Eyes exercise

The first exercises for maintaining eyesight was invented long before our age. Yogi had not forgotten about eyes when working out systems for the whole body. And they knew for sure that the best result relies on exercise but on proper relaxation as well.

The great information content that we consume every day demands our eyes to be almost constantly alert. And they get tired of course. Many problems occur due to overstrain. Even a person with a perfect eyesight needs eyes rest. Otherwise heavy work can result in such symptoms as dry or red eyes, unclear eyesight for far. And when the eyesight is far from being perfect, relaxation is a must. That is why  W.H. Bates and his follower M.D. Corbett were largely using this aspect when creating their vision improvement system.

The exercises and relaxation for eyes below (comprising both the Yoga complex and the training after W.H. Bates and M.D. Corbett) are quite simple and will not take long. But everything of genius if simple and complex altogether. Therefore  please read thoroughly the exercise description first. If you read that the movement should be smooth, it should be smooth and it’s important.

If breathing mode is accented please keep your eye on it. Do not forget about such “trifles” and the exercise and the relaxation will be effective.

First – relaxation
Palming

Seat straight and relax. Cover your eyes with palms as follows: the centre of your right palm should be in front of your right eye, the same for the left eye. The palms should rest softly without pressing to the face. Fingers may crisscross on the forehead or rest next to each other, whatever. What is important: there should be no gap to let the light through. When all done, drop your lids. Your eyes are closed and covered with palms.

Now place your elbows on the table. Very important to keep your neck and spine as aligned as possible. Your body should be relaxed, check the hands, the back and the neck. Your breathing should be quiet. Try to remember something pleasant for you: your holidays at the seaside, your best birthday party, the sky of stars… This exercise can by accompanied by music. It is rather hard to relax eyes consciously (as you cannot control your heart beats). Therefore do not try to control your state, this may only harm the goal, just think about nice things.

This exercise can be performed at work as well, making short breaks for yourself. Even in 10 to 15 seconds your eyes can rest a bit. But it is better of course if you can spare at least a couple of minutes for the relaxation. After you are finished (especially if you relaxed long) gradually open your palms and let your closed eyes accommodate to light and only then open them.

"Nose Writing"

This exercise will relax both your eyes muscles and your neck. Neck strain affects proper eyes nutrition as blood circulation is slowed down.

This exercise is best for the sitting position though can be done when standing or lying down. Relax. Close your eyes. Imagine that your nose tip is a pen and you are going to write with it (alternatively you can imagine that your nose is extended with a baton pen or something else, it is important that you are comfortable and you and your eyes are not tense). Now write (or draw) in the air with your “pen”. Does not matter what. Write letters, names of towns or countries, a small message to your loved ones. Draw a house with a smoking chimney (as you did as a kid), a simple circle or a square. When you do this in say your office imagine that you draw with a needle tip on a pin head. Then your colleagues will not be curious about your behavior as your movements will be practically unnoticeable. The people around you will just think that you are sitting with your eyes closed to rest a bit. Which will be true in a way. You can use this relaxation technique when you go home by a public transport.

"Through Your Fingers"

Eyes can be relaxed when you do not concentrate on anything when you look. Here is the exercise. You can sit, lie or stand.

Bend your elbows so that your palms are slightly lower your eyes level. Disjoin your fingers. Turn your head smoothly right and left trying to look through your fingers, ahead and not at them. Let your gaze slide over, do not stop anywhere. If you the exercise properly your hands will “float” by you, you should feel that THEY move. 

Make three turns with eyes open, then closed (even in this case the eyes should not stop anywhere). Make the exercise 20 to 30 times, breathe normally, do not get strained.

If you cannot achieve the palms “moving” try the following: Point up your index finger, touching the nose tip. Close your eyes and start turning your head left and right so that each time the nose is touching the finger when passing. Keep turning and open your eyes (but do not concentrate on the finger, look ahead!). You are sure to see that the finger is moving.

