Hello!

Heres our free gift to you ~ the Power Vision Program of vision therapy eye exercises. We suggest you print a hard copy and put it in a binder for easy reference, or take the file to a copy shop and have them do it. Please begin by reading pages 40 through 50. If your vision is starting to go bad, the exercises can probably help you avoid corrective lenses. If your vision is bad and its getting worse, the exercises can probably help you avoid the anxiety and expense of stronger prescriptions. If your vision is bad and its not getting worse, the exercises can probably help you reduce or eliminate dependency on corrective lenses. The Power Vision Program contains new words, new concepts, new information. Dont worry if you dont understand everything at first. Just read it three times and it will fall into place. We recommend you use the Power Vision Program with a friend so that you motivate and encourage each other. Do whatever it takes to get results! The Power Vision Program is the key to a lifetime of stronger healthier eyes and better vision, so dont just put it away. Read it! Use it! Make it work!

POWER VISION PROGRAM

_________________
Dr. Merrill J. Allen Dr. Steven M. Beresford Dr. Francis A. Young

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2010 American Vision Institute

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION ONE: Welcome To The Power Vision Program 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Good Vision Is Your Birthright Now For Some Basic Terms How Your Visual System Works How To Use Corrective Lenses Correctly Set Yourself Realistic Goals Strategies For Success

SECTION TWO: How To Use The Power Vision Program 11. 13. 14. 16. 19. 20. Download Instructions The Deep Relaxation Module How To Get Really Fast Results Advice For Different Conditions Quick Start Checklist Weekly Worksheet

SECTION THREE: The Power Exercise Module 23. 25. 29. Flexing Clocking Conducting 24. 26. 30. Squeezing Detailing Rolling

SECTION FOUR: The Booster Exercise Module 31. 33. Hydrotherapy Palming 32. 34. Flashing Acupressure

SECTION FIVE: What Really Causes Bad Eyesight 41. 42. 43. What Corrective Lenses Do To Your Eyes Corrective Lenses And Eye Disease Understanding Eye Doctors

SECTION SIX: Advanced Therapy Techniques 52. The Fusion Exercises ______________________________________________________________ CONTACT INFORMATION: Behavioral Optometrist Referrals: www.oepf.org Behavioral Optometrist Referrals: www.covd.org ______________________________________________________________ 2

NOTICE TO ALL READERS

The Power Vision Program is an educational tool that will help you see more clearly and comfortably. The techniques are considered to be completely safe but should only be used under the supervision of an eye doctor. If you use the Power Vision Program without the supervision of an eye doctor, you do so entirely at your own risk and assume all liabilities from application of the techniques and recommendations including all claims for direct and consequential damages. Now wed like to introduce the doctors who developed the Power Vision Program: Dr. Merrill J. Allen, Ph.D. Former Head of the School of Optometry and Professor Emeritus at Indiana University. During his distinguished career, he educated thousands of optometrists and published 231 research papers. He received 21 professional honors including the highest award in optometry, the prestigious Apollo Award from the American Optometric Association. Dr. Steven M. Beresford, Ph.D. Founder of the American Vision Institute. He is an expert on nuclear chemistry and magnetic resonance spectroscopy who has carried out extensive research into the biomechanics of the eyes and natural methods of vision improvement including cataract reversal. Dr. Francis A. Young, Ph.D. Former Head of Washington State Universitys Primate Research Center and Professor Emeritus of Psychology. He published 95 research papers and received 11 honors including the American Optometric Associations Apollo Award for his myopia research.
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SECTION ONE
WELCOME TO THE POWER VISION PROGRAM
GOOD VISION IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT
During the last few decades, an elite group of eye doctors known as behavioral optometrists have developed simple techniques known as vision therapy eye exercises that make the eyes healthier and reduce or even eliminate dependency on corrective lenses. The Power Vision Program gives you the best of these techniques. The Power Vision Program gives your eyes a good basic workout. In contrast to physical exercises, however, eye exercises are not strenuous and are intended to increase the range and accuracy of the focusing system rather than beefing up the eye muscles. Some of the exercises stimulate the flow of nutrients inside the eyes, making them healthier. Other exercises increase natural focusing power and reduce eyestrain from reading or working at a computer. Its vitally important to understand that the vast majority of people are born with normal vision. Almost all cases of poor vision begin with nothing more serious than a minor focusing problem. Nobody goes to bed with normal vision and wakes up the next morning with deformed eyeballs! The bottom line is that if you could see well as a child, you probably didnt inherit deformed eyeballs. Likewise, although the aging process catches up with us all, many elderly people dont need glasses or seldom wear them. This means is that poor vision is usually not inherited and can be improved with eye exercises, just like you can improve your body with physical exercises.

NOW FOR SOME BASIC TERMS

Acuity. Clarity of vision, usually expressed as a fraction such as 20/50. The smaller the denominator, the better the acuity. Astigmatism. A condition in which the eyeball and/or cornea are warped. The result is uneven focusing of light and blurred or distorted vision, usually at all distances. Cataract. A degenerative disease caused by dead cells inside the eyes inner lens, which make the lens cloudy and obstruct the passage of light. A cataract is not a tumor but is usually caused by ultraviolet radiation and/or poor nutrition. Farsightedness (Hyperopia). A condition in which far objects are seen better than near objects. A farsighted person is called a hyperope (pronounced HYPER-ope). Glaucoma. A degenerative disease in which the optic nerve is damaged due to poor blood supply and/or excess pressure inside the eyeball, usually caused by blockages in the eyes drainage system. Glaucoma can lead to total blindness. Lazy Eye (Amblyopia). A condition in which the brain suppresses nerve impulses from one eye, often leading to subnormal acuity and inferior vision in that eye. Macular Degeneration. A degenerative disease in which cells die in the central part of the retina at the back of the eye, usually resulting in partial blindness. Nearsightedness (Myopia). A condition in which near objects are seen better than far objects. A nearsighted person is called a myope (pronounced MY-ope). Presbyopia (Aging Eyes). Loss of focusing power due to the aging process. A person with presbyopia is called a presbyope (pronounced PREZ-bee-ope).

HOW YOUR VISUAL SYSTEM WORKS

The eye is an approximately spherical bag of cells about an inch in diameter that is filled with a pressured liquid. At the front is the cornea, which is a transparent window of cells that allows light to enter. Behind the cornea is the iris, which is a diaphragm of colored muscle that regulates the amount of light entering the eye.

Behind the iris is the inner lens, which is a flexible capsule of transparent cells. The ciliary muscle surrounds the lens and is responsible for focusing the eye. When the ciliary muscle dilates, it makes the inner lens thinner to focus on distant objects. When the ciliary muscle constricts, it makes the inner lens thicker to focus on near objects. In addition, six extraocular muscles surround each eyeball and are responsible for moving the eyes in their sockets. The cornea and inner lens focus light onto the retina, which is a layer of cells inside the eyeball. Due to optical defects in the eye known as spherical and chromatic aberrations and light scattering and diffraction, the image on the retina is never perfectly clear, even in perfectly normal eyes. The retina converts the light into electrical pulses that travel up the optic nerve to the brain, where the image is enhanced by the visual cortex in a process known as hyperacuity. It may surprise you to know that what we actually see is up to ten times clearer than the raw image on the retina!
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HOW TO USE CORRECTIVE LENSES CORRECTLY

When people get a new pair of glasses, they must usually get used to the stronger lenses. This means that the eyes passively adapt to the stronger lenses. The time required for adaptation is usually a few weeks. We have discovered that the same principle can be used in reverse. Instead of passively adapting to stronger lenses, it is possible to actively adapt to weaker lenses using eye exercises to make the eyes stronger and healthier.

