For centuries, eye exercises have been advocated as a “natural way” to solve vision problems. There is little reliable scientific evidence that eye exercises can improve vision. However, exercise can help relieve eye fatigue and can make your eyes feel better.
People with the most common eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma will benefit a little from eye exercises; however, it’s better to consult with one of the Refractive and LASIK surgeons in Los Angeles for treatment of these problems.
Eye exercises may not improve your vision, but they can provide eye comfort, especially if your eyes are inflamed at work.
This condition, known as digital eye fatigue, is common to people who work on computers all day. This situation may cause:
- dry eye
- eye fatigue
- blurred vision
- headaches
Some simple eye exercises can help you improve the symptoms of digital eye fatigue.
How to exercise your eyes
Depending on your needs, you can try the following different types of eye exercises.
Focus change
This exercise can challenge your attention. It would be best if you started from a sitting position.
Place your index finger a few inches from your eyes.
- Focus on the fingers.
- Slowly move your fingers away from your face to maintain focus.
- Look away and look into the distance.
- Focus on the extended finger and slowly move it back to your eyes.
- Look away and focus on things that are far away.
- Repeat three times.
Far and Near Focus
This is another essential exercise. As with the previous one, start from a sitting position.
- Keep your thumb about 10 inches from your face and focus on it for 15 seconds.
- Find an object that is about 10 to 20 feet away and focus it for 15 seconds.
- Turn your attention to your thumb.
- Repeat five times.
Figure eight
This exercise should also be performed in a sitting position.
- Pick a point on the floor that is about 10 feet in front of you and focus.
- Use your eyes to track an imaginary number eight.
- Continue tracking for 30 seconds, then switch directions.
20-20-20 rule
For many people, eye fatigue is a real problem. The human eye should not stick to a single object for a long time. If you work on your computer all day, the 20-20-20 rule may help prevent digital eye fatigue. To implement this rule, observe an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
What is vision therapy?
Some Refractive and LASIK surgeons in Los Angeles specialize in the area of vision therapy. Vision therapy treatment may include eye exercises, but only as part of a more individualized treatment plan under the supervision of an ophthalmologist.
The goal of vision therapy is to strengthen the eye muscles. It can also help retrain poor visual behavior or help with eye tracking issues. This treatment is used for children and sometimes adults to remedy:
- Insufficient convergence (CI)
- Strabismus (strabismus or leukoplakia)
- Amblyopia (lazy eyes)
- Dyslexia
Eye health tips
Besides eye exercises, there are many things you can do to keep your eyes healthy.
A comprehensive dilated pupil examination is performed every few years. Take the exam even if you don’t find a problem. Many people don’t even realize that they can see better with corrective lenses. And many serious eye diseases have no obvious symptoms.
Learn about your family history. Many eye diseases are hereditary.
Know your risks. If you have an increased risk of eye disease due to diabetes or a family history of ophthalmology, go to an eye doctor every six months
Wear sunglasses. Polarized sunglasses block UVA and UVB light and protect your eyes from UV rays.
Eat healthily. A diet that is rich in healthy fats and antioxidants can help keep your eyes healthy. And, yes, eat those carrots! They are an essential source of Vitamin A, which is a crucial nutrient for eye health.
If you have to wear glasses or contact lenses, wear them. Wearing corrective glasses will not weaken your eyes.
Don’t smoke. Smoking is harmful to the entire body, including the eyes.
There is no scientific evidence to prove that eye exercises can improve people’s vision. However, some of the best Refractive and LASIK surgeons In Los Angeles recommend these exercises.
It is also essential to have your eyes checked regularly by Refractive and LASIK surgeons in Los Angeles. They can usually detect and treat problems before obvious symptoms begin.