After lesson 3 of
the email course: "Dear
Esther, I did part of lesson 3 this afternoon and when I
did palming with the drifting swing story it really helped. When
I sat about 5ft. away I could only see about the 20/50 line but
after my dad read the story I could see the 20/30 line. Thank
you,"
Shirley M.
(age 10), Lexington, Massachusetts, November 2008
"Blythe
has been reluctant at times but in spite of this, she has improved.
She was seeing 5/80 with both eyes at the beginning of the course
and now she is 5/50, almost 5/40. She hasn't worn her glasses
at all since the course began.
I
(Janet) have seen a lot of improvement. I have been functioning
well without my glasses except for driving since the beginning
of July. There is a possibility I could now pass the driving test
without my glasses because I can barely make out the 40 line without
my glasses. Both
of my eyes have improved. The left eye started at 20/80 and now
is barely 20/40. I started wearing glasses for driving that
are -3.5 in the right eye near the beginning of the course. At
that time I could just barely make out the 20/40 line. At the
end of the course, I could see the 20/40 line clearly and the
20/30 line just barely. Also, at the beginning of the course I
could clearly read average sized print from only 7 1/2 inches
from my eyes. At the end I could read clearly from 10 1/2 inches.
Blythe
used
to get headaches but doesn't anymore. She has stopped wearing
her glasses at all and feels more comfortable. I
(Janet) feel that I am able to relax more.
I think the course is excellent and
I will recommend it whenever I can. All the
information is very good and the teacher is eager to help and
very helpful.
The
course was very valuable to me because of the individual feedback
and encouragement. You can't get that from simply reading books
about natural vision improvement Thank you very much!"
Janet D, mother of Blythe (age 10),
Leslie, Arkansas, August 2008
(Janet
and Blythe took the e-mail course together. ~ EJvdW)
"Dear Esther,
I wanted to give you an update on Calvin's progress:
* He no
longer wears the peak cap when he plays on the computer.
Instead, we put a tall lamp behind him and don't turn on the overhead
lights, so the lighting is good with no glare. That was a necessary
change - thank you for pointing it out to me.
* He has
found that palming is his best accelerator tool. I wish we could
do more sunning as I have a hunch that will be beneficial for
him too, but we are still experiencing unusually cloudy weather.
* Here
is a summary chart of his visual acuity over the last few weeks:
Date
Time Both Eyes
Left Eye
Right Eye
Light Conditions
12/2
1:15 pm 20/50
20/80
20/100 Cloudy
12/15 12:30
pm 20/40
20/80
20/100 Sunny
12/22 10:20
am 20/40
20/80
20/100 Cloudy
12/26 10:25
am 20/40
20/80
20/80
Cloudy
1/12
11:25 am 20/30
20/50
20/50
Cloudy
Isn't the last entry fantastic?! We are so pleased to see a two
line improvement (for both eyes) in six weeks! His left eye is
seeing so much better and his right eye has made the most remarkable
improvement! To think he would have been wearing glasses this
whole time -- I shudder at the thought. Thanks to you Esther,
we see the light at the end of the tunnel! Pardon the pun!
=)"
Six
weeks later Calvin continues to make progress:
"Thanks again for your invaluable help Esther! Calvin
and I both benefited and I am so pleased that I found your website
and signed up for the course. His visual acuity has gone
back to 20/30 in both eyes, with a record reading of 20/40 in
both left and right eyes! A great improvement on his starting
acuity, don't you think? =)"
Deb B, mother of Calvin (age 10), Eagan,
Minnesota, January & March 2008
(In
October 2007 an optometrist recommended that Calvin start wearing
glasses for distance vision. Calvin's parents believe in
natural healing, so they went looking for an alternative.
In December they started following the email course to help Calvin
with his vision. Instead of becoming used to glasses, Calvin
is now steadily progressing to seeing clearly again! ~ EJvdW)
"Jelle is still doing great. I recently had him tested
and he is still slightly farsighted, but even the optician did
not consider it needed treatment. And the double vision
is as good as over. Very occasionally he will still have
it for a moment, but he is able to correct himself immediately.