Eye exercises strengthen the focusing mechanism and help the eyes adapt to the weaker lenses. When you can see well through the weaker lenses, use even weaker lenses. We call this progressive undercorrection. You can get weaker lenses from a same-day company like Lenscrafters or from a behavioral optometrist (see page 2), which may take several days to a week. Weaker glasses from previous years can often be used. If you are myopic, the weaker glasses must give you 20/40 acuity so that you can drive safely. If you are presbyopic or hyperopic, weak drug store glasses are usually okay. If your glasses are already weak, use them until you can see well through them, then use even weaker glasses.
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SET YOURSELF REALISTIC GOALS

The Power Vision Program is designed to make your eyes healthier, increase your natural focusing power, and reduce your dependency on corrective lenses. However, this doesnt mean that everybody will be able to throw their glasses away. Although some people get truly amazing results, it is usually more realistic to set the goal of returning to weaker glasses or contact lenses and only wear them part of the time. Based on our clinical experience with more than 1,000 patients, we have determined that the Power Vision Program can typically produce the following results: CATEGORY ONE: If your eyesight is just starting to go bad, you can probably return to normal and avoid corrective lenses. CATEGORY TWO: If your eyesight is not too bad, you can probably return to normal or almost-normal and avoid corrective lenses all or most of the time. CATEGORY THREE: If your eyesight is bad, you can probably obtain a significant amount of freedom from corrective lenses, such as only needing them for movies or driving. CATEGORY FOUR: If you have cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration, you may be able to reverse the disease and avoid surgery. Although most people see the first signs of improvement in a week or so, dont be impatient or discouraged if you dont get astonishing results right away. Remember that were doctors, not miracle workers! So please be realistic and give the exercises time to work. The important thing is to use the Power Vision Program as directed, dont take shortcuts, and do at least one Exercise Module per day.
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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

We recommend the following strategies. But remember, you must ALWAYS wear corrective lenses that enable you to see well when doing any type of potentially dangerous activity. CATEGORY ONE: If you dont yet wear corrective lenses, exercise your eyes regularly and avoid eye strain from too much reading or computer work. CATEGORY TWO: If your eyesight is not too bad, try to go without corrective lenses as much as possible provided its safe to do so. CATEGORY THREE: Start wearing weaker glasses immediately and concentrate on adapting to them. When you can see well through the weaker glasses, return to even weaker glasses. The weaker glasses should give you 20/40 acuity so objects are slightly blurred but not so blurred that you cant make them out. You should also spend as much time as possible without glasses provided its safe to do so. CATEGORY FOUR: If you have an eye disease, do Flexing, Rolling, and the Booster exercises. Take a multivitamin supplement for the eyes. Eat lots of vegetables. Drink plenty of liquids.

HOW TO USE CONTACT LENSES EFFECTIVELY

If youre nearsighted and do a lot of reading or computer work, we advise you not to wear contact lenses unless you get special lenses for close work. You will need lenses that give you 20/40 acuity at a distance of 20. If you dont do much reading or computer work, its okay to wear weaker contact lenses that give you 20/40 distance acuity. We recommend disposable contacts. Ask your eye doctor for a series of progressively weaker lenses.

SECTION TWO
HOW TO USE THE POWER VISION PROGRAM
POWER EXERCISE MODULE This is a 21 minute file consisting of 6 exercises to increase your natural focusing power and stimulate the nutrient flow inside your eyes. BOOSTER EXERCISE MODULE This is a 21 minute file consisting of 3 exercises to stimulate the nutrient flow inside your eyes. DEEP RELAXATION MODULE This is a 30 minute file consisting of deep relaxation plus visualization to regenerate the tissues in your eyes.

START THE PROGRAM TODAY!

The most important thing is to get up to speed as quickly as possible and see the results for yourself. When you feel the new health and power in your eyes and see things becoming clearer, youll never want to go back to passively relying on stronger glasses or contact lenses! Cultivate the habit of exercising your eyes every day! _______________

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DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS
Download the music files onto your desktop from the links given below. Use the Browser settings on the next page. You can play the files on your computer or burn them onto a CD or transfer them to an mp3 player. POWER EXERCISE MODULE (21 minutes) www.strong-eyes.com/audio/POWER.mp3 BOOSTER EXERCISE MODULE (21 minutes) www.strong-eyes.com/audio/BOOSTER.mp3 DEEP RELAXATION MODULE (30 minutes) www.strong-eyes.com/audio/RELAXATION.mp3 The Power Exercise Module and the Booster Exercise Module dont contain any instructions, just music and cues to do the exercises. The first few times you play the files, you should stop the music at the beginning of each exercise and read the instructions in the manual so you learn the method correctly. Dont skip anything or take any shortcuts. After a few days, youll be able to do the exercises without referring to the instructions. If you prefer your own music, use it. Play at least one Module per day. Your goal is to set up a routine you can live with, so do whatever works best. If you want really fast results, play two or three Modules per day but immediately stop if your eyes become very sore or painful. Make haste slowly and dont overdo it. You can do the exercises in time to the music or to your breathing. Dont rush the exercises. Aim for accuracy and coordination rather than speed. As soon as you can do all the exercises comfortably, move on to the Fusion Exercises and the Advanced Exercise Sequences.
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BROWSER SETTINGS
These settings work for most computers. If you have trouble downloading, Google: download mp3 + (version of browser). This will tell you how other people have solved the problem. Internet Explorer 1) Copy and paste the download link into the address bar. 2) Press Enter. A dialog box will appear asking: Do you want to open or save this file? Click the Save button. 3) A new dialog box will appear. Click on Desktop in the left column, then click the Save button at the bottom right. 4) The mp3 file will quickly download. Mozilla Firefox 1) In the menu bar, click Tools > Options > General. 2) In the Downloads section, check Show the Downloads Window when downloading a file, then check Save files to Desktop using the Browse button at the right if necessary. 3) Click on Applications in the menu bar at the top of the Options box. 4) Scroll down the Content Type to mp3, MPG, MPEG files and make sure the Action is set to Save File. 5) Click OK at the bottom of the Options box. 6) Copy and paste the download link into the address bar. 7) Press Enter. The mp3 file will quickly download. Google Chrome 1) Copy and paste the download link into the address bar. 2) Press Enter. The mp3 file will immediately start to play. Then Press Ctrl + S while it is playing. 3) A dialog box will appear. Click on Desktop in the left column, then click the Save button at the bottom right. 4) The mp3 file will slowly download as it plays.
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HOW TO USE THE DEEP RELAXATION MODULE

The Deep Relaxation Module will quickly produce a state of deep restful relaxation bordering on sleep. You must never play it in a moving vehicle or in any other situation where you must be fully awake and responsive to what is going on around you! The Deep Relaxation Module is designed to change the shape of your eyes and help your visual system work better. Every day, billions of old cells throughout your body are replaced by healthy new cells. This process of regeneration is also taking place in your eyes. Theres a substantial amount of scientific evidence that this process can be influenced by activating the power of the subconscious mind. In our normal waking state, its very difficult to activate the power of the subconscious mind. The Deep Relaxation Module will guide you into a state of consciousness where this is possible. Youre already familiar with this state of consciousness. Its the pleasant, deeply relaxed transition state that you experience every night, just before falling asleep. Your body is comfortable and relaxed, but youre completely in control and still able to think. Your success depends on staying focused on the words and images. Simply visualize your eyes changing shape to give you clear vision. However you visualize your eyes changing shape is okay. If your mind starts to wander, bring it back by gently squeezing your eyes and mentally repeating: My eyes are getting better and my vision is improving. We suggest you listen to the Deep Relaxation Module when you come home from work, or just before you go to bed, or set a fixed time during the day. First spend a few minutes stretching out and loosening up, then sit in a comfortable chair or lay on the bed, then do some deep breathing and start the Module. At the end of the Module you can get up or you can allow yourself to fall asleep naturally.
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HOW TO GET REALLY FAST RESULTS

The most important thing is to do everything as directed and dont skip anything or take shortcuts. Read the instructions carefully and make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. For the first few days, stop the music at the beginning of each exercise and read the instructions. After a few days, youll be able to do the exercises without referring to the instructions. Start The Program Immediately. Dont wait, dont delay, dont procrastinate. Start doing the exercises today and get up to speed as quickly as possible! Do Something Every Day. Do the Power Exercises, and/or the Booster Exercises, and/or Deep Relaxation. The more you do, the faster youll get results. Do at least one Module every day, preferably two Modules. Dont Overdo It. Your eyes will feel sore at first, like any other exercise program. If you experience sharp pain or if your eyes become unpleasantly sore, you must immediately stop! Do the Booster Exercises or Deep Relaxation instead of the Power Exercises for a few days until the discomfort subsides. Rearrange Your Schedule. Its really important to cultivate the habit of doing the exercises on a regular basis. Set aside a special time when you can do them without being disturbed. If possible, do an exercise session in the morning. That way its done and you wont get sidetracked or forget. Use An Alarm Clock. Habits thrive on regularity so use an alarm clock to remind yourself. This is the best way to cultivate your new exercise habit. Use The Weekly Worksheet. Print out a copy every week and record your progress every day.
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Wear Weaker Glasses. Do this immediately. If you continue to wear your current glasses you wont get results. However, if your current glasses are already weak, continue to wear them until you can see well with them, then use even weaker glasses. Spend Time Without Glasses. Break the habit of leaving your glasses on all the time. Regard them as tools that you use for activities where you must have clear vision, and cultivate the habit of taking them off as soon as you finish the activity. Youll find that there are many situations where you can see without them, even if things are not perfectly clear. Of course, you must always wear them for potentially dangerous activities such as cooking, using power tools, crossing the road, or driving. Dont Read Through Distance Glasses. This only applies to myopes and is important because reading through distance glasses creates nearpoint stress and causes deterioration. Remove your distance glasses for all reading and computer work, even if it means being closer than usual. If you are very myopic, get glasses with weaker lenses that give you 20/40 acuity at 20. Wear An Eye Patch. Get one from your drug store and wear it for an hour a day for reading, watching television, or playing. Dont wear it for potentially dangerous activities such as cooking, using power tools, crossing the road, or driving! Using an eye patch can really accelerate your progress because it encourages each eye to see as well as possible. If one of your eyes is noticeably stronger than the other, patch it for longer periods of time. Cultivate New Visual Habits. Practice Flexing, Squeezing, and Detailing as much as possible throughout the day. Put the Reminder Card at prominent locations at home and at work.
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ADVICE FOR DIFFERENT CONDITIONS

