Yoga of Perfect Sight

Proper use of the Eye

Eyelids:—Eyelids play a great part in vision. The upper eyelids should remain downward, keeping the eye half-open. While looking upwards or in front the upper lids should not be raised, but only the chin.

It is very important for myopic patients to keep the lids in the right position.

Blinking:—The greatest things are always the simplest. The act of blinking is the first and simplest, and a most important action of the eyelids. In blinking the upper eyelid comes a little downwards to cover the pupil and is again raised. Wrong blinking is usually very irregular and jerky. Blinking is a quick method of resting the eyes and can be done unconsciously all the day long irrespective of what one may be doing. It is interesting to observe the blinking demonstration.

Look at any letter. Stop blinking, note that the blackness of the letter begins to fade. Now blink and note that the blackness reappears.

See how the eyelids work in a baby who has not yet lost its natural impulse and acquired the vicious habit of staring. You should blink at least 10 times a minute.

Reading:—Keep the book at a lower level than the chin so that the lids are not raised. Then blink twice at least in reading one line. Do not read in the sun because the glare reflected from the paper causes strain to the eyes. Reading while lying can also be done without any discomfort, but you should keep the head raised and blink frequently. It is a great mistake to stop blinking while reading.

Fine Print:—Fine print reading is supposed to be one of the necessary evils of civilization, but the reading of fine print, when it can be done without discomfort, has invariably proved to be beneficial, and the dimmer the light in which it can be read, and the closer to the eyes it can be held, the greater the benefit. By this means severe pain in the eye has been relieved in a few minutes or even instantly. The reason is that fine print cannot be read in dim light and close to the eyes unless the eyes are relaxed, whereas large print can be read in good light and at ordinary reading distance although the eyes may be under a strain. When tine print can be read under adverse conditions, the reading of ordinary print under ordinary conditions is vastly improved. Reading fine print daily prevents and cures presbyopia (old-age sight) and many other diseases of the eye which usually occur in old age. Reading of fine print in candlelight without or with glasses is very useful.

Seven Truth of Normal Sighs

1. Normal Sight can always be demonstrated in the normal eye, but only under favourable conditions.

2. Central Fixation: The letter or pan of the letter regarded is always seen best

3. Shifting: The point regarded changes rapidly and continuously.

4. Swinging. When the shifting is Move. the letters appear to move from side to side or in other directions with a pendulum-like motion.

5. Memory is perfect. The colour and background of the letters or other objects seen are remembered perfectly, instantaneously and continuously.

6. Imagination is good. One may even see the white pan of letters whiter than it malty is, while the black is not altered by distance, illumination, size or form of the letters.

7. Rest or relaxation of the eye and mind is perfect and can always be demonstrated.

When one of these seven fundamentals is perfect, all are perfect.

Specimen of Fine Print

Reading in Moving Vehicles: —Person who wish to preserve their eyesight are frequently warned not to read in moving vehicles; but since under modern conditions of life many persons have to spend a large part of their time in moving vehicles, and as many of them have no other time to read, it is useless to express that they will ever discontinue the practice. Fortunately the theory of its injuriousness is not borne out by the facts. When the object regarded is moved rapidly, strain and lowered vison is at first always produced; but this is temporary, and ultimately the vision is improved by the practice.

Writing:—While writing keep the sight on the point of the pen and move your sight with its movement, and blink frequently. A common mistake is to write forward and at the same time to look at the back letters.

Sewing:—Many women suffer from eye strain while sewing or doing needlework. They generally get a headache after working even for a short time. The mistake they commit is that they keep their eyes fixed on their work and blink at long intervals. They should blink frequently and move the eyes with the movement of the needle. If the needle comes up, the eyes also should move up and when the needle goes down to the cloth, the eyes should shift to the cloth. The shifting relieves the strain.

Cinema:—Cinematographic pictures are commonly supposed to be very injurious to the eyes, and it is a fact that they often cause much discomfort and the lowering of vision. They can, however, be made a means of improving the eyes. When they hurt the eyes, it is because the person strains to see them. If this tendency to strain can be overcome, the vision is always improved and if the practice of viewing pictures is continued long enough, many eye troubles are relieved.

How to see a Cinema Picture:—Sit erect comfortably, keep your upper lids down while raising the chin a little and blink frequently.

The common mistake, while seeing the cinema, is to keep the lids raised and stop blinking.