Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: What does NVI stand for?
A: NVI stands for natural vision improvement and refers to the process of reducing or eliminating refractive errors through natural means.

Q: How long have you been doing eye exercises?
A: After trying half-heartedly two different times before, I finally got serious about natural vision improvement in December of 1997.

Q: What was your vision like when you started and what is it now?
A: In March 1998, my vision was around -6.00 with astigmatism of almost -2.00. I haven't had an eye exam lately, but I'm guessing that my vision is around -2.00 with very little astigmatism at this point. 

Q: You mean you still wear glasses?
A: Yes, I still wear glasses for the time being. However, I've reduced my prescription by quite a bit, so give me a little credit! Heck, even the cowboys over in the LASIK camp have to say "reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contacts" because they know that even after surgery, some people will still need to wear glasses. Don't forget, my journey is not over yet, and in many ways, it's only just beginning. I'm still seeing frequent improvements in my vision on a regular basis. Just like it takes time to become myopic, it takes time to improve vision naturally.  I fully anticipate eliminating the need for glasses or contacts by the means I'm describing on these pages.

Q: How long does it take to see improvements?
A: That depends on a few different factors. During my first attempts, I didn't see much improvement, largely because I didn't know what I was doing. I was chasing after solutions without fully understanding the problem first. This is why understanding the problem is so important and has to precede the solution. Most people should see improvements after a few weeks if not sooner. Some people see results right away. The key is to understand what you're doing.

Q: Will I need to get a reduced prescription?
A: As your vision improves, your glasses will start to feel "too strong". When this happens, you may consider getting a weaker prescription. I've received two weaker prescriptions which I still use from time to time. My advice is not to rush out and get a weaker prescription right away. Just hang on to what you have, but try to use your glasses only when you have to. I'll have more to say about this on the Solution page.

Q: How does your theory fit in with LASIK? Does LASIK affect facial muscle tension?
A: LASIK involves reshaping the cornea with a laser, and it has no effect on facial muscle tension. LASIK doctors count on a patient's vision improving in the days and weeks following the procedure. LASIK patients who have worn glasses (instead of contacts) for years and years will likely see the biggest difference or the most fluctuations in their vision after LASIK. I believe this is due to the fact that they no longer have the weight of a pair of glasses sitting on their face, and the facial muscles are starting to relax. Prior to the procedure, LASIK doctors will ask eyeglass wearers to go without their glasses and to wear contacts for up to two weeks prior to surgery. They realize that it takes longer for an eyeglass wearer's vision to stabilize than a contact lens wearer.

Q: Where is the orbicularis oculi muscle and how does it affect the shape of the eye?
A: The orbicularis oculi is a round muscle that circumscribes the eyeball. Your eyelid is actually part of this muscle. As you can see, the orbicularis oculi has a hole in it through which your eyeball protrudes just a bit. When the total muscle tension in a person's body reaches a level to affect the shape of the orcularis oculi, then pressure on the eyeball results and visual distortion is created. Relieve pressure in this muscle and the visual distortion will be reduced or eliminated.

Q: You must be talking about a very small amount of muscle tension
A: Yes, the muscle tension in any one given area of the body is very slight, but the overall affect is much greater. When a muscle contracts, it gets shorter. Unless a muscle is completely relaxed, it will remain slightly shorter than it's fully relaxed length. When a muscle is tense, it pulls on surrounding muscles. This tension "adds up", and the net effect of total body tension is much greater than the tension in any one given muscle area. Also, vision is very delicate -- it takes hardly any pressure at all to change the vision. With your hands clean and your eyes open, ever so slightly push on your upper or lower eyelid and you will see what little pressure is required to change your vision. Over time, muscle tension can easily affect the vision.

Q: Does your theory mean that anyone with bags under their eyes is myopic?
A: No. Baggy eyes are not necessarily a physical sign of myopia. Many myopes, however, have dark circles under their eyes because of the tension in their face. After I started to release the tension in my face, the skin under my eyes started to look and feel more healthy, and the dark circles disappeared.

Q: I looked at myself this morning and found I'm as ugly as ever. Will your theory help my looks?
A: Yes. A relaxed face is always a pretty face. For extreme cases of ugliness, however, you may want to consult a plastic surgeon.