EYESTRAIN, MYOPIA. Instead of reading page after page or spending hour after hour staring at a computer screen you should take frequent breaks. Do some Squeezing or Fast Blinking, then look at a detail on a distant object. Take at least 50 breaks per day and keep a written record using bars and gates. Every time you take a break, add a bar to the gate. We highly recommend this technique because it rapidly reduces computer eyestrain and headaches.

Tape the Reminder Card to your computer and also use it as a bookmark. Put it a few pages ahead and when you reach it, take a break. Then put it a few more pages ahead and continue reading. Its very important not to wear distance glasses for reading or computer work. If you cant read without glasses, use weaker lenses that give you 20/40 acuity at a distance of 20. HYPEROPIA, PRESBYOPIA. Try to read without glasses or use weaker lenses. If you wear bifocals, try to use single vision lenses. Use the Reminder Card as a bookmark. Put it a few pages ahead and when you reach it, do Squeezing or Fast Blinking then look at a detail on a near object. Then put it a few more pages ahead and continue reading. LAZY EYE. When you start using the eye patch, you will know if you have a dominant eye and a weaker eye. To bring the weaker eye up to par, patch the dominant eye two or three times as long as the weaker eye.
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ASTIGMATISM. Although astigmatism is sometimes inherited, most cases seem to be the result of a bad posture. The reason is that the visual system helps to maintain our sense of balance by scanning the world around us for horizontal features. When the head is tilted, the extraocular muscles pull unequally, causing the eyeball and/or cornea to become distorted. To improve astigmatism, find out which way your head usually tilts. Look in a mirror or ask a friend. Then cultivate the habit of tilting your head the other way. Make signs that say TILT HEAD and put them in prominent positions at home, at work, and in your car. Do extra Clocking and Rolling to encourage the extraocular muscles to change their configuration. DEGENERATIVE EYE DISEASES. When were young, the fluids inside the eye circulate by means of the ciliary muscle expanding and contracting as it changes focus, and by the iris muscle expanding and contracting in response to the light. Nutrients are pumped into the eye from the back of the ciliary muscle, and waste products are pumped out of the eye through Schlemms Canal, which is located at the front of the iris muscle. The problem arises when we grow older and develop presbyopia. As with all other bodily tissues, the eyes tissues decline with age. The lens loses its flexibility, the ciliary and iris muscles become less responsive and lose their power, the nutrient flow decreases, waste products are not properly expelled, and the eye becomes stiff, sluggish, and unhealthy. Although the aging process cant be avoided, a lot can be done to minimize its impact, just like many older people do physical exercises to stay in shape and reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
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Recent research suggests that degenerative eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, or macular degeneration can often be stabilized or reversed by means of eye exercises and/or nutrition. You should be aware that major clinical studies have not been carried out so if you decide to try these techniques, you should only do so under the care of your eye doctor. We recommend the following regimen. Do the entire Power Vision Program but do more Flexing, Clocking, Rolling, Flashing, and Hydrotherapy. These exercises will increase the flow of nutrients inside the eyes and eliminate cellular waste products. FLEXING: Do up to 10 minutes continuously. Use the Booster music file or your own music. CLOCKING, ROLLING: Do as much as possible throughout the day. These exercises will massage the eyeball and stimulate blood flow to the retina. We consider Clocking and Rolling to be especially important for macular degeneration. HYDROTHERAPY: Do this three times a day. FLASHING: Do up to 20 minutes continuously. Use the Booster music file or your own music. NUTRIENTS: Take a high quality nutritional supplement for the eyes such as Dr. Sahelians Eye Formula, available at www.raysahelian.com. Regardless of your condition, you should upgrade your diet and cut down on junk food. Eat lots of green vegetables and drink plenty of water. You should be aware that clinical studies have shown that eye drops containing N-acetyl-carnosine can dissolve cataracts over a period of several months.
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QUICK START CHECKLIST

Here are the complete protocols. For maximum results, do everything as directed and dont take any shortcuts. STEP ONE: Print a hard copy of the Power Vision Program and put it into a binder for easy reference. STEP TWO: Read the Power Vision Program three times or until you clearly understand everything. STEP THREE: Download the mp3 music files and copy them to an mp3 player or an audio CD if you decide not to play them on your computer. STEP FOUR: Have your eyes examined to make sure you dont have an eye disease that requires medical treatment. Print a copy of the Prescribing Guide at the end of this book and give it to your eye doctor. STEP FIVE: Get weaker glasses or contact lenses. STEP SIX: Get an eye patch from your drug store. STEP SEVEN: Decide on a time for your exercise sessions and set your alarm clock accordingly. STEP EIGHT: Print copies of the Reminder Cards and put them in prominent places at work, in your house, on your computer, and in your car. STEP NINE: Print a copy of the Weekly Worksheet. STEP TEN: Set up your practice area, preferably with a blank area of wall, and get objects for Flexing and Conducting. Then start your first exercise session. Stop the music at the beginning of each exercise and read the instructions so you do it correctly.
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WEEKLY WORKSHEET
Mon Tue POWER EXERCISES BOOSTER EXERCISES ADVANCED EXERCISES DEEP RELAXATION ALARM CLOCK WEAKER GLASSES WITHOUT GLASSES EYE PATCH NEW HABITS

Start Date _______________

Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

PROGRESS REPORT: ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

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REMINDER CARD
Practice your new visual habits as much as possible during your normal activities.

REMINDER CARD
Practice your new visual habits as much as possible during your normal activities.

FLEXING DETAILING SQUEEZING

FLEXING DETAILING SQUEEZING

REMINDER CARD
Practice your new visual habits as much as possible during your normal activities.

REMINDER CARD
Practice your new visual habits as much as possible during your normal activities.

FLEXING DETAILING SQUEEZING

FLEXING DETAILING SQUEEZING

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SECTION THREE
THE POWER EXERCISE MODULE
These exercises form the dynamic core of the Power Vision Program and should be practiced on the world around you using everyday objects. The exercises will increase your natural focusing power, improve eye coordination, and stimulate the nutrient flow in and around your eyes. The Power Vision Module is a 21 minute music track that cues the exercises. There are no instructions so you should stop the track at the beginning of each exercise and read the instructions. After a few days you wont need to do this. If you prefer, use your own music. The exercise sequence is: CONDUCTING CLOCKING FLEXING SQUEEZING DETAILING SQUEEZING FLEXING ROLLING CONDUCTING 3.0 1.5 3.0 1.5 3.0 1.5 3.0 1.5 3.0 minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes

Do the exercises using weaker glasses. Your eyes may feel quite sore at first, like any other exercise program. If you experience sharp pain or your eyes become unpleasantly sore, you must immediately stop! Your goal is to develop smooth controlled eye movements, so dont jerk your eyes or overdo things so you see flashes of light. Some people may start to become dizzy or feel like they are getting a headache. If this happens, immediately stop and close your eyes until you feel comfortable again, then resume the exercise. Very soon the problem will subside.
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POWER EXERCISE #1: FLEXING

What It Is: Change focus in time to the music or to your breathing between a near object and a far object. Look at a small detail on each object. What It Does: Strengthens the focusing mechanism, improves coordination of the extraocular muscles, and stimulates the nutrient flow inside the eyes. Increases natural focusing power and makes your eyes healthier.

