The eyes are a part of our body and as such are directly influenced by its general condition of health. It is difficult to imagine any person of good health having bad eyes and similarly, one with ill health having perfect eyesight. The same blood nourishes our feet as our eyes and fingernails. When the blood is impure all our functions become imperfect, ailments of various kinds set in, among them, diseases of the eyes.
The conventional way of treating these afflictions is along the same line as general diseases — eye drops, injections, salves, and operations. These are costly and often harmful, and at best, are palliative remedies patching up the trouble for a while. It will only crop up again some time later in a different form or as an aggravated condition of the same affliction.
Another important cause of poor eyesight is a continuous strain on the eyes — long periods of reading with improper lighting or in a strained position, indoor work on small objects with insufficient or wrongly arranged artificial lights. Under such conditions the tiny muscles of the eyes gradually become weakened and are unable to stretch and squeeze the eyeball in order to adjust the eyes to near or distant objects. As a result of the weakening of these muscles we become either nearsighted or farsighted. We then go to an optometrist and get glasses. After a while our eyes get weaker so we get stronger glasses, and so we keep changing the lenses for stronger ones as our eyes continually get weaker. Glasses are no cure for poor eyesight — they are only crutches to keep us going.
Incorrect posture is another important factor in causing poor eyesight. The nerves of the eyes are connected with those of our spine from which they obtain their impulses and some of their energy. Poor posture gradually brings about curvature of the spine and the resulting pressure on the nerves coming out of the spine situated between the vertebrae. Being compressed by the narrowed spaces between the vertebrae these nerves are unable to send out sufficient energy to their nerve-endings in various parts of the body, thus also causing disturbances, in the eyes. Weakening and faulty performance of the eyes are often a direct result of poor posture.
What can we do to improve our eyesight? The first step in this direction is to live a more rational life with a general healthful routine. Our diet must be as near to natural as possible with an abundance of raw foods rich in vitamins (especially Vitamins À and C) and minerals. We must have plenty of sleep, sunshine, fresh air, exercise, relaxation, and the proper mental attitude. Gradually this regime will help in clearing up any faulty body condition and will vastly improve your eyesight.
A great help in quickly improving the eyesight is prolonged fasting. Being a potent blood purifier a fast will effect an elimination of impurities in the fluid of the eyeball and also clean out obstructions in the tiny blood vessels of the eyes. One of the immediately noticeable results of a fast is improved vision manifesting itself within a few days after the start of a fast.
In the line of exercises for the correction of the vision all those for the spine and neck outlined in the chapter on exercise are very beneficial for the eyes.
The following are special eye exercises:
1) Sit in a chair completely relaxed and move your eyes slowly
in a wide circle first several times in one direction, then
slowly in the opposite one.
2) Move your eyes as far to the left and then as far to the right
as possible.
3) Do the same up and down, also far to the right top corner
and to the bottom left corner, then to the left top corner
and the bottom right one.
4) Rub the palms of your hands on one another to produce
electricity and then cover your eyes with them.
5) Gently rub your eyes with your knuckles the way a cat does.
6) Here is the most efficient one —look far away and then
suddenly very near you as at the point of your nose and
then back again.
7) Blink your eyelids often during the day, at work, while
reading or walking — this relaxes the eyes, washes and
lubricates them with the tear fluid secreted by the tear
glands.
8) Alternate hot and cold wet towel applications to improve
the circulation of the blood to the eyes.
9) Look as often as you can at green grass, the foliage of trees,
and other pleasant natural things.
It is helpful to remember the following: never stare at objects because that is a strain for the eyes. Always keep your eyes roving and blink your eyelids wherever you are — your vision will become clearer, your eyes relaxed, and you will notice everything around you much better than before.
Exceptionally useful in training the eyes to focus and strengthening the eye apparatus are special goggles available on the market. These are made of plastic with black plastic lenses with solid side pieces and three or four rows of small pinholes in the lenses to look through. Wearing these goggles regularly for ten to fifteen minutes a day during one month to six weeks will correct many a vision defect. The author will be glad to supply the sources for obtaining these goggles upon request.
Remember that your eyes are the mirror of your soul, the most important of your outer senses, and the most beautiful part of your face. Do not neglect them. You cannot be very happy with unhappy eyes.
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