Q: This is interesting, but it doesn't sound like Bates.
A: Then I'm doing a good job because it's not supposed to sound like Bates.  I agree with most of the things that Dr. Bates advocated, but I think he overlooked some key elements in all of this.  For example, in his book The Cure of Imperfect Sight by Treatment Without Glasses, Dr. Bates included before and after pictures of people who had experienced improved vision naturally.  In the before pictures, the person looked a bit anxious whereas the after picture showed a much more relaxed expression.  (Click here to see some before and after pictures.)  Bates saw the relaxed expressions of these people as a pleasant by-product of natural vision improvement whereas I see it as the ultimate cause.  In other words, Bates taught that improving your vision will relax your face, but I believe the exact opposite -- relax your face, and your vision will improve.

Q: You've mentioned the obicularis oculi muscle and how raising your eyebrows and blinking reseats it.  The Vision Freedom program taught to open your eyelids wide and blink  Which is it?
A: Actually, a little bit of both, but in my opinion, slightly raising the eyebrows is more beneficial in reshaping the orbicularis oculi  than opening the eyes wider.  I will explain more about this later.

Q: Do you practice NVI only when you're reading?
A: Yes, but I don't limit my practice to reading only.  I try to practice throughout the day, while sitting at the computer, while driving, while washing the dishes, while reading, etc.

Q: I'm still not clear on the solution.  You've compared it to a golf swing, but I don't understand the analogy.
A: Suppose you had a poor golf swing, and you went to a golfing coach to get some help with it.  If the only thing the coach said was, "Yes, you have a poor golf swing.  Keep practicing to improve it", you wouldn't be much better off than you were before.  Just as there are certain key elements to a proper golf swing, there are specific key elements to seeing clearly without glasses or contacts.  The first step is to understand the cause and then to address specific actions that will lead to improved vision.  As far as improving vision naturally, if the only thing someone says to you is "practice proper vision habits all day long", this is very vague and unclear.  My goal is to teach specific actions that will improve vision naturally.

Q: What are the specific actions that lead to improved vision?
A: More that I can explain right here on this page, but I'm working on a booklet that will describe these actions in greater detail.  Perhaps the most difficult thing to all of this is that much of NVI involves feelings -- i.e., what it feels like to relax -- and this is very difficult to describe, but I will do my best.

Q: Is NVI hard to do?
A: Hard compared to what?  Anything worthwhile requires consistent and focused attention.  NVI requires three P's = patience, practice and persistence.  It shouldn't be hard, however, because when you describe something as being hard, you're only describing how your body feels while involved in that activity.

Q: I'm excited to learn more about the solution to my nearsightedness.  Can you give me any pointers?
A: Please stay tuned, and I will teach you what I know.  Currently I'm involved in some damage control projects, but I will update this website as consistently as possible.  Also, I'm working on the booklet which will describe the solution in greater detail.  NVI is a very exciting field of endeavor, but don't forget that there's never a reliable map for traveling along uncharted territory.  With NVI, we're not following a beaten path -- in fact, it's much more like off-roading in the family station wagon with four flat tires.  There's a paved road called "Glasses and Contacts", but you and I have decided to be pioneers and blaze a new trail.  Yes, there will be bumps and bruises along the way, but man, what a ride!  Just don't let go of the steering wheel.

Q: What motivates you to clear your vision naturally?  Isn't it easier to just wear glasses?
A: The short answer is yes, it's easier to have the glasses do the focusing for me, but it's not as rewarding.  There's something very powerful in doing things yourself.  Just as a small child says, "I want to do it!  I want to do it!", I guess a part of me has not lost that drive to see clearly on my own.  The bigger answer, however, is that NVI is more about peace of mind rather than seeing without glasses.  I believe that in addition to love and acceptance, the one thing that we as human beings seek for most is peace -- peace among nations, peace in our neighborhoods and families, and peace of mind.  The essence of NVI is greater self-awareness and peace of mind.  Sure, clearer vision without glasses is actually a nice byproduct of the whole process, but the greater peace of mind is what motivates me most.  What would you rather have -- no need for glasses and inner turmoil, or a conditional need for glasses and peace of mind?