How To Do It: Step 1. Get a near object with interesting details such as a pen, trinket, piece of jewelry, or some printed material such as a magazine. Dont use anything sharp! Hold it about 6 from the tip of your nose. The correct distance is about the length of a pen. If you hold it farther away, the exercise isnt so effective. Step 2. Select a far object with some small details such as a building, person, automobile, street sign, tree, or a painting or ornament across the room. Make sure the object isnt so blurred that you cant see any details.
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Step 3. Hold the near object steady and change focus between it and the far object in time to the music or your breathing: (inhale/near)(exhale/far).

_______________
POWER EXERCISE #2: SQUEEZING
What It Is: Gently squeeze your eyes shut then open them in time to the music or your breathing. What It Does: Stimulates the tear glands, makes your eyes healthier, and can quickly relieve dry, gritty eyes from using a computer. How To Do It: Step 1. Gently squeeze your eyes shut using only your eyelid muscles, as if you are hugging your eyes with your eyelids. Dont scrunch up the muscles around the eyes or the forehead muscles. You may find it helpful to have a friend watch you to make sure you are doing it right. Step 2. Open your eyes and look at a detail on a blurred object. If you are farsighted or presbyopic, look at a near object such as a trinket or a piece of jewelry. If you are nearsighted, look at a far object such as a tree, building, automobile, or a painting or ornament across the room. Step 3. Continue to alternate squeezing your eyes shut and looking at details: (squeeze)(detail)(squeeze)(detail). Step 4. An important variation is Fast Blinking. Look at a small detail on a blurred object, then gently open and close your eyes as quickly as possible for a few seconds, then open your eyes normally. Dont do Fast Blinking if you suffer from epilepsy.
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POWER EXERCISE #3: CLOCKING

What It Is: Look at a number on an imaginary clock, then look at the center position of the clock. What It Does: Stretches and conditions the extraocular muscles and improves the nutrient flow around the eyes.

How To Do It: Step 1. Look at a far object and imagine you are in front of a giant clock with the far object at the center. Now carefully move your eyes in the 9 oclock direction as far as they will go, as if youre trying to see your left ear. Keep your head and neck still by holding your chin if necessary. Carefully stretch the muscles as much as possible, but not so much that you see flashes of light. Step 2. Now return to center and relax. Then move your eyes as far as they will go in the 10 oclock direction, then back to center, then the 11 oclock direction, then back to center. Make your way around the clock, going from one hour position to the next, returning to the center between hour positions. Take it slow and aim for good coordination. When youve developed good coordination, do it in time to the music or your breathing: (inhale/number)(exhale/center).
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POWER EXERCISE #4: DETAILING

What It Is: Examine small details of blurred objects. What It Does: Improves eye coordination and sharpens your vision. This exercise will quickly open your eyes to a brighter, clearer way of seeing things.

How To Do It: Step 1. Get an interesting object with lots of small bright details such as a plant, trinket, or ornament, and put it at a distance where its slightly blurred. If you already see well up close, look at a slightly blurred distant object. Step 2. Carefully examine a small bright detail by slowly running your gaze around its edges. Aim for calm, relaxed, contemplative vision and try to see its exact shape. Breathe slowly and deeply. Blink frequently so your eyes dont get dry, and dont squint, strain, or use any tricks. Step 3. Try to see even smaller details within the detail you are looking at. Then look at another detail and repeat the exercise. Vary the procedure by doing Squeezing and/or Fast Blinking instead of normal blinking.
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DETAILING

(continued)

The Biofeedback Chart

What it is: An important technique that can give you an immediate improvement in acuity. What it does: Each line is slightly bigger than the line below it, which provides the eyes focusing mechanism with visual biofeedback. How to do it: Use whatever chart works best and put it where it is slightly blurred. Look at the smallest line you can easily read, then run your calm steady gaze back and forth along the line below it. Now study one of the words on the line and try to make out the individual letters. Breathe slowly and deeply. Blink a few times including Squeezing or Fast Blinking, but dont squint or strain. When you can read some of the words on that line, go to the line below and repeat the exercise.

Continue down the chart to smaller and smaller lines. If the entire chart becomes clear, move it into your blur zone again and continue to do the exercise. Put copies of the chart at prominent locations such as wall, mirror, computer, TV. Use it as a bookmark.

BIOFEEDBACK CHART (A)

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DEMAND EXCELLENCE! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! GET THE KNOWLEDGE
YOU NEED AND USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE! LIVE! LOVE! LAUGH!
LEARN TO BE BETTER THAN WHAT YOU ARE! THE SECRET OF GETTING AHEAD IS GETTING STARTED! BE ALL
YOU CAN BE! EXCELLENCE IS NOT AN ACT BUT A HABIT! DO IT RIGHT! JUST
DO IT! WINNERS MAKE IT HAPPEN! YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!
BELIEVE IT AND ACHIEVE IT! LETS MAKE THINGS BETTER! PLAN FOR SUCCESS! GOOD!
BETTER! BEST! SUCCESS IS SWEET! PRACTICE WINNING EVERY DAY! REACH FOR THE STARS!
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY! GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES! YOU ARE A
WINNER! ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING! HOPE IS LIKE THE SUN! ENJOY IT! DEDICATION! BECAUSE YOU ARE
WORTH IT! TRUST YOUR HIGHER POWER! YOU CAN DO IT! YES YOU CAN! PLAN TO SUCCEED! GET THE WINNING
EDGE! DO IT NOW! GO CONFIDENTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR DREAMS! BELIEVE IT! DO IT! LIVE IT! DO WHATEVER IT
TAKES! HIGH PERFORMANCE DELIVERY! THE BEST WAY TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE IS TO WAKE UP! HAVE FUN! ENJOY YOUR
LIFE AND DANCE LIKE NOBODYS WATCHING! AIM HIGH AND SUCCEED! FLY HIGH AND DARE TO DREAM! MAKE IT HAPPEN! REMEMBER, YOU HAVE THE
STRENGTH, PATIENCE AND PASSION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE! BE
BE TRUE, DO YOUR BEST, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE HELP YOU NEED! SUCCESS IS
THE SUM OF SMALL EFFORTS! FOCUS ON YOUR STRONG POINTS! ONE STEP, ONE DAY AT
A TIME! DO RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS AND COMPASSION! DEDICATE YOURSELF TO THE GOOD
YOU DESERVE AND DESIRE FOR YOURSELF! DANCE BETWEEN THE RAINDROPS! WHERE THERES A WILL
THERES A WAY! CONCENTRATE AND USE YOUR TIME WISELY! TRY TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING EVERY DAY!
THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THEIR DREAMS! WINNING IS A HABIT! SUCCESS IS A CHOICE! MAKE
IT WORK! SEIZE THE MOMENT! SUCCESS COMES THROUGH EFFORT AND DETERMINATION! PLAN YOUR WORK AND WORK YOUR
PLAN! DO NOBLE THINGS! IF YOU CHANGE YOUR THINKING, YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE! WINNING IS SEEING REAL IMPROVEMENT IN YOURSELF!

BIOFEEDBACK CHART (B)

28A

Heres another Biofeedback Chart for you to play with. In addition to using the Biofeedback Charts for Detailing, you can use them for Flexing. To increase your motivation, we recommend printing several copies and putting them up at prominent locations in your home or office, such as on the bathroom mirror and next to your TV and computer.

BIOFEEDBACK CHART (C)

28B

BIOFEEDBACK CHART (D)

28C

POWER EXERCISE #5: CONDUCTING

What It Is: Hold an object in your hand and look at it while you make patterns with it in the space in front of you, like a conductor slowly waving a baton. What It Does: Strengthens the focusing mechanism, improves coordination of the extraocular muscles, and stimulates the nutrient flow inside the eyes. Increases natural focusing power and makes your eyes healthier.

How To Do It: Step 1. Get an object with some interesting details, such as a pen, trinket, piece of jewelry, or some printed material. Or simply use your thumb. Dont use anything sharp! Hold the object at arms length and look at a small detail.

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Step 2. Now slowly move the object in time to the music. Up, down, from side to side, in circles, figure eights, spirals and even more complex patterns as if youre conducting an orchestra. Blink frequently and breathe deeply. Keep your head still. Vary the distance from arms length to the tip of your nose. Look at a detail on the object at all times. When your arm gets tired, use the other arm. Step 3. Now use the object to write positive statements in the air, such as: My eyes are getting better and my vision is improving. I have natural healthy vision. Remember to look at a detail on the object at all times.

