If you notice your eyes hurting during the day, your ability to see objects in the distance beginning to decrease and a sense of fatigue when you stare at something for long periods of time you may benefit from eye improvement exercises. Eye exercises engage your eye muscles to possibly enhance your visual performance while also providing necessary rest for your eyes. While eye improvement exercises should never replace professional medical care, these methods can help you with your work and daily visual functioning.
The Facts
Eye improvement exercises are designed for a variety of people. Those suffering from vision problems, experiencing eyestrain from excessive computer work and those who simply wish to help improve their sight can use these exercises. Each eye improvement exercise has a very specific function. The exercise can be used to help relax your eyes, improve short and long-range focusing and help to strengthen the muscles of the eyes.
Significance
Exercising the muscles of your eyes and relaxing your eyes can help you improve your daily vision. Eye improvement exercises can also help to prevent eyestrain and vision problems that you might experience later in life. Just like any other muscle in the body, the eye is made up of muscles that need to be repaired, rested and enhanced with exercises. This can be especially helpful if you work at a computer, drive for a living and need to read road signs or if you notice your visual capabilities are starting to decrease.
Types
Relaxation exercises can benefit any individual. Palming is one of the most common types of relaxation exercises. Cover your eyes with your palms and do not allow any light to enter through your fingers. Open your eyes and look into the darkness of your palms for five to 10 minutes. Shifting exercises strengthen the muscles of the eye. You can focus on an object as you move it closer and farther from your face or alternate your eyes from a close object to a very distant object every 10 seconds.
Prevention
Being proactive about your eyesight and performing small exercises on a daily basis can help prevent vision problems. According to Mayoclinic.com, you should rest your eyes for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Look away from your work or computer and allow your eyes to wander around the room. Mayoclinic.com also recommends blinking more often to help hydrate and naturally lubricate your eyes.
Expert Insight
According to Dr. Jilber Fouladian of The Westwood Eye Center in Los Angeles, between 50 and 90 percent of daily computer users experience eyestrain, which can lead to fatigue and work errors. Eye exercises can help to prevent this eyestrain and teach you how to manage your vision if you are stuck at a computer all day. All About Vision states that eye exercises can help to train your eyes to see better in different conditions but they will not correct chronic visual problems that require lenses and ongoing medical care.