His handwriting is readable for the first time in years!
I am immensely grateful to you for putting me on the right
track."
Saskia
Naber, Warffum, the Netherlands, October 2002
(In
May 2002 when I met Saskia and her family, her 8 year old son
Jelle was scheduled to undergo an eye operation to 'rectify' a
cross eye problem. Thanks to the Bates method, Jelle was
able to greatly improve his eyesight within a few months and he
no longer needs an operation. Saskia has since then become
a very enthusiastic Natural Vision Educator. ~ EJvdW)
(back
to top)
4.
Improvements with Various Visual Challenges
A friend from Sweden whose eyesight was lost due to Retinitis
Pigmentosa came to visit me in California for a couple of weeks.
We worked a lot on his vision in that time. He is a musician and
was inspired to write a song about this experience. I will let
Johan's song tell you his story.
You can listen
here on Sverige Radio; click on the 17.00-17.30 timeslot (2nd
link on that page) and slide the timer (at the bottom of the page)
over to 10mins 40seconds for the start of a live recording of
Johan's delightful song. ~ EJvdW
"I see the sun" composed and sung
by Johan Seige, Sweden, April 2011
After the email
course: On March 9th at the
DMV I passed my vision test (hooray!!) It was really great to
be able to pass the DMV vision test and I believe that it was
because of the work I have done with you and the Bates method
so far. I realize there is a lot more to do, however all I can
do is remember to blink, palm and relax.
Just now glancing through lesson #6, I see that it will be very
interesting. By the way, if you ever give a "live" class
please let me know. I would like to attend wherever it is. Love,
Betty
Betty Z, Half Moon Bay, California, March
2011
(Betty is in her 70s and has a strong farsightedness
with astigmatism in one eye, and Macular Degeneration in the other.
Her
goal for taking the email course was to pass the DMV test within
2 months, as her vision even with glasses was no longer good enough
to do so. Now, with glasses her vision is within the legal limit
for driving again, and she succeeded!
~ EJvdW)
After lesson 5 of
the email course: That lesson
has been the eye-opener. Even if I already knew much of that material
from Bates himself, It still was quite awareness-promoting. I
realized that that is the kind of things I have to work on. I've
never been too much a lover of exercises. I'd rather like to go
to the source of the problem. And the sentence of Bates "every
vision defect is related to a thought, and once that thought has
gone, vision becomes normal" struck me in a particular way.
… So, the next day, I just "forced" myself to
not worry, not care about how I saw and start the day with a different
mindset. Just see, even if it wasn't perfect vision. Just relax
whenever that disturbing thought would come to my mind. And that
actually worked! I can much better control my astigmatism, just
by letting it go whenever it surfaces, through conscious mental
relaxation. A few blinking, close my eyes for a few seconds with
a deep breath, and it's quickly gone! Already towards the end
of that day, my astigmatism was gone. It still surfaces some time,
but it has definitely improved, meaning that most of the day it's
not there at all (or so little of it, that I won't notice it).
… Since having started with the described practices, I'm
overall more relaxed and happy.
I feel like I have hit one of the foundation stones of my vision
problem, and this is definitely encouraging!
M.K., Bissone, Switzerland, January 2011
"Hi Esther! Hope all is well. I hope you remember me, my
name is Marc Meisels. I'm the college kid that you came
and visited in beautiful Isla Vista to help me with my eyes.
I want to say thank you so much for starting me off right on my
path to clarity, I am currently "sitting" in the seat
of perfect vision (20/20 clear flashes) nearly 60% of my day.
Also, my astigmatism was cut down in HALF (this was checked a
few months ago, so I imagine it is down even more now).
Words cannot express my gratitude.
Anyways, I was deeply suffering and now I truly feel when my eyes
open up, it's as if I am opening up to LIFE. I am happier, more
relaxed, I FEEL more, my personality is more sociable and relaxed...
easygoing... I enjoy food and just the simple sensations
of life... everything is so much more colorful, vibrant, ALIVE.
