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Palming
Support
 Palming
is a foundational tool of the Bates Method - it is one of the
most effective ways of giving your eyes the relaxation they
need to see with clarity.
Because longer palming sessions can be much more effective,
proper support of your arms is important. A palming support
under your elbows allows for good posture and relaxed shoulders
so you remain comfortable much longer.
These supports are adjustable in height and have a cushioned
top for optimal comfort.
Above left: Palming support at its lowest position, 12 inches
high.
Above right: Palming support at its highest position, 19 inches
high.
FYI - The current batch of palming sticks all have a dark-gray soft top instead of blue.
The support has 8 additional height settings, equally spaced
between 12 and 19 inches.
Its foot and the top board are easily detached for compact storage.
Top board measurements
are 18" by 3 3/8". The foot measures 8" x 1 5/8"
x 5/8".
Handmade in the USA! (Each item may have slight individual differences, and padding colors on the current batch is dark gray, not blue.)
US$65.00 each. Add $27.00 for shipping of 1 palming
support within USA. Please inquire for shipping
cost to other countries. (As an indicator, shipping to Europe tends to be around $70.)
NOTE: The current batch are the last ones! They are no longer being made. I have less than 20 left.
My deep gratitude goes to Steve Aranyos in Ohio for having made so many palming supports during the past ten years. He's now retiring, and if anyone is interested in taking over, please contact me!
In Europe you can buy palming supports from Stephen Poynter in England
or from Germany at this site: https://www.visiovital.de/c/palmierstuetze
Palming Meditation Recording now available!
A 15-minute recording of a palming meditation helps you make the best use of your palming time. For a donation of US$10.00 I will send you the link where you can download this mediation. Be sure to send a quick e-mail letting me know you wish to receive the download link to the palming meditation.
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NOTE:
To buy a palming support, make a
donation for the appropriate amount including shipping to
your location and be sure to send
a quick e-mail listing the items you wish to receive.
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 Mindfold®
An easy way to give your eyes some extra rest!
The Mindfold provides complete darkness, even with your eyes open.
They have an adjustable velcro strap and are very comfortable
due to the foam padding that, unlike many other eye covers, does not
put any pressure on your eyelids. I personally love using
the mindfold and I highly recommend them for anyone who likes
some help in getting the eyes to relax more.
(NOTE: These Mindfolds, as any other eye cover, can cause an increase
in light sensitivity if used for sleeping with at night, so please
avoid that. Our eyes prefer the gradual increase of sunlight
to wake with in the morning!)
I no longer sell the Mindfold (image above), but they are still available on Amazon.
A similar nice mask that blocks all light and is less bulky is the LitBear sleep mask (image below), which is my current favorite.
A sleep mask can be a great aid in extending your palming sessions.
When your arms get tired or your fingers get tingly during a long
palming session, give those arms a rest and use a mask
for a while before continuing to palm with your hands. But I repeat, don't use these masks to sleep with on a regular basis!
Comments about the Mindfold
from a student in Florida:
"Dear Esther,
The Mindfold arrived perfectly - thank you. First of all, I have
to admit I had a preconception (based on what the name "mindfold"
evoked for me) that a mindfold was some sort of mental origami.
Some long-held secret from the Himalayas, finally revealed by
a wizened, brown nut of a monk who decided mankind was ready to
share/understand. Alas, I was mistaken. But, once I recovered
from my own fairytale I do find the mindfold to provide quite
a nice little cave-like environment. Very nice. Tranquil. Great
space for eyeballs. A great tool, very worthwhile. I will be using
it."
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NOTE: To buy a sleep mask, click on the appropriate link above. |
Pinhole
Glasses
 Many
people find they see with relative clarity through pinhole 'glasses',
regardless of their actual prescription.
Most people with nearsighted vision find they see clearer at distance
with pinhole glasses than they do without, while people who use
reading glasses are often able to read up close with pinhole glasses.
For this reason pinhole glasses can be a useful transition tool
on your path to natural clear vision. However, it is best to learn
and use natural vision habits at the same time, because pinhole
glasses by themselves won't do that for you.
