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
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
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 eyeI
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
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
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
"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)
"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
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
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.
|
"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
"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
After finishing 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
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
After finishing 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 finishing 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 finishing 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
"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)
"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
"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)
"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 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)
"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 by not wearing glasses at all. ~ 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)
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, 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"
Ray Flores, Culver City,
California, June 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
"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
"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)
"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."
Al Boyd, Joshua Tree, California, March 2007
"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)
"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)
"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
"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
"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)
"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)
"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
"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
"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 MCindi MCindi MCindi 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
"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
"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)
"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)
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
"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
Thanks for a wonderful class - you are a natural teacher (no pun intended).
Bob McDonald, New York, May 2004
"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)
"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
"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
"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)
"Yep, I am noticing some progress...my left eye seems less lazy
and tracks better when reading."
Ken Lyle, Boulder, Colorado, May 2003
"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
"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
"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)
"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)
"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
"I want to thank you again for the teaching you shared with
us last Sunday. I was very encouraged after the meeting to not 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
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