The strength of your eyes is directly related to the shape of your eyes, notes the Cambridge Institute for Better Vision. Perfectly shaped eyes yield perfect vision, while imperfectly shaped eyes can yield near-sightedness, far-sightedness and other problems, according to the All About Vision website. While eye exercises can't change the shape of your eyes and your diagnosis, they can help strengthen your eyes to see certain items better and achieve better focus overall. You can practice various eye exercise methods at home for sight improvement. However, before you begin, consult an eye care professional to discuss which methods would best for you.
Eye Massage
A study performed by the Dalian Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China, with results published in a 2009 issue of the "Chinese Journal of School Health" found that applying pressure to the eye socket helped to improve students' distance vision. Try "palming" your eyes to help them to relax and prevent eye strain for better vision. Rest your elbows on a solid surface and place your palms over your eyes. Apply slight pressure to your eyes and relax for a minute or two each day.
Tromboning
If you seem to have trouble focusing, tromboning can help you focus your eyes better for stronger vision. Pick up a small object, like a pencil or a comb. Hold the item against the tip of your nose and focus on it. Then, extend your arm outward so that your elbow is straight and try to focus on the object at the new distance. It's an exercise endorsed by the "See Clearly Method" which promises to improve eyesight naturally, without surgery. While the claims may be unfounded, learning to focus at various distances can help strengthen your focusing ability.
Shoulder Focus
Just like the muscles in your body, the muscles in your eyes do best with daily exercise. If you don;t use your eyes in a certain way, you could lose eye strength. Practice moving your eyes back and forth to strengthen the eye muscles you may not use often. Without moving your head, look down at your left shoulder. Focus on your shoulder for as long as you can, and then slide your focus to your right shoulder for as long as you can, suggests the Shroff Eye Hospital.
Imagine Exercise
William H. Bates, a prominent eye doctor, released a book in the 1980's called "The Bates Method for Better Eyesight Without Glasses." In the book, he used a specific exercise which he believed could help you see objects better. The book instructs that you lie down in a comfortable position, and then focus on something that you can see easily in the room. Examine the object for a few seconds, and then close your eyes. See the item in your mind, and think about what it looks like. Bates believed that this exercise could help you see and focus on objects better. While there is no research to back his claims, it's still a popular vision exercise.
References
- Cambridge Institute for Better Vision: Vision Myths
- "Chinese Journal of School Health": Near-term Effects of a New Eye Exercises on Improving the Distance Vision Among Senior Middle School Students; Dalian Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention; March 2009
- All About Vision: Do Eye Exercises Improve Vision?
- Shroff Eye Hospital: Exercise for Healthy Eyesight
- "The Bates Method for Better Eyesight Without Glasses": William H. Bates; 1981