There
is no glass in these frames; they are made of black plastic with
small holes in them.
What
pinholes do is bypass the refraction problem by restricting light
rays to central rays only. These central light rays do not get
refracted (bent) and therefore provide a clear image to the retina
(unlike light rays coming in at an angle which depend on correct
refraction to reach the retina in focus). As refraction is bypassed,
it no longer matters what your prescription is, the images will
come through with relative clarity if the holes are small enough.
Pinhole glasses can not be used for driving because they restrict
the visual field too much, but they can be useful in many daytime
activities, including reading and computer use.
Pinhole glasses are widely and cheaply available online, but the quality tends to be low. When I am able to get the high quality pinholes again like the ones shown on the right, I will offer them for sale again here. Currently all are sold out.
When you look for pinhole glasses online, the better ones have smaller pinholes, which increases your focal range. It makes them
more useable for both near and far vision. Also, the larger number
of holes, the better the field of vision, with considerably less
interruption from the black plastic.
I recommend, if at all possible, that you test pinhole glasses
before you buy them because one style may work much better for
you than another style. I sometimes have a few styles available
in my office, so you can chose what suits you best when you come
for a lesson.
Here is a short video explaining the pinhole effect:
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NOTE:
To buy pinhole glasses, make a donation
for the appropriate amount including shipping to your location
and be sure to send a quick e-mail
listing the items you wish to receive. |
EYEPORT II(R)
The
Eyeport II has had an update and is available again. It is now
a solely battery powered unit, using 4 AA batteries which are
not included in the box.
This remarkable tool is designed to help improve vision in an
effortless way. The Eyeport uses a variety of programs and
speeds of flashing blue and red lights which stimulate one eye
at a time when viewed through the red and blue colored lenses.
It was developed by Jacob Liberman O.D. (author of Take
Off Your Glasses and See).
Responses from students have been excellent. It can be used
by itself and is even better when used alongside Bates lessons.
Use of the Eyeport for a total of 3 hours over a 3 week period
increases visual attention span, eye teaming, reading ability,
overall visual performance, and improves dynamic depth perception
and marksmanship. This is an evidence-based vision training
product that is FDA approved.
A
series of skill-building programs are followed for 10 minutes
per day, 6 days per week, for 3 to 6 weeks. The unit has
multiple speed settings. It comes with an instruction manual, one pair
of reversible red/blue glasses to train each eye individually,
a glasses case, and a versatile tripod stand with vice functionality for clamping to a table. It requires 4 AA batteries which are not included.
When ordered through Visions of Joy you will also receive Esther's
personal 'Eyeport notes'. The Eyeport has greatly enhanced my
own depth perception and I love this machine! I first experienced
true depth perception in my thirties through using the Bates Method.
For a long time I found this new 3-D view of the world to be beautiful,
exhilarating, yet also very much overwhelming... My mind was not
used to processing so much extra data about the world around me.
So I often 'switched 3-D off'. The Eyeport has helped me overcome
this problem, and has given me an even greater level of depth
perception. I really appreciate what this unit can do for vision,
and I especially recommend it to my students with binocularity
issues or astigmatism.
Check out this video about the Eyeport with Dr. Jacob Liberman .
March 2024 UPDATE: The EYEPORT has gone OUT OF PRODUCTION.
If anyone has a used Eyeport that they are no longer using but the unit is still in good condition, please let me know, I may have a student in need who is hoping to find one!
Summary of research done on the EYEPORT Vision
Training System:
In 2003, a
carefully-controlled study at Pacific University College of Optometry
revealed that using the EYEPORT for just 10 minutes a day, over
a three week period, yielded significant improvements in the ability
to aim, track, focus and use the eyes as a team, as well as improving
reading efficiency and comprehension. On quality of life questionnaires,
subjects reported improved attention, alertness, reading and athletic
performance. This study was published in Optometry, Volume 77,
Issue 10, October 2006.
