Yoga of Perfect Sight

Cataract and Eye Education

What is cataract? The doctor said, “The eye, just like a camera, has a transparent lens. When somehow the lens shows signs of opacity in its substance then this condition is called cataract."

It was a shock and a matter of great anxiety to me when the doctors at Madras diagnosed early cataract in my eyes and asked me to wait till the cataract had matured for an operation. Though after the operation cataract patients usually become all right yet sometimes the patient suffers much after the operation and in some cases the vision is lost. However, I did not like the idea of an operation and in a depressed state returned to Pondicherry. Next day I consulted Dr. Agarwal in his eye clinic, his reputation for curing eye troubles is prevalent in the Ashram. At first he put some questions regarding my eye trouble and physical fitness. My eyesight had started deteriorating by proof reading in bright electric light and the number of the glasses was frequently increased. When I questioned why the number was increased so often, Dr. Agarwal said that due to strain in reading hypermetropia had developed. My last prescription of glasses was of +5 for reading. Even with such a high power of glasses my vision was gradually failing, the eyes tired quickly and the vision became hazy, headache and strain increased in reading. Then after a thorough examination in the dark room the doctor said that this kind of a cataract was due to strain hence preventable and curable and there was nothing to worry about. If I could undergo his treatment faithfully for some months, the cataract would dissolve and the vision will improve. I felt very happy and consented to take the treatment. For six months I was regularly attending the eye clinic and doing different eye exercises. I enjoyed the sun treatment and palming and I played with a tennis ball to practise football swing. In this exercise the ball is moved forward with the foot and as it rolled forward the ground appeared to move backward. This observation of apparent movement greatly helped my eyes to relax their muscles. And by doing this exercise in relaxation my physical health also improved. My diet was also regulated.

When I looked at the candle flame while counting 100 respirations I felt as if I had gone into a trance, there was peace in the head and in the nerves of the body. The eyes felt a sort of power in them. I knew yogis used to concentrate on the candle flame and they maintained good eyesight.

For two months I had completely discarded glasses and allowed my eyes to accommodate themselves to different conditions of life. Then Dr. Agarwal advised me to use glasses of less power and practise with them the methods of eye education in reading. So daily I read small print with glasses in good light as well as in candlelight. After six months I found that my eyesight had become normal with glasses and all the discomforts had been chased away. It became quite convenient to read and see proofs for hours. Now two years have passed and I maintain good eyesight and daily devote some time to eye exercises because preservation of good eyesight is impossible without eye education. When Dr. Agarwal re-examined my eyes in the dark room with his instrument, he found no trace of cataract. And such a good condition of eyes I shall maintain now by eye education.

Chandradip