Iowas state attorney general has filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against the company that sells the See Clearly Method, Vision Improvement Technologies, Inc., based in Fairfiled, Iowa.

We allege that Vision Improvement Technologies uses a combination of misleading and unfair marketing tactics to sell their kits, says Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller. The alleged illegal tactics include exaggerated claims of effectiveness, false implications of scientific validity and misleading consu- mer testimonials in advertising.

The company claims the See Clearly Method has a scientific foundation. But the suit says the only study that tested the method was performed by people who have an ownership interest in the method and was not conducted in accordance with scientific standards.

The company says the method is based in part on the Bates method. But the suit says that Bates ideas have been dismissed by mainstream eye care professionals for decades.

Additionally, consumers have complained that they were misled about how well the See Clearly Method works. The lawsuit alleges that advertisements featured testimonials from people with undisclosed connections to the company, and that ads continued using no more glasses testimonials even after the people who made such claims stopped using the product and wore glasses most of the time.

Consumers also complained about the total price they were charged and that backing out of the purchase was difficult, the lawsuit says. We allege that many consumers who sought to take advantage of the 30-day risk-free trial period found that rejecting the product was no easy matter, Mr. Miller says.

The suit asks the court to halt the unfair and deceptive practices, assess civil penalties and provide appropriate reimbursement for consumers.

At press time, the companys public relations representative had not responded to a query for comment.