This brought compassion to my heart because I see so many fellow
college students and other people suffering with glasses...
they don't know what they are missing out on!!
I want to help others reach their true full natural human potential
for clear eyesight, so I have created a website.
I understand my calling isn't going to be a Bates Teacher but
I can use my extremely developed expertise of website design and
writing skills to help thousands of people, this is my goal
right now, and my current dream of contributing to humanity."
Marc Meisels, Isla Vista, California, March
2010
(When I met Marc in December 2008, his myopia was -2.50 in both
eyes with -1.75 astigmatism. ~ EJvdW)
"I'm doing just fine. Have been using my glasses much less,
especially when I first get up and whenever I watch TV. I'm fairly
religious about palming every day, though sometimes just for 5-10
minutes. I do try to get it in when I go to bed though often
fall asleep in the process. I've also sunned several times and
that feels great. Sure wish I didn't have to spend so much
time at the computer as I think it would go much faster; but I
did load the Swing Windows and Stress Relief programs on my office
computer, so both of those have helped.
My Mom has been doing really well and I think she suns or gets
under a full spectrum light every day....she's very motivated. She
says her eyes are much less red and scratchy-feeling and thinks
it's helping her a lot. She's also been palming and doing the
hot-cold compresses like you suggested, which I think she really
likes. I burned CD's of the phone session and your teleconference
for her and she's listened to those plus is reading the books
I bought from you (those are very good, by the way). Anyway,
thank you so much for everything. It's making a difference for
both of us. I'm certainly much more aware of blinking and knowing
what to do when my eyes are tired. Maybe I'll sign up
for a refresher down the line sometime.... I feel very fortunate
to have you within driving distance."
Vicki Winchell, San Dimas, California,
September 2009
"My eyesight is a thousand times better. I am even
driving at night again, I haven't been able to do that in over
a year! I don't know how I can ever repay you for what you've
done for me.
Yesterday I penned a letter
and it was written on the lines and it was even legible.
I haven't been able to do that in a year. That was a big
deal for me. Thank you for all that you are doing for me."
Al
Boyd, Joshua Tree, California, March 2007
(Al
checked his vision acuity without glasses when he first came for
a lesson and measured it at 10/60 left eye, 10/400 right eye.
After only 2 lessons he has improved to 10/20 left eye and 10/80
right eye. This is excellent progress. ~ EJvdW)
"I'm seeing things I haven't
seen in 2 years! Becoming aware of my tendency to squint was
key. Now I keep my eyes open. I regularly do the sunning
and am no longer so sensitive to bright light. It's going
really well. I look forward to more lessons."
Al
Boyd, Joshua Tree, California, March 2007
(In 2004 Al experienced sudden blindness in his left eye, which
slowly recovered, then the same thing happened in his right eye.
With good nutrition he made a partial recovery. He has started
lessons on natural vision improvement and is delighted that his
vision is returning even more. ~ EJvdW)
"You have provided me with much joy since I first met you,
including enabling me to see without glasses, something no one
else has ever done for me!"
Bill Fagan, Norridgewock, Maine,
July 2006
(I
taught Bill the basics of the Bates method in the summer of 2005.
Bill is 86 years young, and had cataract operations on his eyes
but was still using glasses. This shows that age really
doesn't matter! ~ EJvdW)
"I'm
already seeing results! Last week, I couldn't read this
e-mail with just my right eye. Today I can. There's
still some distortion, so I read slower with my right eye. A
big improvement since last week before our phone conversation.
I've also been using eye drops
of Plantain tea. The big "blue" spot in the center of my
right eye's field of vision is reduced from fist size to half
dollar (US) size. The distortion is confined to the area
within this spot. Smaller spot, less distortion.
I've been using my reading glasses less often. I read before
going to sleep every night, and the last few nights were without
reading glasses. I'm typing this e-mail without glasses."
Darrel
Joy, Rochester, Minnesota, October 2005
(In December '05 Darrel reports that the blue spot in his right
eye is gone ~ EJvdW)
"Yep, I am noticing some progress...my left eye seems less lazy
and tracks better when reading."
