The First ‘British Natural Eyesight Conference’ Brings Holistic Vision Issues to Light

24-27 October, Hemel Hemstead, London

October 17, 2008 - Press Dispensary - The first ‘British Natural Eyesight Conference’ - a four day event exploring how eyesight can be improved without glasses, contact lenses or surgery - will take place in Hemel Hempstead, London on 24-27 October, 2008. At the event, professionals and the public will bring vision issues from the growing natural eyesight movement into the holistic health debate.

The theme of the conference is how the work pioneered by William H. Bates in the early 20th century is being developed and used today. Featuring 40 delegates from the UK, US, Canada, Spain, Italy, France and Germany, 12 speakers and six workshops, the conference will deliver current best practice and research in natural vision education.

The discussions will take place within the context that many factors alter the quality of people’s eyesight for better or for worse. Topics for debate include the need for light, rest and relaxation; the relationship between eyesight and movement, mind and vision; and eyesight and nutrition.

Speakers include: Peter Mansfield, author of ‘The Bates Method:A complete guide to improving eyesight naturally’; Richard Hobday, author of ‘The Healing Sun: Sunlight and Health in the 21st Century’, discussing the need for natural light; and Alice Bradshaw from Solgar, who will talk about eyesight and nutrition.

Aileen Whiteford, conference coordinator, says: “The techniques used in the emerging natural eyesight field differ in emphasis from those in conventional optometric care. Vision is considered holistically, with a focus on relaxation, healing and overall well-being. Vision education aims to improve eyesight and the health of the eyes through reducing strain and changing behaviour. The principles are that eyesight is variable and seeing is a learned behaviour, therefore good vision can be relearned, and vision difficulties are seen as being functional rather than structural. The assumption is that there’s always the possibility of improving eyesight without glasses, contact lenses or surgery. Corrective prescriptions require that the eye produces the same degree of error present at the time of the eye test. However, this holds the vision difficulty and blocks the potential for improvement.”

She adds: "Amongst the vision difficulties that “natural vision education can help are myopia (short sight), hypermetropia (long sight), presbyopia (usually appears in middle-age when reading becomes more difficult), astigmatism, strabismus (squint), macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataract. It also helps increase spatial and colour perception.”

A press briefing will take place at Felden Lodge, Hemel Hempstead, London, at 2.30-3.30pm on Friday 24 October, 2008, followed by an introduction to the conference at 4.30-7pm. Places are limited and advance booking is essential. To register, contact Margaret Montgomery on 07710500494.

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About the Natural Eyesight movement:
Dr Bates, an ophthalmologist, was frustrated that glasses didn’t cure poor eyesight and patients kept returning for stronger ones. He sought to address the causes of poor eyesight - not just the symptom. He discovered that the nature of vision was variable and glasses inhibited variability to the extent that the visual system strained to see, as it was fixed by the prescription lens. Dr Bates found that the main cause of vision difficulties was poor vision habits. Therefore, his method addresses the removal of strain and aims to change undesirable vision habits.

Through the work of Dr Bates and many subsequent teachers, the interest in improving eyesight naturally has grown. Author Aldous Huxley benefitted enormously and wrote the book ‘The Art of Seeing’ about his experiences. Today, the work fits well within the holistic health sector. Improving eyesight and enhancing general health and well-being are part of the same picture.

Professional associations for natural eyesight teachers include: the Bates Association for Vision Education (UK – http://www.seeing.org); Association of Vision Educators (US – http://www.visioneducators.org); L’Association L’Art de Voir (France – http://www.artdevoir.asso.fr). The 22nd International Conference for Holistic Vision will be held in Belgium in 2009 (http://www.holisticvision.be). See http://visionsofjoy.org for a summary of current vision teachers and literature worldwide.

For further information, please contact:
Anna Bambridge, Natural Eyesight Conference
Tel: 0800 055 6130 Email:
Site: www.bnec.org.uk