Pinhole Glasses ~ an explanation

My last page about Pinhole Glasses explained why I came to use them and how they helped me. Now I wish to share a lot more information about the mechanics of the glasses ~ how and why they work.

First off let me make clear that this information was supplied to me by Messrs JD Harris of Britain.  Although I advertise that company I am not an Affiliate of theirs.

The History of Pinholes

Pinholes originated in Germany in the 1890's and became fashionable for a time with the wealthier sector of society.  However, during WW I their use fell away in Europe but remained popular in Australia and South Africa. Lately they seem to have taken the United States of America by storm.

I understand that certain professionals in Britain are interested in their use but I have never met one for those I came across seem threatened by them rather than keen to use them.  As opticians recommend a new test every two years and will then normally sell a new pair including frames at quite a high cost this could explain this.  The "eyesight" industry has become a multi-million business and anything that takes away or "cures" a customer could be seen as a threat.  But then, I tend to have a jaundiced view and might be completely wrong about this.

Interestingly the first cameras were recorded as being pinholes and I recall making one when at school under the direction of my science teacher. Even today the pinhole focusing principle is used by opticians for some eyetests.

How does it work?

To understand the principle look at this photograph ~ also from J D Harris ~ of the eye's mechanism.

You will see in the before, or top, images that light flowing through the cornea fails to focus on the retina or screen at the back of the eye.  The eye itself is operated by a series of muscles contained in the eyeball and focus is maintained by the movement of the retina towards or away from the front of the eyeball.  

If this movement fails to correct the focus then a blurring will remain.

If the point of focus is in front of the retina then we suffer from short sightedness and if behind then we are long sighted.

As we grow old, as most of us tend to do for some reason related to the passage of time, the muscles in our bodies weaken and get tired more quickly.  We are encouraged to exercise our legs and arms and the core muscles by every kind of expert, presumably to boost gymnasium use and profits.  But with the eye we are encouraged to go to an optician to purchase the correct pair of crutches.  This practise actually worsens the situation and the eye muscles are encouraged to get weaker.  

I must insert a note here:  Not all eye problems are caused by a lack of exercise ~ I speak only of those which are.  I am lucky as I am one of those, even though my eye was damaged when young. I still have a "black spot" in the vision of my left eye.

Pinhole Glasses exercise the eye muscles.

It is that simple.  It is also the reason why they tend to be disparaged by people.  Nothing is simple today is it?  If it were then there would be no need for experts, would there?

A Simple test you can perform at home

If you want to test the effect of the pinhole principle yourself the method is also simple.  Take a piece of card ~ thicker then a birthday card but not of the corrugated or double layer type.  The sort that the supermarkets use as packages for appliances of milk cartons.  Take a darning needle ~ if you can find one, do we still darn socks? Punch some holes of about 1mm.  I have no idea what the inch equivalent is ~ small but not too small. Make a few holes.  Hold the card up to the eye and look at print and the TV from a normal length.  They should both come into focus.  

They do with me. I found that I couldn't read the really tiny print on shampoo bottles so wear my pinholes for that.  I hasten to add that I do not read shampoo bottles as a hobby ~ it was merely a test.

If you happen to be a keen fisherman and have to use a magnifying glass to thread your flies then try using the pinholes.  Hobbyists who have those head-borne magnifying glasses to make and or work on intricate pieces can easily compare the two differing effects of the two appliances.

Of course eye health is not merely gained by wearing Pinhole Glasses.

One must also eat a balanced diet.  It is well worth the study of this subject as a separate exercise. Certain Vitamins are especially important. Vitamins A, B Complex, C and E and Selenium and Zinc all play an important part.  In WW II English pilots ate Bilberry Preserves to nourish their eyes.  

Exercises

I am not going to tell anyone what exercises they should do, only what I do. 

I find that the hot bath is the basis of my setting up for the day and during my daily soak I think about my writing and even do some EFT, Meditation or Quantum Jumping whilst I relax.  

I have set out a ritual of eye exercises I perform as I lay back relaxing.  These are listed below.All exercises unless stated are with the eyes open without moving the head. Only the eyeball must move.

1.  Vertical movement. Look up as far as possible. Pause then look down.  Try to establish a focal point at each extremity of the movement.  I started off at 10 complete movements and then worked up to 3 sets of ten.

2. Lateral Movement. This is the same as 1. but the eyeball moves from side to side.

3. Diagonal Movement. Once again the same as 1. but the movement is from top left to bottom right followed by top right to bottom left.  Start with 5 complete movements ~ at least that is my experience for I find that this one taxes the eye muscles more that the first two. 

4. Rolling the eyes. I find this the most difficult of all and even today only do about ten in each direction.  I start with my eye looking down and then roll them firstly clockwise for five repetitions, anti-clockwise for five and repeat only once. I do it as slowly as possible as I get dizzy if I move the eye too fast.

As in all exercises moderation is the key.  If you do decide to try these do not strain your eye muscles by doing too much.

Lastly I focus my eyes alternatively on something far away - the small print on the shampoo bottle on the shelf by the shower and my finger nail held about 100 mm (4 inches) away from the end of my nose. After doing this around a dozen times I relax and cover my closed eyes with a flannel soaked in hot, but not too hot, water.  I use a Ecover bath foam in the water and this does not irritate the eyes.  

Well, there you have it.  

Nowadays, when catching the bus from the nearby hospital I am often asked how it is that I can see the number of an approaching bus from a couple of hundred metres away without glasses.  

I tell them and they say that I am "lucky."  In a way I am but then the more I exercise my eyes and wear my Pinholes the luckier I seem to get.