We know exercising our muscles is good for our health. What about eye exercises to improve our visual skills? In the digital age, our eyes endure countless hours of screen time, often leading to digital eye strain and vision-related issues. This article delves into how eye exercises can be helpful as well as some examples of eye exercises.
Why Eye Exercises Can Be Helpful:
-
Alleviating Eye Strain: Prolonged screen exposure triggers digital eye strain, causing dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision. Eye exercises can ease these discomforts by reducing eye strain and relaxing muscles.
-
Maintaining Eye Health: Just like any other muscle, your eyes need regular exercise. Eye exercises can help with eye alignment ensuring eyes are working well together.
-
Enhancing Focus: Eye exercises can improve focus and concentration.
If you notice you're skipping words or lines when reading, or you experience blurred vision, headaches, sore, tired, or dry eyes, then eye exercises may be beneficial for you.
Eye Exercise Examples:
-
Palming: To relax your eye muscles, rub your hands together for warmth, cup them over your closed eyes, apply gentle pressure, and relax for a minute.
-
The 20-20-20 Rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break, focusing on something 20 feet away to reduce eye strain.
-
Eye Rolling: Improve eye muscle flexibility by rolling your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise for 10 seconds each way, repeating several times.
-
Near-Far Focus: Enhance focus by alternating between near and far objects for about a minute. Start by holding your thumb 10 inches from your face and focus on it for 15 seconds. After 15 seconds, shift your gaze to an object about 20 feet away from you and hold for 15 seconds. Then, return your focus to your thumb. Repeat several times.
How Often to Do Eye Exercises:
-
If you have prolonged screen time, take short breaks and perform eye exercises every 30 minutes.
-
Incorporate eye exercises into your daily routine, like in the morning, during breaks, or before bedtime.
-
For specific vision problems, consult an eye specialist for guidance on frequency.
Eye exercises can help you work toward better eye health, but keep in mind they cannot solve every eye problem. By regularly incorporating them into your daily life, you can help to reduce eye strain and improve focus. Remember to always check with your physician before starting any new exercise regimen.