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POWER EXERCISE #6: ROLLING
What It Is: Roll your eyes in time to the music or your breathing. What It Does: Stretches and conditions the extraocular muscles and improves the nutrient flow around the eyes. Makes your eyes healthier and improves coordination. How To Do It: Step 1. Slowly roll your eyes in complete circles, keeping the muscles fully stretched at all times. Alternatively, you can make partial circles, for example quarter circles. Keep your head and neck still by holding your chin if necessary. Dont overdo it so you see flashes of light. If you become dizzy, close your eyes until the dizziness subsides. Step 2. In the beginning, take it slow and concentrate on developing good coordination. Later, when you have good coordination, do it in time to the music or your breathing: (inhale/clockwise)(exhale/counterclockwise).
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SECTION FOUR
THE BOOSTER EXERCISE MODULE
These exercises will reduce your stress level, relax your eyes, and improve the nutrient flow. Do not skip Hydrotherapy, which is not included on the Booster Exercise Module and must be done separately, because it will make your eyes feel wonderful and sparkle with new health and vitality!

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BOOSTER EXERCISE #1: Hydrotherapy
What It Is: Hold a hot washcloth against your closed eyes, then hold an ice-cold washcloth against them. What It Does: Stimulates the nutrient flow to your eyes, making them healthier. How To Do It: Step 1. Put a bowl of hot water, a bowl of ice-cold water, and two washcloths on a table. The hot water should be as hot as you can comfortably stand it, and the ice-cold water should have crushed ice in it so that it stays cold. Alternatively, use a ice-cold washcloth wrapped around some crushed ice or a plastic bag filled with crushed ice. Step 2. Dip a washcloth in the hot water and gently hold or dab it against your closed eyes for about thirty seconds, then do the same thing with the ice-cold washcloth. Step 3. Continue to alternate hot and cold washcloths every thirty seconds for about five minutes, then gently massage your closed eyes with a dry towel.

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BOOSTER EXERCISE #2: FLASHING

What It Is: With your eyes closed, switch a bright light on and off in time to your breathing. What It Does: Strengthens the iris muscle. Improves the nutrient flow inside your eyes and makes them healthier.

How To Do It: Step 1. Remove your glasses and sit about 1 in front of a bright unshaded 150 watt incandescent light with your eyes closed and relaxed. If the light feels too bright, move the lamp farther away and reduce the distance as the light becomes more comfortable. Step 2. Breathe slowly and deeply. As you inhale, switch the light on. As you exhale, switch it off. Concentrate on the sensation of warm, pulsating energy in your eyes. Variation. Leave the light on instead of switching it on and off. Enjoy the sensation of warm, pulsating energy.

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BOOSTER EXERCISE #3: PALMING

What It Is: Close your eyes and cover them with your hands so that no light gets in. What It Does: Relieves visual stress and eyestrain. Improves nutrient flow and makes your eyes healthier. You will enjoy Palming. Its very pleasant and relaxing, and will leave your eyes feeling energized and refreshed.

How To Do It: Step 1. Remove your glasses and close your eyes, then cover them with cupped hands so that no light gets in. Rest the heels of your palms on your cheekbones and cross your hands on your forehead. Make sure your hands, eyelids, and eyebrows are relaxed, and dont press on your eyes or your forehead. Step 2. Breathe slowly and deeply and concentrate on the sensation of warm, tingling, pulsating energy in your eyes. Imagine positive changes taking place in your eyes and say the words: My eyes are getting better and my vision is improving. I have natural healthy vision.
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BOOSTER EXERCISE #4: ACUPRESSURE

What It Is: Massages the system of acupressure points around your eyes. What It Does: Stimulates chi energy in and around your eyes, invigorating them and making them healthier. How To Do It: NOTE: If you have short fingernails, use the tips of your fingers or thumbs. If you have long fingernails, use your knuckles. Remove your glasses and firmly massage the acupressure points in time to the music until they feel slightly sore without actually hurting. Some people report experiencing a tender nervy sensation. VARIATION ONE: Step 1. Put your thumbs on the acupressure points shown in the diagram. For most people, the acupressure point is a small knob of bone that slightly protrudes inside the eye socket just below the eyebrow.

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Step 2. Close your eyes and firmly press the acupressure points, then release. Continue to press and release in time to the music (press/release/press/release/press/release).

VARIATION TWO: Step 1. Put your thumb and index finger of one hand on the acupressure points shown in the diagram.

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Step 2. Close your eyes and massage the bridge of your nose between your eyes by alternately squeezing and releasing: (squeeze/release/squeeze/release/squeeze/release).

VARIATION THREE: Step 1. Put one or two fingers on the acupressure points shown in the diagram, which are located on the crest of the cheekbones just below the eye sockets.

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Step 2. Close your eyes and firmly massage the acupressure points by moving the skin in small circles. Change direction every few seconds.

VARIATION FOUR: Step 1. Put your thumbs in the pit of your temples. Now close your eyes and firmly stroke the upper and lower rims of the eye sockets from nose to temple. Use the section of your index fingers between the first and second joints.

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Step 2. Continue to alternately stroke the upper and lower rims of your eye sockets. You can use vitamin E or mineral oil as a lubricant to avoid stretching the skin: (upper/lower/upper/lower/upper/lower).

VARIATION FIVE: Step 1. When youve mastered all the previous variations, combine them into a thorough massage of the entire eye region. Do a few seconds of Variation 1, then Variation 2, then Variation 3, then massage the entire rim of the eye socket. Step 2. Instead of massaging the acupressure points, you can increase the amount of stimulation by tapping them several times a second with the tips of your fingers. Use two or three fingers for an even more powerful effect. COMMENT: These acupressure techniques seem to exert a powerful healing effect on the eyes. Some people report the sensation of rays of energy streaming out of the eyes. These exercises are also useful for relieving eyestrain and headaches from reading or working at a computer.
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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Improving your eyesight is easy if you follow these principles: Use weaker glasses or contacts. Do the eye exercises on a regular basis. Develop the habit of removing your glasses or contacts when you dont really need them. The only problem youre likely to encounter is motivation. Basically, your task is to replace negative old visual habits with positive new visual habits. When this happens, some of the exercises will become your normal way of seeing and you will do them automatically. If possible, do the exercises with a friend so that you motivate and encourage each other. Also use the Motivation Cards on page 60. It will take about a month to firmly establish positive new visual habits. During this critical period, you will probably experience resistance from your subconscious mind in the form of negative thoughts and emotions such as: This isnt going to work or I cant be bothered to exercise today or This is a waste of time. If you experience this type of resistance, you must resolutely make yourself do the exercises! What will happen is that the exercises will quickly energize you. The negativity will evaporate, usually within a couple of minutes, leaving you feeling positive and self-confident! The Power Vision Program can open the doors to a better life so dont just read it and put it away. Now you have the key to better vision so use it with confidence, knowing that you will soon see positive results. Resolutely cultivate your positive new visual habits and you too will enjoy a lifetime of stronger, healthier eyes and naturally improved vision!

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SECTION FIVE
WHAT REALLY CAUSES BAD EYESIGHT
Traditional eye care is based on the unproven theory that most common visual problems are the result of genetically deformed eyeballs. Even presbyopia (aging eyes) and eye diseases such as cataract are considered to be genetically influenced. Well explain why later... The truth is that humans evolved to have excellent eyesight, especially at a distance, because our ancestors were hunters and warriors whose survival depended on it. People with bad eyesight were killed by enemies and predators, so they didnt survive. The fact that humans survived is proof that we are genetically programmed for excellent eyesight. The problem is that mass education, TV, and computers force many people to focus on close objects for long periods of time. This is exactly opposite to the way nature intended and imposes what is known as nearpoint stress on the visual system. This can cause muscular malfunction and make the eyeball go out of shape. The reason why poor vision often seems to be inherited is because parents and children share a similar lifestyle, for example watching a lot of TV or doing a lot of reading. The aging process is another cause of bad eyesight. The lens loses its flexibility, the eye muscles lose their strength, and near objects must be held farther away. The circulation of nutrients in and around the eyes also declines, increasing the risk of cataract, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Corrective lenses treat the symptoms (blurred vision) by refocusing light before it enters the eyes. But they dont treat the cause, which is usually nearpoint stress, poor nutrition, muscular malfunction, or the aging process.
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WHAT CORRECTIVE LENSES DO TO YOUR EYES

As you probably know from your own experience, corrective lenses usually create dependency and make the eyes weaker. After a year or two, a stronger prescription is needed, which increases dependency and makes the eyes even weaker... The result is a vicious cycle of dependency and deterioration, causing a gradual loss of vision with progressively stronger corrective lenses making the eyes progressively weaker.