Ken
Lyle, Boulder, Colorado, May 2003
"Also thanks for the information on the eyes. I picked
up a bottle of vitamin B complex. I have been taking them
and I am now over the problem."
Beth
Carmona, Phoenix, Arizona, November 2002
(Beth's problem was blood-shot teary eyes - EJvdW)
(back to top)
5. About Visions of Joy Classes
in General
"Hey Esther, Just want to reaffirm how inspired I am
from hanging out with you and improving my ability to teach Natural
Vision Training. The great structure of the lesson plans,
your humor and your relaxed style have taught me a lot. I
love your authenticity, your excellent vision, and the inspiration
that affords."
Sheela
Alex, Encinitas, California, November 2008
"I'm impressed. The students loved your practical approach.
You are one of only a few vision educators who really understand
the Bates Method."
Samuel
A. Berne, OD, Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 2007
The next five entries are taken from the
many positive comments that were received from participants in
the
Natural Vision Improvement Day, held at Avena Institute in Rockport,
Maine, on October 1, 2005:
"I enjoyed this class. The presentation was marvelous! Esther
makes good eyesight for me seem possible. Everything was
done SO well."
Polly Steadman, Damariscotta, Maine
"Clear, practical information on improving eyesight. I enjoyed
Esther's enthusiasm, she was very well prepared, with personal
stories interspersed."
Participant
"I absolutely enjoyed this class; specifically the involvement
of the body, the relaxation techniques, the information.
A great class I will use in my life. Esther gave an excellent,
down to earth presentation."
Rose-Marie
Ballard-Boak, Bristol, Maine
"I enjoyed Esther's personality, commitment to the topic, her
sense of humor, the content itself, and the handouts."
Participant
"I very much enjoyed this class! Specifically
I enjoyed: the information, the way it was presented and shared,
and of course, Esther! Excellent teacher!"
Participant
"Esther van der Werf is one of the
most effective, caring, and knowledgeable vision teachers I have
met in my 25 years of being an optometrist.
If you want to improve your vision, Take her class!!!"
Dr Marc Grossman, OD, LAc., New Paltz, New
York, September 2004
"Thanks
for a wonderful class - you are a natural teacher (no pun intended)."
Bob
McDonald, New York, May 2004
"Green Sun would like to extend the warmest THANK YOU! We
truly appreciated your presence at the festival. It was a gift
to us all! Many participants expressed their appreciation
also".
Organizers,
Living Now Festival, East Otto, New York, August 2003
"Wow, I've just spent about an hour (or more) visiting
your website and related links. I am so impressed with it!
Thank you for all the work that you have obviously done in gathering,
organizing, and presenting its contents! I am certain that
many will benefit from it."
Kathleen
Iselen, New Hampshire, February 2003
"Wow! What a site you've put together! You've done a great
job. I really enjoyed reading about your nomadic journey
and the vision experiment with your friend -- very cool. Super
job with the links and reference pages, too -- very comprehensive.
Keep up the great work."
Alan
Winn, Simply Vision, Utah, January 2003
"At first I was skeptical of your work, I did not expect
to see any beneficial connection between our professions. However,
after watching you work with various patients during 2 days, and
having a brief session myself, I've done a 180 degree turn around
and saw that your eyesight improvement classes had a major positive
impact on everyone!! One of the main aims with cancer patients
at Atlantis HC is to get them to reduce stress. Many of
the patients are tired of all the 'must do this and that' advice
from everyone and are not always open to new suggestions.
Your approach of relaxation, with the sole purpose of eyesight
improvement as a 'guise' caught the patients with their guard
down, you sort of 'sneaked in through the back door' and Voila,
they relax, and they view their world with different eyes! Major
shifts in perception occurred, physically as well as mentally."
Bridget
Freeman, MD, Atlantis Healing Center, Jacksonville, Florida, January
2003
|
To
make it easier to find what interests you, I've grouped the
comments as follows: