Eye Exercises

While the eyes may be the windows of the soul, it is also true that good eyesight is a vital aspect of life. As we all know, failing eyesight is one of the common problems that occur with aging. In addition, many people spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen, which results in a tremendous amount of eyestrain. While there is dispute amongst many eye specialists whether eye exercises can improve visual clarity, however, there are also counter arguments that they can certainly help certain conditions. For example, there is growing opinion that eye exercises can help in maintaining good eyesight for a long time by strengthening and improving the flexibility of the eye muscles that are used for focusing the lenses of the eyes. In fact, many people claim that they have actually been able to get rid of their glasses by doing eye exercises. Plus, they also help in relieving eyestrain. Given below are a few exercises that you can try out and check for yourself.

First of all, begin by sitting comfortably in a chair. Then look at the tip of your nose, focusing your gaze on it, without blinking. Count to ten, and then relax by closing your eyes. Repeat five times.

Keeping your head straight, facing forward, look at your right shoulder with both your eyes, remaining in that position for a count of ten. Then relax by closing your eyes. Repeat on the other side. Do this five times on each side.

Imagine you are facing a large clock. Focus your gaze on the center of the clock. Then, without moving your head, turn your gaze on any hour mark, count to ten, and bring your gaze back to the center. Then pick some other hour mark, and repeat. Do this about ten times, picking out various hour mark positions on the clock. This exercise can also be done with closed eyes.

Sit at a distance of about 200 mm, or 6 inches from a window after making a mark on the glass at eye level. You could use a small red or black colored sticker. Now, gaze beyond this mark, focusing on something at a distance for a count of 10 to 15, and then bring your gaze back on the mark. Repeat five times.

Hold some object - say a pen - at arm's length in front of you. Then, bring the pen gradually towards your nose, while you keep your gaze focused on it. Then, take it back to arm's length again. Repeat this five to ten times.

Sit in a relaxed position and roll your eyeballs five times in a clockwise direction, and then counterclockwise.

Shut your eyes, squeezing tightly, and hold for 3 to 5 counts, and then open them wide and hold for 3 to 5 counts. Do this 5 to 10 times.

Shut your eyes in a relaxed manner, then using the tips of three of your fingers massage them using circular movements for about 1 to 2 minutes, making sure to keep it very light, or you could hurt your eyes.

Open your eyes and look into the distance, as far as your gaze can go, without focusing on anything. This can be done for a few minutes frequently during the day, especially if you use a computer for extended periods.

Tips and Cautions on doing Eye Exercises

• You don't have to do eye exercises for a long time at a stretch, which may actually cause strain. It is better to do them regularly, but at short durations, each session lasting about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Do get an OK from an eye doctor before attempting to do any eye exercises. After all, you do not want to exacerbate any condition by straining your eyes any further.
• It's best to remove your contact lenses, if you use them, before doing any eye exercises.