In 2004, a
second independent study was completed on the isolated effect
of using the EYEPORT on the batting performance of little league
baseball players. Results of that study demonstrated a 90% improvement
in batting performance after only three weeks of use. Shortly
after the completion of the study, this team emerged from the
loser's bracket to win their first league championship. This study
was published in the Journal of Behavioral Optometry, Volume 16,
Number 6, 2005.
In 2005, a
third study was completed with the Maui County Police Department.
The results of that study demonstrated statistically significant
improvement in visual attention, speed and span of perception
and marksmanship. Additionally, experienced police recruit trainers
noticed visible improvement in speed of visual reaction time,
accuracy of visual recognition and speed, accuracy and appropriateness
of physical response. Also, after using the EYEPORT, one of the
sergeants that supervised the program competed in the Hawaii State
USPSA Championships and won the Open division and overall high
score. This study was published in the Journal of Behavioral Optometry,
Volume 17, Number 4, 2006.
In 2006, EYEPORT
received clearance from the FDA as a medical device available
to the public for the treatment of poor accommodative and vergence
facility, convergence insufficiency and large accommodative lag
(in non-presbyopic subjects). In 2007, a pilot study conducted
at Northeastern State University College of Optometry demonstrated
that use of the EYEPORT significantly improved visual attention,
focus and depth perception in subjects previously diagnosed with
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Additional
Studies: (Click to see link)
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Effect
of the EYEPORT System on Visual Function in ADHD Children - A
Pilot Study
Published in the Journal of Behavioral Optometry - Volume 19 -
Issue 2. Authored by: Hanni Hagen, O.D.; Kari Moore, O.D.a; Gary
Wickham, Ph.D.; & W.C. Maples, O.D., M.S.
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Screen
Projectors
For
general information on computer eyestrain see the solutions
page.
If you want to completely avoid computer eyestrain caused by looking
into pixels of light for too many hours and you can't wait for
screen technology to catch up to human visual needs, an excellent
interim solution is to use a screen projector which reverses that
problem and has you looking at reflected light instead; a whole
lot easier and more natural for your eyes!
Screen projectors come in a large range of prices, from as low as $70 for a hand-held mini projector; $1000 to $4000 for a high quality machine, and then there are some that sell for $40,000 plus... You won't need to spend that much though. As technology advances, the better ones will likely become more affordable as well as smaller. Below are a few examples of projectors you may find useful. There are many more options; look for native 1080p, a high contrast resolution (like 10,000-1 or up), and compare ansi lumens for brightness if you want to use it in daytime light conditions rather than sit in a dark room.
I currently use the Optoma EH412ST because of its brightness and high contrast ratio (I can use it on a bright sunny day in my office), short throw (fits easier in my room set-up) and its low noise level.
Optoma EH412ST Short Throw 1080P Projector (approx $1000) *
Epson PowerLite
1781W WXGA 3LCD Projector (approx $700) *
Optoma HD146X High Performance Projector (approx $550) *
AAXA M6 Micro
Projector (approx $600) *
Some options for smaller budgets:
Projector, GooDee BL98 Native 1080P HD (approx $200) *
VANKYO Leisure 470 Mini Projector (approx $130) *
WimiUS p18 Native 1080 Projector (approx $250) *
(* Affiliate links - as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
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 Boomerang
bounce balls
Boomerang bounce balls improve hand-eye coordination and are a
wonderful tool for far- and nearsighted kids of all ages.
Attach it to your wrist with the Velcro strap, throw the ball
as far as you like, and the elastic cord ensures the ball bounces
right back to you; it will not go far out of (clear) sight. Playing
with a boomerang bounce ball is a fun and entertaining way to
increase eye motion plus practice near-to-far vision with ease.
Combine this ball-play with a brief glance at an
eye-chart after each catch and you have a great vision improvement
tool!
Now available in in a variety of bright colors: yellow or blue tennis ball, green or purple soccer ball, orange basket ball, pink baseball.
Ball diameter is 2 inches. Elastic cord is close to 3 feet in
length.
US$ 5.00 each / US$ 12.50 for a set of three.
Add $8 for shipping in the USA.
Instructions included.
Warning - family members are likely to become jealous of this
vision aid - you may want to buy enough for all the kids, regardless
of age...