In a series of important experiments, Dr. Earl Smith of the University of Houston College of Optometry fitted corrective lenses on monkeys with normal vision. What he discovered shocked the eye care establishment... Monkeys fitted with corrective lenses for myopia adapted to the lenses and became myopic! Same thing happened to monkeys fitted with corrective lenses for astigmatism. They adapted to the lenses and developed astigmatism! Same thing with corrective lenses for farsightedness. The implications of this research are of concern because the visual systems of monkeys and humans are almost identical. Simply stated, the scientific evidence shows that corrective lenses can cause and aggravate common visual problems. In fact, the deterioration caused by corrective lenses may be considerably greater than the deterioration caused by heredity or the aging process.

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CORRECTIVE LENSES AND EYE DISEASE

Although more than 100,000 research papers have been published on the eyes, the long term effects of corrective lenses have never been investigated. It seems that the eye care establishment has imposed a complete ban on scientific research in this area. Corrective lenses are a multi-billion dollar industry, so things are unlikely to change anytime soon. Consider the following facts: No clinical studies have proven the long term safety or effectiveness of corrective lenses. In fact, most eye doctors find that about 95% of their patients who wear corrective lenses get progressively worse. Research on monkeys suggests that corrective lenses can cause or aggravate visual problems such as myopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. More than 40% of people who wear corrective lenses develop an eye disease by the age of 70. What this means is that corrective lenses are an unproven method of treatment with potentially damaging side effects. Our concern is that corrective lenses appear to be a major risk factor for eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. The reason is that corrective lenses, especially bifocals, inhibit the expansion and contraction of the ciliary muscle, which affects the fluid dynamics and the nutrient flow inside the eye, making it less healthy. Although corrective lenses will continue to play an important role for people who just want a quick fix, much more can be done. Really good eye care means exercising your eyes, just like really good health care means exercising your body. It makes a lot of sense and it works!

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UNDERSTANDING EYE DOCTORS

Corrective lenses date back to 1286 A.D., when the scholar Roger Bacon discovered that a magnifying glass helped him read more easily. A few years later, magnifying lenses were put into wire frames and the first spectacles were invented. A lucrative trade sprang up known as spectacle peddling, which evolved into the modern eye care profession. During the first half of the 20th century, the optical glass industry built the optometric colleges for the purpose of training eye doctors to prescribe and sell corrective lenses. The education that most eye doctors receive is known as traditional eye care, which consists of checking for eye disease, prescribing drugs and corrective lenses, and performing eye surgery. Traditional eye care is based on the theory that visual problems are usually inherited and nothing can be done except prescribe an endless supply of corrective lenses as the patient deteriorates, which of course ensures a steady stream of repeat business. The simple truth is that almost all cases of bad eyesight begin with nothing more serious than a minor focusing problem that should first be treated with eye exercises. Corrective lenses should only be used as a last resort. Of course, the eye care establishment opposes this point of view. The last thing traditional eye doctors want to hear is that common visual problems can be prevented or improved with a few simple eye exercises, and that corrective lenses are damaging their patients eyes! Fortunately, a small but significant number of optometrists have gone beyond traditional eye care and have developed a branch of optometry known as behavioral optometry, which is devoted to treating the cause of visual problems, not just the symptoms. At the present time, about 5% of the eye care profession are behavioral optometrists.
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PLEASE HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE

By now it should be clear that all is not well with the eye care profession. Despite all the wonderful advances in eye surgery that have taken place, the eye care establishment uses the same old method of prescribing corrective lenses that has been around for hundreds of years. And almost all of their patients get worse! Unfortunately for the public, the majority of eye doctors have been taught that most visual problems are genetic in origin and nothing can be done except prescribe an endless supply of corrective lenses. Words like prevent and heal are not part of the eye care establishments vocabulary. Simply stated, the goal of the eye care establishment is to sell corrective lenses. The last thing they want you to do is eliminate or reduce your dependency on their products. In contrast, our goal is to empower people throughout the world with free vision therapy eye exercises that give them stronger healthier eyes and reduce the risk of eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. The only way this will happen is for people like yourself to help spread the word. There is no other way. Everything depends on YOU. So please get involved. Send an e-mail to everyone you know who wears corrective lenses, with the complete Power Vision Program as an attachment. The Power Vision Program was created by some of the best doctors in the eye care profession. Doctors whose patients get better, not worse. Now its up to you. Do the exercises. Get results. Tell your friends and help us make a difference! ____________________________________________________

Please e-mail the Power Vision Program to your friends ~ or refer them to www.strong-eyes.com.
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ADVANCED THERAPY TECHNIQUES

From the desk of Dr. Steven Beresford This section contains the Fusion Exercises, which give your visual system more focusing power and flexibility. Do the Fusion Exercises and Advanced Exercise Sequences as soon as youve learned the basic exercises in the Power Exercise Module and Booster Exercise Module. If you feel dizzy or get a headache from any exercise, close your eyes and relax. Then resume the exercise. The discomfort will soon subside as your visual system adjusts. If you have a weak or lazy eye, you may have difficulty doing the Fusion Exercises. If that happens, put an eye patch over your strong eye for several hours a day until your weak eye is stronger. Then try the Fusion Exercises again. These are very powerful exercises so persevere until you can do them! After you learn all the exercises, develop your own routine, Use your favorite music and concentrate on the exercises you like best or feel are most effective. The most important thing is to persevere and develop the new habit of doing eye exercises every day until they are part of your lifestyle! Then theyll be your normal way of seeing and you wont have to remind yourself to do them. In addition to formal exercise sessions, practice on the world around you during dead time as part of your normal daily routine. Develop the habit of doing Fast Blinking, Clocking, Detailing, Flexing, Rolling, and Squeezing while waiting in line, standing in the elevator, using the bathroom, during TV commercials, and when you stop at traffic lights.
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About The American Vision Institute

In August of 1979, I was reading a magazine and came upon an article about the Bates Method, a system of eye exercises based on stress reduction that was developed around 1920 by the American ophthalmologist Dr. William Bates. Like most people who hear about eye exercises for the first time, I wondered why my eye doctor hadnt prescribed them instead of giving me glasses? So I asked some optometrists who prescribed them. They told me that the Bates Method was effective against eye strain and some other conditions, and that modern eye exercises known as vision therapy had been developed that were also effective. Ominously, they also said that the eye care establishment was strongly opposed to eye exercises because they often helped people get rid of their glasses. As a scientist with a research doctorate, I was very curious to find out what research had been done on the subject. So I went to the University of California School of Optometry at Berkeley, and asked the librarian for the master index of all research that had been done in the field of optometry. Her reply stunned and horrified me... There was no master index! I couldnt believe it. In my field, as with other areas of science, all the research is scrupulously indexed and cataloged. In optometry, this had not yet been done! Then I realized that optometry had not evolved into a serious science and that this presented an opportunity to possibly make an original contribution to the field. During the next few weeks, I read through almost every book and journal in the entire library, looking for research studies. This was a fascinating journey that took me to the origins of the eye care profession around 1850. I found that quite a lot of research had been done on eye exercises, but that it had been ignored or criticized by mainstream eye doctors.
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The AVI Program

I then founded the American Vision Institute (AVI) and asked some of Americas leading eye doctors and vision scientists to join me. Our goal was to make the Bates Method and vision therapy eye exercises more effective, to develop new eye exercises, and to determine the limits of application and find out exactly how effective they were. We then evaluated the research and combined it with the best techniques from clinical practice, and produced what was known as the AVI Program. This was sold to the public and the profits used to fund research. The doctors who coauthored the AVI program included: Dr. Merrill J. Allen, Professor and Head of Indiana University School of Optometry at Bloomington, IN. Dr. Dale A. Fast, optometrist in private practice. Dr. Mark R. Flora, optometrist in private practice. Dr. Paul A. Harris, optometrist in private practice. Dr. Roberto Kaplan, Professor, Pacific University School of Optometry at Forest Grove, OR. Dr. David W. Muris, optometrist in private practice. Dr. Burton E. Worrell, optometrist in private practice. Dr. Francis A. Young, Professor, Washington State University Department of Psychology, Pullman, WA. Advisory support was provided by: Dr. Homer H. Hendrickson, President of the Optometric Extension Program Foundation, Santa Ana, CA. Dr. Garry D. Kappel, optometrist in private practice. Dr. W. Keith Wilson, optometrist in private practice.
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Never before had such a distinguished team of doctors and scientists worked in this field. Reports poured in about the AVI Programs effectiveness. We realized we had achieved a breakthrough that could benefit large numbers of people and probably reduce the incidence of eye disease and blindness. However, instead embracing our discoveries and helping the public, the eye care establishment was furious! The reason is that the eye care establishment works hand-in-glove with the optical glass industry to sell glasses and contact lenses. The last thing they want is a simple eye exercise program that reduces or eliminates dependency on their products! And so the dirty tricks began. Complaints to the Board of Optometry, smear campaigns, slander, lies, threats. Every trick in the book, but they could not kill the AVI Program. They forced Drs. Flora, Harris, Muris, and Worrell to resign from AVI under threat of losing their license. They fired Dr. Kaplan from Pacific College and hounded him out of the country to Canada. Only Dr. Allen and Dr. Young stood firm because they were heads of departments at prestigious universities and refused to be pressured. As Dr. Allen wryly observed: In the eye care profession, only tenured professors on the brink of retirement have freedom of speech. Dr. Young felt the same way and simply told the eye care establishment to buzz off. My work with Dr. Muris was of major importance. Although the AVI Program was getting good results, it usually took a few weeks before patients saw a noticeable improvement. Since many people want instant gratification, this caused a motivational problem that made some patients give up. Dr. Muris and I solved the problem by modifying the exercise sequence so that most patients feel their eyes getting better within a few days, and see things becoming clearer within a week or so.
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The See Clearly Method