Q: I see clearly when I relax in my quiet place, but as soon as the day starts, my vision quickly deteriorates because of stress.  What I do about this?
A: There will always be stress -- places to go, people to see, relationships to develop, etc.  Living in your quiet place is probably not possible, at least not for very long.  The answer, then, is to take your "quiet place" with you throughout the day.  When you walk though your house, you don't need a map to get from your bedroom to your kitchen.  If you can remember the floor plan of your home, then you can also remember the feeling of being in your peaceful quiet place.  Pack this feeling with you as you would your lunch.  Figuratively-speaking, take this this feeling out and look at it often throughout the day.  It is possible to have greater peace throughout the day, regardless of what's going on around you.

Q: I don't understand my eyeglass prescription.  Can you help me understand my prescription?
A: Understanding your eyeglass prescription is actually easier than you think, provided that you understand the nomenclature. After reading this, you'll be a prescription pro, and you'll be able to impress all your friends at your next neighborhood eyeglass prescription pool party. First, let's look at a sample eyeglass prescription that might look something like this: 

OD -2.50/-1.50 X 180
OS -2.75/-1.00 X 165

To begin with, OD and OS are Latin abbreviations for the right and left eyes, respectively (OD=right, OS=left). Sometimes you might see OU, which is a Latin abbreviation for both eyes together (i.e., -1.00 OU refers to a prescription of -1.00 in both eyes). The next thing you'll notice is a small minus sign, which means that this prescription is for nearsightedness or myopia. If you see a plus sign, this would mean the prescription is for farsightedness or hyperopia. Next, the first number that you see (2.50 and 2.75 in our example above) is called the sphere and is sometimes abbreviated as Sph or Pwr. This refers to the amount of visual correction you need measured in diopters -- the higher the number, the greater the correction.

The next number (-1.50 and -1.00) refers to the amount of astigmatism. Remember that astigmatism means there is unequal curvature in the cornea and is characterized by ghosting and/or double images. Not everyone has astigmatism, but generally, higher myopes (minus 5 and above) normally have at least a small amount of astigmatism. Lens correction for astigmatism is called Cylinders, sometimes abbreviated as Cyl. As the name implies, these are round spots ground into the lens to correct for astigmatism. Asking for your lenses without cylinders would mean, "Please do not correct for astigmatism."

The final number after the X is the location of the astigmatism on an imaginary clock face with numbers ranging from 90 to 180. An X is used because this number is known as the Axis. I'm not sure why eye doctors don't use a range of 0 to 360 -- I guess because they're a bunch of half-wits (insert rim shot here). In some cases, you may see additional numbers with a superscript next to it -- if so, this number refers to prism correction.

The term Plano (PLAY-no) means a lens that offers no correction at all -- like a regular piece of glass.

Prescriptions for contact lens are very similar, except that they normally include an additional measurement known as BC or base curve. This number is helpful when fitting contact lens but is not used for eyeglasses.

Q: What are my chances of seeing 20/20 again without glasses?
A: That's a tough one, and I have no way of guessing how successful others will be when applying these principles.  Don't forget that there are many factors that go into myopia -- body type, muscle tension, lifestyle, duration of the problem, etc.  In my opinion, the type of myopia that is most easily reversible is the kind that is developed late and caught early.  In other words, when someone becomes myopic in their late teens as opposed to 5 years old, I believe their myopia is easier to reverse because it hasn't had as long to "set".

Q: I've had myopia since I was 5 years old.  Can someone like me still see improvements?
A: Absolutely!  Just because you've had myopia longer than someone else doesn't mean that your body can't undergo some changes in order for your vision to improve.  My target audience, the ones I'd like to help the most, are the higher myopes that have worn glasses since childhood.  If I can help these people, then the people with lower degrees of myopia will be included in this group quite naturally.

