Eye movement exercises can help strengthen your eyes by isolating specific muscle groups. Extraocular muscles control your eye movements. The lateral and medial rectus extraocular muscles in each eye control horizontal movement toward and away from your nose. The superior and inferior rectus, and superior and inferior oblique extraocular muscles control vertical movement. Maintain good posture by relaxing your shoulders and keeping your back straight while performing all eye movement exercises.
Closed-Eye Movements
Close your eyes then look up toward the ceiling. Keep your eyes closed and move your eyes slowly down toward the floor without moving your head. Keep your head still and repeat moving your eyes up and down three times. Blink a few times with your eyes closed, then move your eyes all the way to the left and slowly all the way over to the right without moving your head. Keep your head still and repeat moving your eyes from left to right three times. Blink a few times to complete this exercise.
Open Eye Roll
Roll your eyes to exercise your extrinsic eye muscles. Look straight ahead then look up a the ceiling without moving your head, then slowly move your eyes down and look at the floor. Keep your head still, and slowly look to the left then to the right. Make a semi-circle by moving your eyes along the top of your visual field and end on the left side. Repeat by looking up and down, right and left, and then make a semi-circle along the bottom of your visual field over to the right side.
Figure 8
Draw imaginary numbers for eye movement exercises. Draw a horizontal number eight with your eyes. Start by moving your eyes in a clockwise direction very slowly and without cutting any edges. Repeat seven times by starting in the same direction. Blink a few times and draw the number eight seven more times, but start by moving your eyes in a counter clockwise direction. Blink a few times to relax your eyes, then draw seven clockwise vertical eights and seven counter clockwise vertical eights. Finish by blinking your eyes a few times.
Circle Roll
Draw a circle with your eyes for eye movement exercise. Keep your head still and look up as high as you can without straining your eyes. Move your eyes slowing in a clockwise direction to draw a circle. Draw the circle as perfectly as possible around your field of vision without cutting edges. Draw the clockwise circle seven to eight times. Blink a few times, and draw seven or eight circles in a counter-clockwise direction. Blink a few times to relax your eyes.