In 1999, a company called Vision Improvement Technologies based in Iowa approached the American Vision Institute with an offer to license the AVI Program for mass distribution to the American public. We accepted their offer and created a special edition of the AVI Program called the See Clearly Method, which was marketed through radio advertising and the Internet. Unfortunately, Vision Improvement Technologies made a fatal mistake in their marketing plan, which was to make it difficult for customers to get refunds. Of course, we were deeply concerned but there was nothing we could do except watch as the vultures gathered... The eye care establishment quickly seized the opportunity and persuaded the Attorney General of the State of Iowa to shut down Vision Improvement Technologies. Politics is a dirty business and the Attorney General was up for re-election, so it seems that the eye care establishment paid for his services with a campaign contribution... Not content with attacking the unethical refund policy, the Attorney General, who has no scientific credentials, declared that the See Clearly Method is theoretically unsound and will not work ~ as if the eye care establishment was telling him what to say. We then gave him our clinical study, but he ignored it. Here are our research results, which you can read for yourself at www.strong-eyes.com/research.php. 21 subjects completed a 6 week course of training. 19 subjects obtained improvements in unaided visual acuity, 19 obtained improvements in refractive error, 16 reduced their dependency on corrective lenses so they no longer needed them or only wore them part of the time, and 20 subjects expressed satisfaction with the materials and the results.

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Suppressing The Evidence

We then submitted our study to the Journal of the American Optometric Association. As with previous clinical studies of eye exercises by other scientists, they refused to publish it. Suppressing research evidence is a matter of major concern. If optometry is to attain the status of a serious science, the effects of corrective lenses on the eyes must be thoroughly investigated and the optimum method of prescribing them must be determined. Until this is done, corrective lenses are an unproven method of treatment with potentially damaging side effects that can lead to blindness. The eye care establishment must also stop pretending that eye exercises dont work. Although not everyone regains 20/20 acuity, the evidence shows that eye exercises can prevent or improve most common visual problems and should be prescribed for health conscious patients who want to restore their focusing power naturally.

Please Help Us Make A Difference

For almost 100 years, the eye care establishment has tried to preserve sales of corrective lenses by suppressing the use of eye exercises. This is wrong and it must be stopped. The only way this will happen is for health conscious people like yourself to spread the word. Get involved. Share the blessing. Send the Power Vision Program to people you know who wear corrective lenses. Compose an e-mail telling them about the Power Vision Program, then attach the Power Vision Program to the e-mail. Simple, easy, and they will thank you for it! NOTICE TO MEDIA. You are welcome to utilize any content from the Power Vision Program. Please inform readers that they can get a free download from www.strong-eyes.com. __________________________
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_____________________________

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FUSION CHART (A)

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THE FUSION EXERCISES

1) NOSE FUSION
Breathe slowly and deeply. As you inhale, cross your eyes by looking at the tip of your nose so you see both sides of your nose. As you exhale, look at a detail on a far object. Cross and uncross your eyes in time to your breathing: (inhale/cross) (exhale/uncross) (inhale/cross) ... If possible, do the exercise against a blank wall so that you dont get double images of other objects in the background. If you cant do the exercise, do Conducting (Power Exercise #5) and work at seeing a single image of the object as close to your nose as possible. Within a few days you should be able to cross your eyes easily.

2) FUSION CHART
Hold the Fusion Chart (page 51) at arms length and look at the top row. Now cross your eyes, then slowly uncross them. The small charts will fuse together to form three charts: a central fused chart with a chart on either side.

Another way of doing this is to hold a pencil just below the top row, midway between the Fusion Chart and your nose. Now look at the pencil and you will see the small charts come together and form a third chart in the middle.
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Stabilize the central fused chart by looking at a single word and slowly run your calm steady gaze back and forth across the word. Then make your way down the chart to smaller words as far as you can go. Concentrate on keeping each word fused and stable. When you can do this with the top row of the Fusion Chart, do it with the other rows. Then jump from the central fused chart on the top row to the central fused chart on the middle row, then to the central fused chart on the bottom row. A final variation is to fuse the top row of the Fusion Chart at arms length, then slowly move it toward you. Look at a single word and try to keep it fused and stable. Eventually you will lose the fusion and the word will break up. Repeat the exercise with the middle row and the bottom row. Heres another Fusion Chart for you to play with. The best way to stabilize the central fused image is to concentrate on the tip of the nose or the corners of the mouth.

FUSION CHART (B)

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_____________________________

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FUSION CHART (C)

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FUSION CHART (D)

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_____________________________

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FUSION CHART (E)

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3) FUSION FLEXING
When youve mastered Fusion Chart (A) and can easily get a central fused chart on the top row, use the central fused chart as the near object for Flexing (Power Exercise #1). Breathe slowly and deeply. As you inhale, fuse the charts on the top row and look at the smallest word you can easily see on the central fused chart. Then exhale and look at the smallest detail you can see on a distant object. Continue to change focus in time to your breathing between the central fused chart and the distant object. You should also do this exercise with the other Fusion Charts.

4) THUMB FUSION
This is a nifty little exercise that you can show your friends. Make two fists with thumbs up. Then hold them together at a comfortable distance with the thumbs touching each other. Now fuse the thumbs. You will see a central fused thumb with a phantom thumb on either side of it.

Slowly move your fists apart. Keep the central thumb fused at all times. See how far you can go. Use a blank wall to avoid getting double images of objects in the background.
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ADVANCED EXERCISE SEQUENCE (A)

M SQUEEZE BLINKING FAST BLINKING NOSE FUSION FUSION CHART ACUPRESSURE FLEXING SQUEEZE BLINKING FAST BLINKING FUSION FLEXING DETAILING PALMING 1m 1m 1m 3m 3m 3m 1m 1m 3m 3m 5m ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) W ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) F ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

ADVANCED EXERCISE SEQUENCE (B)

M CLOCKING ROLLING THUMB FUSION CONDUCTING FLASHING FLEXING CLOCKING ROLLING FUSION FLEXING DETAILING PALMING 1m 1m 1m 3m 3m 3m 1m 1m 3m 3m 5m ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) W ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) F ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

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ADVANCED EXERCISE SEQUENCE (C)

M SQUEEZE BLINKING CLOCKING THUMB FUSION FUSION CHART FLASHING FLEXING SQUEEZE BLINKING CLOCKING FUSION FLEXING DETAILING PALMING 1m 1m 1m 3m 3m 3m 1m 1m 3m 3m 5m ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) W ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) F ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

ADVANCED EXERCISE SEQUENCE (D)

M FAST BLINKING ROLLING NOSE FUSION CONDUCTING ACUPRESSURE FLEXING FAST BLINKING ROLLING FUSION FLEXING DETAILING PALMING 1m 1m 1m 3m 3m 3m 1m 1m 3m 3m 5m ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) W ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) T ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) F ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) S ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

59

MOTIVATION CARD

MOTIVATION CARD

YOU CAN DO IT!

MAKE IT WORK!

MOTIVATION CARD

MOTIVATION CARD

YES YOU CAN!

DONT GIVE UP!

60

REMINDER CARD
MYOPES: Practice gazing at the farthest object you can see, and try make out its exact shape.

REMINDER CARD
MYOPES: Practice gazing at the farthest object you can see, and try make out its exact shape.

