The eyes are one of the most important parts of our body, yet we tend to take them for granted. They help us see the world around us and enable us to live our lives to the fullest.
The ability to differentiate colors, focus on objects, and take in information about the world is all thanks to our eyes. But it’s not just about seeing things clearly. The eyes also play a crucial role in communicating. They can reflect moods and even hint at overall health and well-being, including conditions such as diabetes and macular degeneration.
As we age, our vision slowly gets weaker, making it difficult to read, drive, or even watch TV. However, several exercises can be done to improve eyesight and keep our eyes healthy, including:
- Palming
- Eye rotations
- Focusing
- Zig-zag exercises
- Figure eights
- Blinking
- The 20-20-20 rule
Optometrists can provide advice and instruction regarding these eye exercises and help diagnose and treat eye conditions with eye exams. Speaking with your optometrist about any questions or concerns is an excellent first step towards healthy eyes and an overall healthy you!
Exercises to Help Eyesight
Speaking with your optometrist about any concerns regarding your vision is always important. However, if you would like to incorporate potentially beneficial eye exercises into your routine, these may be a great start.
The Palming Exercise
This exercise is great for relaxing your eyes and relieving stress. Sit comfortably and rub your hands together to create warmth.
Place your palms over your closed eyes, making sure that no light enters your eyes. Stay like this for 5-10 minutes, letting the warmth calm your eyes.
The Eye Rotation Exercise
Eye rotation exercises are a fantastic way to keep your eyes healthy. They’re designed to strengthen your eye muscles, help you focus better, ease eye movements, and stimulate your brain’s vision center.
Slowly moving your eyes up and down, then from right to left, gives those muscles a good workout. Repeating these movements three times each is recommended for the best results. You can even do them in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to add a bit of variety.
The Focusing Exercise
This exercise helps improve your ability to focus on objects at different distances. Hold your finger at arm’s length and slowly bring it towards your nose.
Keep your eyes focused on your finger and stop when it becomes blurry. Then, move your finger back to its original position. Repeat this exercise 5-10 times.
The Zig-Zag Exercise
This exercise helps improve eye coordination and strength. Draw a zig-zag shape on a piece of paper. Place the paper on a wall and focus on the shape’s corners, moving your eyes in a zig-zag motion. Repeat this exercise for 5-10 counts.
The Figure Eight Exercise
This exercise helps improve eye movement and coordination. Imagine a large figure eight in front of you. Trace the figure eight with your eyes for 5-10 counts in each direction.
The Blinking Exercise
This exercise helps keep your eyes moist and reduces eye strain. Blink your eyes rapidly for up to 50 counts, then close your eyes and relax for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise 3-5 times.
The 20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 rule is a relaxation technique that reminds you to take daily breaks to rest your eyes and reduce eye strain. Every 20 minutes, look away from your computer or book and focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Are Vision Therapy & Eye Exercises the Same?
They’re not the same thing, but they’re closely related. Vision therapy is like physical therapy for your eyes and includes a variety of treatments based on eye exercises. The goal is to improve and strengthen visual skills.
Eye exercises, on the other hand, are part of vision therapy. You can do specific activities or tasks to improve your vision, like eye movement control or eye coordination.
In a way, you could say that all eye exercises are part of vision therapy, but not all vision therapy involves eye exercises. It’s a bit like how all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares.
Your Journey to Better Vision
By doing these exercises, you can improve your eyesight and keep your eyes healthy for longer. Remember to take breaks throughout the day, blink your eyes regularly, and do these exercises often.
Your eyesight is too important to neglect, so care for yourself and your vision. Regular eye exams are an important part of maintaining good eye health. They can help prevent visual impairments, so book your next eye exam with your eye doctors at Crum Optometric Group.