Q: I just got back from the eye doctor, and I'm a bit depressed.  He said my vision had not improved as much as I thought it would.
A: With due respect -- so what?  The same thing has happened to me.  You're seeing great, even without glasses, so you make an appointment with the eye doc, expecting him to say that your prescription has improved by, say, two diopters.  But then he says that the improvement was only .50.  I think there are a couple of different reasons for this.  First, you're comparing your "at home" vision, when no one is around, to your "at office" vision, when it's being measured by the doctor.  Nerves suddenly set in, which again, will lead to a small but measurable degradation in vision.  Secondly, you might suddenly be "trying" to see for the doctor, showing him or her how well you see.  Again, it comes back to relaxation, and if you're like me, it's easier to relax at home than in front of the eye doc.  The bottom line is this -- big deal.  Don't forget that diopters are a man-made measuring tool for how well someone sees.  It's like the person who goes on a diet to lose a few pounds.  What happens?  They start to weigh themselves on the scale, first a few times a week and then once a day.  They feel great, and they look great, but they weigh themselves with a certain expectation of what the scale should read.  If the number on the scale isn't low enough, then they get depressed.  So what if the scale says a higher number than you expected?!  If you're feeling stronger and healthier, have more energy, and are more relaxed, then these things should be your greatest measuring tools.  The same with vision -- if you see better without glasses, or you can go a bit longer in the morning without putting in your contacts, or you simply feel more relaxed while your glasses are off, then these things should be your measuring tools.  Who really cares about the numbers?

Q: I have starting practicing natural vision improvement, and I have a reduced prescription.  If I wear my full prescription 4 or 5 hours a month, do you think this will damage my vision?
A: It may slow down your progress but it certainly won't damage your vision.  Basically, myopia is a mindless activity that takes little or no thought at all. Generally speaking, myopia sneaks into a person's makeup because their self-awareness was either low or non-existent. When a person begins to learn that their state of mind affects their state of body and that their state of body affects their state of vision, then I believe their myopia not only slows down but will eventually come to a stop. And if they continue that course, then they will find their myopia actually reversing itself. The keys are knowledge, understanding, and greater self-awareness.  Generally, people do not get or get rid of myopia overnight. I can't imagine that 4 or 5 hours a month of wearing a full-prescription could somehow "damage" or otherwise undo your progress. Let's look at this logically. In a 30 day month, there are 720 hours. If you get 8 hours of sleep each night during that month, then your awake, moving around time is 480 hours. Four hours represents only 0.008 of the time you're awake, and if you wear your contacts for an extra fifth hour, then you're looking at 0.01. That's one one-hundredth of your waking hours -- that's a pretty small percentage if you ask me.

Q: What does it mean to have greater awareness?
A: Awareness means how vigilant, watchful, or knowledgeable you are about something.  Myopia sneaks in because a person is not aware of what their body is telling them.  If you get a neck ache, for example, your body sends you a message -- "we're having some trouble down here because this part of your body is not being used correctly."  And what do we do in some cases?  Instead of answering the phone, we simply unplug it from the wall -- we take some aspirin to mask the pain and make it "go away".  This doesn't help solve the problem, and in fact, it could potentially make it worse in the long run.  If we ignore the messages our body sends us, then awareness is compromised and problems result.  Self-awareness, not only what we're thinking but what we're feeling, requires practice.  It is an exercise in two-way communication.  Like bio-feedback, it requires listening to the body and making the proper adjustments.

Q: I think I'm hung up on my past.  Could this be why I have vision problems?
A: It's possible.  The kind of tension that causes refractive errors is based in fear.  Remember that fear is excitement minus the breathing.  If you're afraid of something, then breathe deeply for a minute or two and convert that fear into excitement.  Most of the things we fear in life never actually come true, and if they do, it may be because we focused so much on that event until it actually materialized.  Focus only on the things that you want to happen in your life, not on the things that you're trying to avoid.  If you're a parent, speak positively to your children.  Catch yourself when you say "Don't <insert a negative behavior here>."  Instead say "Please <insert positive behavior here>."  And do the same thing as you "parent" yourself.  Again focus on what you want to happen, not on the negative behaviors that you're trying to avoid.

Q: I feel myself becoming more relaxed.  This is really amazing.
A: It takes time, but it happens.  Keep up the great work!  Before long, you will see your past, present and future converge into one timeless now.  After all, the only thing we have is now.  The past is a dream and the future is a vision.  Focus on living this one single moment right now the best you can you will instantly increase in relaxation and happiness.  Over time, you will stop seeing yourself as a leaf floating aimlessly, swirling and twirling, down the river, but instead you will see yourself as the river itself.  Keep going!

