The Magic eyes program is developed in response to the immense need for an easy and effective methodology to address the growing prevalence of vision problems in children all over the world. Research show that virtually all children (98.8%) at age 6 have normal eyesight. However from age 7 or 8 to the mid teen years children with near sight (myopia) skyrocket to about 25% at age 16. In some Asian countries almost 80% of school children are near sighted. One study showed that 87% of high school children in Taipei, Taiwan, was near sighted. Clearly something has to be done or in a few generations we all become totally dependent.
The common approach to vision problems in children is to fit them with glasses. Parents know that these glasses needs to be changed sometimes more than once every year. The lens power keeps getting stronger and stronger. Obviously the solution to good eyesight is not found in optics. The glasses do correct for the lack of vision, but you are still near sighted when you take the glasses of. Nothing has been done about the real problem.
Leo Angart, the creator of Magic eyes, thought for many years that there was nothing that could be done about deteriorating vision. He himself wore glasses for near sight (-5.5 Diopters) for 26 years. In 1991 he discovered how he could regain his normal vision and from 1996 he started on a journey to let people all over the world know that it is possible to regain your natural eyesight. There is no reason why you should not be reading your 80th birthday cards without glasses.
In a workshop in 1998 Leo was astonished to discover that children could improve their eyesight with amazing speed, sometimes within minutes. One such example was a 14 year old boy in Mexico. He came to the Magic eyes class to get rid of his 20/40 near sight. In one hour he could see the 20/16 line of the eye-chart. A year later he could still see the 20/16 line which is better than 20/20 vision. The astonishing fact is that this young man regained his natural eyesight in an hour. This may seem unbelievable - yet it is a story that has been replayed again and again in many countries around the world.
The typical childhood vision problems like near sight (myopia), far sight (hyperopia), astigmatism, eye-coordination, lazy eye (ambliopia), and deviating eye (strabismus) all respond to vision training. Magic eyes classes are especially effective if they are introduced early on.
The Magic eye program focus on the fundamental principles that works. No expensive equipment is needed, there is nothing you need to take, no surgery, only simple exercises you can do with your children at home. Think of Magic eyes exercises as "Tai Chi"for the eyes. If the exercise are too complicated or require various equipment then it becomes a therapy or rehabilitation. In some cases this may very well be what's required. However, in most cases and especially if the problem is addressed early on, children respond beautifully and walk away with Magic in their eyes.
Why are Magic eyes programs not available in every school? If it is so easy, why don't the eye care professionals teach us that?
These are great questions. Unfortunately there are no great answers. Ophthalmologists do not believe that there is any scientific evidence that support eye exercises or vision training. Medical school focus on treatments using drugs or surgery. For example, Strabismus (divergent eye) can be treated effectively with Vision training. Research show a better than 80% success rate in restoring complete 3D vision. The medical approach, still today, is first to try to use bifocal lenses then surgery. Cutting the eye muscles of a child will in most cases only restore the appearance of normal vision. However, more than 80% of the children who undergo strabismus surgery only see through one eye. Clearly, it is much more lucrative to perform surgery than to simply teach parents how they can restore their children's normal vision at home. Understandably, most parents are reluctant to have anyone cut their children eyes. Many will parents will be very upset when they realize that there are far simpler and vastly more effective ways of treating strabismus. This is not to say that surgery is useless. In some cases surgery may indeed be necessary and appropriate.
Another fallacy that is banded about is that strabismus and ambliopia (lazy eye) can only be treated before the age of 7. While it is easier to treat earlier on. There is no age limit. Vision training is equally effective with children and adults.
Optometrists are trained to measure eyesight and prescribe corrective optics. Most general practice optometrists find it difficult to believe that you can simply exercise away most common vision problems. It may actually be threatening since people will no longer buy glasses if they could just doe some exercises.
A special group called Behavioral Optometrists are the proponents of Vision training and Vision therapy. Most of the growing research in this filed is conducted by this group.
In 1986 the American Optometrists Association published a special report on the Efficacy of Vision Therapy. They concluded; "..there is sufficient scientific support for the efficacy of vision therapy in modifying and improving oculomotor, accommodative, and binocular system disorders, as measured by standardized clinical and laboratory testing methods, in the majority of patients of all ages for whom it is properly undertaken and employed." (Special report: Position statement on vision therapy, J. Am. Optom. Assoc, 1985, 56, pp 782-83.)
Visiting a behavioral optometrist involve a much more elaborate testing of vision that you will normally receive. After your child's visual skills have been established a special program is designed. This program consists of exercises and work with various pieces of equipment, red / green filters, and various optics. The actual therapy sessions are usually done by a vision therapist. A person trained in how to lead your child through the exercise drills. Vision therapy sessions are usually about an hour and may cost anywhere from US$ 75 to 120 per session. You may need anywhere between 30 to 90 sessions. The financial part of this project is not insignificant. In some cases insurance will pay part of the cost or even cover all of it, otherwise the parents must pay.
In contrast to the therapeutic model, the Magic eyes approach is to empower parents to do the exercises with their children at home. The experience we have from Magic eyes workshops is that a few exercises, usually 2 or 3, are what's really making a difference. Parents responsibility is to encourage and motivate their children to do the exercises. Do whatever it takes. One father promised his son that he would get the money to spend that his new glasses would cost. This is a powerful motivation for a 10 year old.
The appropriate exercise done for a few minutes but many times, at least 10 times, during the day is far more effective than one or two hours a week. Physiologically most children can easily adapt and will respond very quickly. If it's fun they will do it!
Be part of the force that enables our children to sees the future clearly...