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 Bookmarks
While reading, use a Visions of Joy bookmark as a reminder of
all the good vision habits that improve your vision!
Two versions:
- bookmark for farsightedness (hyperopia/presbyopia) has the Ten
Steps to Reading Without Glasses in small print on the back.
- bookmark for nearsightedness (myopia) has various quotes from
Dr. Bates in small print on the back.
$5.00
each, or 4 for $14.00. Free shipping within USA, add
$2 for world-wide shipping. Please specify which version you prefer
to receive.
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Miniature
Bibles
These miniature bibles measure approximately 1.25 by 1.5 inch
and have microprint inside which is great for your relaxed-reading
practice! The book Read Without
Glasses at Any Age has instructions on how to use microprint
for near vision improvement.
Miniature bibles are available with and without key chain, Please
specify which version you would like to receive.
$6.00 each. Add $5
for shipping in USA, $17 worldwide.
I have had some inquiries about the content of these bibles -
On the first page of the white mini bible without key chain:
"Good News Bible, the New Testament."
It starts with Matthew and it has some illustrations.
The mini bible with key chain (available with
gold, silver or black cover) has no version listed. It starts with Genesis and
ends with the Third Letter of John. There are some illustrations
too. These are easier to open to read the entire page than the
white covers.
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Full
Spectrum and Sun Lamps
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| I am
often asked what type of lights are best for the eyes, so here is
a section that will give you an idea of what types of lamp to look
for in your local store, or, if you are unable to find it locally,
you can click on the title of the item you are interested in and buy
it online.
Note: When buying full spectrum lamps,
be sure that they do state to be Full Spectrum! If it
says the lamp is a natural daylight lamp it is not necessarily a
full spectrum lamp...
Here are some things to look for:
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According to Dr. John Ott, generically a full spectrum lamp is based on color rendering index (CRI) of at least 90, with sunlight being 100 CRI.
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The Kelvin temperature of sunlight is 5650 at noon, and a good lamp should ideally be at least 5000 Kelvin.
- True full spectrum (sunlight) includes both UV and near-infrared light. Ideally, the best artificial light sources also include UV and near-infrared light to provide optimal lighting indoors during the day.
- For indoor light after sunset, incandescent bulbs (which are high in the red end of the spectrum) are the best choice for your vision and health.
See also the Solutions page about light
and light sensitivity |
 Ott
Full Spectrum desk lamp *
This desk lamp is one of various models of full spectrum (in the visual range) Ott lamps.
Same as above, these don't have UV or near-infrared light. UV can be supplemented with a separate lamp if you like. (see below)
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Full Spectrum Lights. *
Instead of buying a completely new lamp, you can simply replace some
of your regular light bulbs with full spectrum lights like these. The downside of these compact fluorescent lights is that the cathode is not shielded by lead-foil tape, like John Ott used to do. |
 Full Spectrum Fluorescent tubes. *
Next time your fluorescents need to be replaced, consider getting
full spectrum tubes! You will both see and feel
a huge difference.
The downside of these compact fluorescent lights is that the cathode is not shielded by lead-foil tape, like John Ott used to do.
Here is another example of them. |
 BioBrite
Sunrise Alarm Clock *
Waking up to gradually increasing light rather than a sudden loud
sound is a much nicer way to start your day! It is also much
more in tune with nature's way. I am fortunate that I do not
need an alarm clock and am able to wake naturally with the sun, but
for many people this is not an option. For them, this sunrise
simulating alarm clock was invented. There are various models
available - here
is one that you can connect to your existing bedside lamp! |
 Sunning
Lamp. *
As strong lightbulbs of 250 Watt or more are slowly being phased out,
it may be easiest to simply buy a fairly low-priced work-lamp like
this one shown on the left. This is useful for indoor sunning
of your eyes on days that the real sun stays hidden behind clouds.
You may also find one of these work-lamps in your local DIY store. |
 Not
a full spectrum lamp but definitley very bright and therefore useful
as a sun-replacement lamp is a theater spot light.