Q: I've been practicing vision improvement for many years with positive results, but now I seem to have reached a plateau and am having trouble getting over it. Any ideas?
A: I know what you mean about plateauing vision -- I feel the same way at times -- but just because the improvements don't come as quickly or as often doesn't mean they won't come again in the future. Reexamine the core principles of vision improvement and relaxation. Understand that myopia is a total body problem that requires a total body solution. Stepping back a bit from your eyes and seeing your entire body as the solution may help. Also, before bed, give yourself a vigorous yet relaxing face, scalp, neck, and shoulder massage, and then palm for 10 minutes. The next morning your eyes will feel renewed and invigorated.

Q: I've noticed that my legs hurt when I have a bad seeing day. Any connection?
A: In my opinion, there is a connection. In most cases, massaging my calves affects my vision almost immediately. Mental tension leads to body tension, and the body is very unselfish about spreading the tension over the entire body. This is also the body's mechanism for reducing tension -- by spreading it out over a larger area, the associated "per capita" pain is reduced also. Poor posture leads to tension in the shoulders and lower back, and tension in the lower back creates a pull on the stomach muscles. They say that myopes don't breathe deeply enough -- it's no wonder since the stomach muscles are being clamped down by tension in the lower back. Likewise, tension in the lower back draws on the muscles in the legs, so when people understand this, they will also understand how a good calf massage can quite literally be felt all the way up in the eyes.

Q: Have you ever hear of the book Facebuilding? It is a program for exercising facial muscles. I just made a connection after reading the information on your website. Would doing some of those exercises improve my vision?
A: I have not heard of the Facebuilding program, but it sounds very beneficial, and yes, I believe that anything that conditions the face coupled with relaxation will be beneficial for the vision. I would love to see a study done about post-operative face-lift patients and any subsequent changes in their vision. With tighter skin around their eyes, I would not be surprised to learn that their vision changed as well.

Q: There is a difference in prescription between my two eyes. Any ideas about this?
A: When I first started natural vision improvement, I experienced a visual offset in my eyes -- my right eye was a bit behind my left eye. My guess is that visual disparity between eyes is caused by inequality in right-left body tension. In other words, when there is more tension on the right or left side of the body, this will ultimately affect the right and left eyes differently. One important key to vision improvement is to look for tension clues. When I started looking, I noticed that while driving my car, nearly every time I came to a stop at a traffic light, I would instinctively grab hold of the parking brake with my right hand and raise my shoulder slightly. For no good reason other than habit, I was habitually tensing the right side of my body while driving. Another example of this was at work. I noticed that any time the head honchos came to talk to me about a perceived "problem", I would tense my right leg -- again, a subconscious, instinctive action that increased the level of right-side body tension. After noticing these behaviors, I was then able to change my responses in similar situations, and my vision began to change. My right eye is now nearly, but not exactly, in line with the left.

Q: What is an emmetrope?
A: Emmetropia refers to the condition of the normal eye when parallel rays focus exactly on the retina and vision is perfect. Emmetrope is a person with naturally good vision.

Q: I'm interested in improving my vision naturally, but I'm as busy as all get-out. I don't have time to sit around a palm and swing all day.
A: You and me, both. The frantic pace of life has a way of speeding up instead of slowing down. Let me ask you this -- do you have 5 minutes before bed to sit quietly and release the accumulated tension of the day? Or how about waking up 5 minutes early before you start your day? Do you drive a car or ride a bus/subway/train? Sitting quietly for even 60 seconds and turning your focus inward can be very beneficial. Asking yourself questions like, "What is my overall body tension level right now? Can it be lowered a bit? How is my posture? Am I standing up straight? How is my breathing? Is my mind fully engaged in the activity before me?" These and other questions take seconds to ask and answer. Remember, just 5 minutes a day will give you an extra half an hour each week. Double it to 10 minutes a day, and you will be giving yourself an extra hour each week. I can tell you from experience that even 1 minute a day is better than 0 minutes a day. Keep at it.
 

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