Although it’s debatable whether eye exercise can help improve vision, doctors may still recommend eye exercises for eyestrain, headaches, blurred vision and tired eyes. Doctors may also recommend eye exercises for amblyopia, if diagnosed in early childhood. Exercise can also be useful for convergence insufficiency, trouble focusing, post-surgery muscle control, strabismus and double vision. There’s no proof, however, that eye exercises will help with conditions caused by the distorted shape of the eye such as nearsightedness or farsightedness.
When it comes to eye fatigue, eye exercise helps by strengthening eye muscles and improving eye movement and focus. Some helpful exercises include the following:
Blinking – Since dry eyes may lead to blurred vision and eye strain, there’s no better way to lubricate the eye and refresh the brain than by blinking. When excessive computer use causes eye strain, remember to blink.
Near Far Focusing – Shifting your focus can also help with blurred vision. Focus on your thumb up close and then focus on your thumb at arm’s length. You can shift focus between any nearby object and distant object. You should try this five times a day.
Zooming – Try moving your thumb, or a pencil, to your face, following it with your eyes until you can’t focus on it anymore. Try this twice a day.
Up Down Movement – Without moving your head, focus your eyes as high as they can go and then as low as possible. You can try this 8-10 times a day. To cover your entire range of vision, imagine a large clock in front of you, you might also try moving your focus from the center to one of the hour marks without moving your head. This can be done for each of the hour marks.
Cupping – Place your cupped hands over your closed eyes without allowing light to pass between the fingers. Keep your hands over your eyes for two minutes without applying pressure to your eye balls. Try this exercise twice a day.
Since eye health depends on the strength of eye muscles, it’s important to keep eye muscles functioning properly. Although you may not cure existing medical issues, you can help reduce eyestrain.
If you’re experiencing any issues with your vision, please contact our Los Angeles eye doctors at 877-871-1684 for a consultation.