I am told that using such a lamp
with a dimmer will lengthen its life; just try to keep your distance from the dimmer switch itself, because it throws out radiation when used.
Search for these on the internet or at a local theater supply store. |
Here's a small UV lamp * that I use on dark/gloomy winter days when going outdoors is less appealing due to weather. Adding just a small amount of UV like this (UV-A) helps to balance out the indoor spectrum during the daytime.
Not needed at night - in nature you wouldn't get UV at night either. |
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A body slant mattress or slant board is a wonderful aid in relaxation and also provides a great position for palming. With the head down lower than the feet, the hands rest very comfortably on the face which allows for a deep rest. I have the Newton BodySlant (shown below) but anything at a similar angle will do the job.
Here are two links where a bodyslant can be bought:
evolutionhealth.com
ahealthybody.net
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Eye patches can help switch on an amblyopic (lazy) eye or can help practice relaxed vision habits with one eye at a time without needing to close the other eye or cover it with a hand.
I often cut a hole in the outer half of a patch to overcome the annoying loss of peripheral vision for the patched eye. This makes the use of a patch much more tolerable and thus allows for longer use.
I have patches available for sale to students during private sessions and group classes but I currently don't sell them online. Regular black patches are available in most drug stores or you can check the following sites for patches to buy online:
www.patchpals.com
www.eyepatchstore.com
www.amazon.com
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| FREE
DOWNLOAD: The
Visions of Joy Letter-Chart to hang
up in your home, office or classroom. Letter-charts tend
to mainly be associated with vision acuity tests, yet they are
even more useful as a tool to improve vision.
Also for free download:
The Optimal Eyesight book's Large Practice Chart
Visions of Joy leeskaart
in het Nederlands (in meters)
Visions of Joy la
tabella di practica in Italiano (in feet)
Visions of
Joy la
tabella di practica in Italiano (in meters)
Tabla de práctica de la Visión Óptima en español (en pies)
You can also print
your own chart.
Having a letter-chart on a wall in a well lit location will allow
you to monitor your own eyesight improvement. Regular chart
use can aid in learning to relax your eyes as it gives instant
feedback while you practice natural vision habits.
Set of three charts with instructions on how to use
Three letter charts of different sizes along with instructions
in relaxed use of charts will be sent to you in return for a donation
of $5.
Please make your donation and email
me saying that you would like
the set of 3 letter charts with instructions.
The complete set of charts from
the Read Without Glasses book!
If you prefer not to cut pages out of the book and would like
a complete set of its charts in PDF format, please make
a donation of $5 and email me saying
that you would like the set of charts for the Read Without Glasses
book.
Included in this set are:
Letter charts in 3 different sizes;
Dr. Bates' Fundamentals Card;
the Better Eyesight card;
plus various Diamond and Microscopic Print practice cards.
(There are no instructions included in this set, as those are
provided in the Read Without
Glasses book itself.)
NEW! - The complete set of charts from
the Optimal Eyesight book!
If you prefer not to cut pages out of the book and would like
a complete set of its charts in PDF format, please make
a donation of $5 and email me saying
that you would like the set of charts for the Optimal Eyesight
book.
Included in this set are:
Letter charts in 3 different sizes;
The Optimal Eyesight Reading Practice Card;
The Astigmatism chart;
plus Diamond and Microscopic Print practice text.
(There are no instructions included in this set, as those are
provided in the Optimal Eyesight book itself.)
El juego de tablas de práctica del Visión Óptima.
Para recibir un juego de tablas de práctica en formato PDF, por favor haga una donación de US$5.00 y envíeme un correo electrónico diciendo que desea el juego de tablas del libro Visión Óptima.
Este juego incluye:
Cartas de letras en 3 tamaños diferentes;
La tarjeta de práctica de lectura de Visión Óptima;
La carta de Astigmatismo;
(No se incluyen instrucciones en este set, ya que éstas se proporcionan en el propio libro Visión Óptima).
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(sample image only, this is not a chart I have for sale) |
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NEW! - The best sunning lamp is SOL PhotoVites made by 
- These lamps reduce the effects of seasonal affective disorder. *