In 1891, a prominent New York physician believed he had found a cure for nearsightedness. Instead of prescribing eyeglasses, he advocated the use of eye exercises and taught patients how to do them. That man was Dr. William Horatio Bates and his flawed system is still being used today.

Bates was different from other quacks because he had respectable credentials. He graduated from Cornell University in 1881 and from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1885. Over time, however, he developed wild ideas about vision that he popularized in his book “The Cure of Imperfect Eyesight by Treatment without Glasses” published in 1920.

“The book attracted large numbers of charlatans, quacks, and gullible followers who then published scores of unscientific books and articles of their own on the subject of vision. Extolling the Bates System, these authors urged readers to ‘throw away’ their glasses. Some of these writers even established schools,” wrote Drs. Russell S. Worrall and Jacob Nevyas in “The Health Robbers.”

Although Bates acknowledged that eyeglasses made seeing and reading possible, he claimed they didn’t cure vision defects and may ruin a person’s eyes in the long run.

Doctors say vision problems are usually caused by the improper bending of light rays by the lens of the eye. The lens normally changes shape to bend light at an angle that will strike the retina and bring objects into focus.

Once the lens loses this ability, refractive errors occur. In nearsightedness, for instance, light rays that enter the eye fall short of the retina, causing the patient to see nearby objects only. In farsightedness, the opposite happens. Light rays go beyond the retina, putting far objects in focus.

However, Bates ignored these facts and pursued his own peculiar notions. He claimed that the lens never changes shape and that eye defects are caused by stress or a “wrong thought” that can tighten eye muscles. To relieve tension and improve vision, he invented a series of eye exercises that he claimed could cure nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, cataracts, and glaucoma.

He advised patients to cover their eyes with the palms of their hands, to look at different objects continually instead of staring at one thing, and to read under difficult conditions such as in dim light. He also told people to stare directly at the sun to benefit from its warmth.

Eye exercises, of course, have their proper place in medicine. In “The Well-Informed Patient’s Guide to Cataract and Other Eye Surgery”, Dr. Mark Speaker of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and Karyn Fieden said these might help those with strabismus or cross-eyes. Dr. Peter Gott writing in “Better Health & Diet” published by the World Almanac, said exercises may be useful if poor vision is caused by a weakness or imbalance of the eye muscles.

But in most cases, the problem is due to abnormalities of the eye itself. This is common in eye disorders like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Eye exercises are useless here as well as in glaucoma and cataracts since these conditions are not brought about by stress but by other factors.

If you value your eyes, forget eye exercises! Consult a doctor for any problems. To eliminate eye bags, dark circles, and puffy eyes, use Eyevive, a popular cream that helps eliminate the signs of aging. Visit http://www.eyevive.com for details.

Throughout the ages, people had different ways of caring for the eyes. The Sioux Indians blew the dust of bezoar stones into the eyes to strengthen sight and improve the intellect. Seamen wore gold earrings for generations to sharpen vision. Bee products like royal jelly and propolis - which can cause allergic and other adverse reactions - are also touted by some “health food” advocates as a cure for poor eyesight.

The most prominent eye quack was the late Dr. William Horatio Bates who wrote “The Cure of Imperfect Eyesight by Treatment Without Glasses” in 1920. In that book, Bates extolled the virtues of eye exercises that he claimed could cure several eye diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). One exercise Bates encouraged people to do was to stare directly at the sun for several minutes to improve vision!

Fortunately, there’s a better and safer way of improving vision and preventing AMD, the most common cause of blindness in people over 50. Researchers believe certain vitamins and minerals may protect the eyes from this dreaded disease.

This good news comes from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Group which found that high doses of antioxidants can reduce the risk of AMD by up to 25 percent. In a randomized trial, a total of 4,757 patients were divided into four groups. The first group had no AMD; the second group had early AMD; the third had intermediate AMD; and the fourth group had advanced AMD. Patients received a placebo, an antioxidant regimen consisting of vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, zinc or antioxidants plus zinc. The antioxidants were given at doses higher than the recommended daily adult requirement.

Results were encouraging. After seven years of follow up, Dr. Neil M. Bressler, professor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, reported that patients in the third and fourth groups who took antioxidants plus zinc lowered their risk of AMD by 25 percent. The risk of vision loss was also reduced in the same group. Furthermore, no serious side effects were associated with the treatment.

The above trial echoes the results of early studies that have linked antioxidant use to a reduced risk of AMD. As early as 1988, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that those who ate vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables were protected from AMD. Subsequent trials found that carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, and antioxidant vitamins were responsible for this effect.

Although the mechanism is not fully understood, researchers believe that concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin in the macula (the light-sensitive tissue at the center of the retina that provides clear central vision) are strongly influenced by the dietary intake of these nutrients. These nutrients apparently increase the density of the macular pigment, protecting it from the harmful effects of blue light. The antioxidant vitamins C, E and zinc also shield the retina from the harmful effects of free radicals, including the development of AMD.

Vitamin A is found in green leafy vegetables and yellow or orange fruits. Best sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits and vegetables while vitamin E is present in olive and vegetable oils, some grains and a variety of nuts. As for zinc, you’ll find it in beef, cereals, beans, cheese, and fish. If you’re not getting enough of these nutrients from your diet, it pays to take a vitamin supplement to reduce your risk of AMD.