The Morning Drill

This pack will be a real remedy for those who has difficulties opening eyes in the morning. And if you can do palming a couple of times during the day (a longer one at the lunch brake and 10 to 15 seconds every one or two hours) and “write” something with your nose (during lunch or on the way back home from work) you will definitely find that in the course of time your eyes are not so tired as they used to be. Exercises can also be made late in the evening. Especially if you watch TV, sit at the computer or reed before going to bed.

So, back to the morning:

1. Stretch nicely, roll from one side to the other a couple of times. Do not hold your breath while doing this. Adversely breath deeply and quietly.
2. Open your eyes and mouth wide several times.
3. Close your eyes tight (6 times) and blink lightly 12 times.
4. “Write” with your nose.
5. Make eyebrows exercise (see below).
6. Make “through your fingers”.
7. Make palming.

Palming should be around 5 minutes. The rest of the drill (first 6 exercises) about the same time.

Eyebrows Exercise

Many people find lifting eyelids in the morning a hardship. And in the course of time it becomes even harder. The eyebrows exercise will help in overcoming this problem and will make you look younger as well.

Lift your eyebrows as high as possible trying to remember the sensation you feel in the upper part of your ears. Your target is to replicate this sensation without lifting your eyebrows. This is not easy for everyone of course. Maybe the first time you lift your eyebrows you feel nothing in the ears. But “listen to yourself” carefully asnd you are sure to make it.

Basic Yoga Pack for Eyes

This Yoga pack is recommended for the good eyesight maintenance. According to Yoga experts these exercises when performed twice a day from early youth will preserve good eyesight till great age without need for spectacles. Before starting the pack sit down comfortably (great if you can sit on your heels on a stretch mat, but you can use a chair). Straighten your back. Try to relax all of your muscles (including face muscles), except those you need to keep your sitting position. Look far ahead of you, perfect if there is  a window, look there, or at a wall. Try to concentrate on your eyes but with no strain.

Exercise 1

This Yoga pack is recommended for the good eyesight maintenance. According to Yoga experts these exercises when performed twice a day from early youth will preserve good eyesight till great age without need for spectacles. Before starting the pack sit down comfortably (great if you can sit on your heels on a stretch mat, but you can use a chair). Straighten your back. Try to relax all of your muscles (including face muscles), except those you need to keep your sitting position. Look far ahead of you, perfect if there is  a window, look there, or at a wall. Try to concentrate on your eyes but with no strain.

Exercise 2

Making a deep breath look at your nose tip. Hold there for a couple of seconds and bring the eyes back exhaling. Close the eyes shortly.

Exercise 3

Inhaling, turns your eyes right (all the way but with no overstrain). Without stop, exhaling bring them back. Repeat turning left.

First make one set, then two (in 2 to 3 weeks), then make three, which should be the maximum. Close your eyes for several seconds after the exercise.

Exercise 4

Taking a breath look into the right upper corner (roughly 45o  from the vertical) and bring them back without a stop. Look at the left lower corner at the next breath and bring them back exhaling.

Start with one set, then go for two (in 2-3 weeks) and gradually go till three. Close the eyes for several seconds.

Repeat the exercise starting with the left upper corner.

Exercise 5

Inhaling castyour eyes down and slowly turn them clockwise stopping at the upper point (12 o’clock). With no delay start exhaling and continue the turn clockwise till the lower point (6 o’clock). One turn is enough to start with. Gradually can be extended to 3 turns (in 2 to 3 weeks). The consequent turn should start after the previous without a delay. After each exercise close your eyes for a couple of seconds. Then do this exercise turning the eyes anti-clockwise.

To accomplish the pack the palming (3 to 5 minutes) is necessary.

As a conclusion to the Eyes Exercises topic we would like to point out that to get the best result one must take care of one’s health in general. According to doctors the good eyesight largely depends on proper nutrition, including correct vitamins content. Please note that natural food that underwent minimum thermal conditioning is the best (say nothing about artificial or canned food), as it contains most healthy ingredients.