GAZE AT DISTANT OBJECTS!

GAZE AT DISTANT OBJECTS!

REMINDER CARD
MYOPES: Practice gazing at the farthest object you can see, and try make out its exact shape.

REMINDER CARD
MYOPES: Practice gazing at the farthest object you can see, and try make out its exact shape.

GAZE AT DISTANT OBJECTS!

GAZE AT DISTANT OBJECTS!

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REMINDER CARD
PRESBYOPES: Practice gazing at near objects such as a trinket, ring, or the lines on your hand.

REMINDER CARD
PRESBYOPES: Practice gazing at near objects such as a trinket, ring, or the lines on your hand.

GAZE AT NEAR OBJECTS!

GAZE AT NEAR OBJECTS!

REMINDER CARD
PRESBYOPES: Practice gazing at near objects such as a trinket, ring, or the lines on your hand.

REMINDER CARD
PRESBYOPES: Practice gazing at near objects such as a trinket, ring, or the lines on your hand.

GAZE AT NEAR OBJECTS!

GAZE AT NEAR OBJECTS!

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REMINDER CARD
ASTIGMATICS: Practice tilting your head in the opposite direction to your usual head tilt.

REMINDER CARD
ASTIGMATICS: Practice tilting your head in the opposite direction to your usual head tilt.

TILT YOUR HEAD!

TILT YOUR HEAD!

REMINDER CARD
ASTIGMATICS: Practice tilting your head in the opposite direction to your usual head tilt.

REMINDER CARD
ASTIGMATICS: Practice tilting your head in the opposite direction to your usual head tilt.

TILT YOUR HEAD!

TILT YOUR HEAD!

63

GIVE THIS TO YOUR EYE DOCTOR

PRESCRIBING GUIDE
The Power Vision Program is a course of acuity improving exercises that helps patients with incipient visual problems avoid or delay the need for corrective lenses. Patients with refractive errors can usually adapt to a series of progressively weaker prescriptions. As a general rule, prescribe glasses or contacts for patients with refractive errors that give 20/40 binocular acuity according to the following guidelines. When the patient achieves 20/25 acuity or better through the weaker lenses, prescribe another 20/40 undercorrection. We call this progressive undercorrection. Continue to periodically reduce the strength of the lenses until the patient obtains the maximum amount of improvement. If the patient uses disposable contact lenses, prescribe a series of lenses with 0.25D decrements. MYOPIA: Prescribe weaker lenses that give 20/40 binocular acuity for distance vision. Myopes who do a lot of reading or computer work should get a separate prescription that gives 20/40 acuity at 20. PRESBYOPIA & HYPEROPIA: Prescribe weaker lenses that give 20/40 binocular acuity at 20. If bifocals are worn, undercorrect both segments. ASTIGMATISM: Ignore astigmatism up to 1.00D. Undercorrect larger amounts of astigmatism by one-third. The Power Vision Program emphasizes acuity improvement with little or no attempt to develop other visual skills. This significantly reduces the time needed to get results, and most patients feel positive changes in their eyes and see an improvement in acuity within a week or two. This means that patients should return every few weeks for an acuity check and a new undercorrection. To maintain motivation and maximize results, we recommend forming a support group that meets every week to do the exercises together and review progress. A

GIVE THIS TO YOUR EYE DOCTOR The Power Vision Program is freely available to the public and the eye care profession and may be used without obligation or restriction. We do not provide printed materials, only a download from our website at www.strong-eyes.com. If you want to use the Power Vision Program in your practice, please obtain a separate download for each patient so that you get the latest edition. If desired, pages 40 through 50 can be omitted from what is given to the patient.

ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
There is a large, untapped market of health-conscious patients who want to improve their eyesight naturally. The Power Vision Program provides you with a professionally designed and clinically tested method of helping these patients and stimulating your cash flow by prescribing weaker lenses every few weeks in addition to the revenue generated by the support groups. The Power Vision Program generates satisfied patients because it enables them to play an active role in their eye care that is in alignment with their health and fitness objectives. The Power Vision Program does not promise a return to emmetropia. Although this happens in some cases, patients with large refractive errors must usually do the exercises for several months before they achieve a major improvement, and they usually deem this to be a worthwhile investment in their health-oriented lifestyle.

ACUITY IMPROVEMENT MECHANISMS

The techniques used in the Power Vision Program can reduce refractive error, but not enough to account for observed improvements in acuity. We therefore propose the following acuity improvement mechanisms: 1) HYPERACUITY

Even in emmetropia, lenticular and corneal spherical and chromatic aberrations together with diffraction and scattering of light on the retina prevent the formation of a point image. These factors limit the minimum angle of resolution to about 30. In order to distinguish two point objects, three bits of information are required: the light from each point object and the absence of light between them. Hence the neural threshold at the fovea requires three cones. The first point object stimulates the first cone, the second cone remains unstimulated, and the second point object stimulates the third cone. For this reason the neural threshold equals the cone spacing at the fovea, which is about 30.

GIVE THIS TO YOUR EYE DOCTOR However, the visual system can resolve differences that are an order of magnitude smaller than the minimum angle of resolution on the retina. For example, it is usually possible to detect a 6 difference in the separation of two lines, a 2 to 4 vernier displacement, and a 2 to 4 separation of lines in a stereoacuity task. This phenomenon is known as hyperacuity. The general principle is that the edge of an object is made to partially overlap cone apertures and hence partially stimulate the cones. If the partial stimulation is sufficient to make the cones fire, the resulting signal can distinguish the position of the object. We have concluded that ocular microtremor and very small saccades provide the switching mechanism for cone activation. The result is an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of the retinal data available for image processing by the visual cortex. This mechanism provides a simple explanation of improvements in acuity resulting from edge discrimination training. 2) PERCEPTUAL ENHANCEMENT

This is a cerebral acuity improvement mechanism and involves a learning process whereby the edges and textures of blurred objects are enhanced by means of averaging or interpolating the visual data to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, which achieves greater contrast. Perceptual enhancement seems to be an act of selective attention, the visual equivalent of isolating a particular persons voice from the background noise in a room full of chatter. 3) CILIARY MUSCLE TONICITY

Ciliary muscle tonicity determines the resting state of the lens in the absence of visual stimulation. It follows that exercising the ciliary muscle will probably modify its tonicity, thereby changing the resting state of the lens. This is an adaptive change that will probably also extend the nearpoint and the farpoint and change the refractive status of the lens. 4) EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLE TONICITY

It is often observed that astigmatism spontaneously changes its magnitude and direction. In most cases, this phenomenon seems to be caused by imbalances in the forces exerted by the extraocular muscles on the eyeball, causing it to change shape. It follows that correcting the imbalances will modify extraocular muscle tonicity and may change the shape and refractive status of the eyeball. C

GIVE THIS TO YOUR EYE DOCTOR 5) ACCOMMODATIVE AMPLITUDE

With normal use, the ciliary muscle does not expand or contract to its maximum limits. This is especially true of city dwellers, who typically live and work in a confined visual space. It follows that exercising the ciliary muscle will increase the accommodative amplitude, extend the nearpoint and farpoint, and change the refractive status of the lens. 6) LENTICULAR FLEXIBILITY

It is well established that presbyopia is due to lenticular sclerosis. In view of the fact that physical exercises increase the flexibility of the joints, it follows that eye exercises will increase the flexibility of the lens, thereby modifying its refractive status. 7) FIXATION DISPARITY

A blurred binocular image cannot be precisely fixated and can lead to convergence errors and diplopia. Since reflex accommodation is largely determined by convergence, fixation disparity may also cause additional loss of focus and acuity. It follows that improving extraocular muscle coordination will refine convergence, reduce fixation disparity, and enable the eyes to focus more accurately with better acuity. 8) TEAR FLUID CONTACT LENS

Clinical observations show that the stimulation of blinking can cover the cornea with a copious amount of tear fluid, which may form a transient contact lens due to the meniscus curvature at the eyelids, thereby changing the refractive power of the cornea. 9) INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE

Many myopes and some presbyopes have elevated IOP that seems to be caused by the lens bulging against the iris, which restricts the flow of liquid into the anterior chamber and in some cases impeding drainage through Schlemms canal. Underlying factors may include chronic nearpoint accommodation in myopes, lenticular growth in presbyopes, and excess sugar consumption. Our research suggests that excessive IOP can elongate the eyeball and increase myopia. It follows that reducing nearpoint stress and correcting dietary imbalances may reduce the IOP and modify the shape and refractive power of the lens and eyeball. ___________________________________________________