June 8, 2022

Eye yoga: exercises to relieve eye strain

In the 1920s, an American ophthalmologist, William H Bates, developed a method to improve eyesight, relieve eye strain and prevent presbyopia: eye yoga! Here are 10 exercises to practice daily to take care of your beautiful eyes...

Breathing well

The eyes are sensitive to breathing. Breathe in deeply and out deeply... This is a beneficial exercise to oxygenate the different structures that make up your eyes!

Yawning regularly

To enhance the benefits of deep breathing, take the time to yawn... Why? To stimulate the muscles around your eyes! This simple movement allows you to clean your eyes by activating the tear glands.

Blinking without moderation

To maintain good eyesight, it is imperative to have good lubrication of the ocular surface. On average, blinking occurs every 5 to 6 seconds. However, this frequency tends to be much lower in front of a computer screen or when we read. However, prolonged staring increases the risk of dry eyes. So get into the habit of pausing to blink!

Experience the elephant waltz

Behind this amusing name is a very simple movement to carry out: well anchored on your feet, rotate around your central axis by carrying out ample movements, and without seeking to fix something. This exercise not only relaxes you, but also works your eyes.

Working on convergence

The aim of this yoga exercise is to train you to alternate between near and far vision. To do this, place a small cardboard box about 20 cm from your nose. Then visualise an object far away from your field of vision. Look at the cardboard and imagine yourself drawing its contours. The object in the distance will appear blurred. Do the same with the outline of the distant object. This time it is the cardboard that is blurred.

Going around the clock

To train the 12 oculomotor muscles that make up the eyes, here is a very effective exercise: imagine that a giant clock has been placed in front of you. Have fun - without moving your head - going around it visually three times in one direction and then three times in the other.

Resting your eyes

Are you experiencing eye strain? Try palming! Sit down, and cover your eyes with your hands slightly overlapping, elbows resting on the table. Close your eyes and clear your head. Repeat the operation several times a day for a few minutes.

Drawing the outline of objects

Ideal for getting your central vision to work, this exercise consists of tracing the contours of the objects that make up your field of vision using an imaginary brush! Remember to work on objects that are more or less close to you...

Sunbathing

Sunning is actually bathing your eyes in light to enjoy its benefits! Take advantage of a beautiful sunny day to place your eyes - with your eyelids closed - under the gentle warmth of the sun. Relax and let the feeling of well-being wash over you. Open your eyes slowly and take the time to recover your full visual capacity.

Testing binocularity

Our eyes do not have similar visual abilities. We have a directing eye and a non-directing eye. To differentiate between them, frame an object in your field of vision between your thumb and index finger. First hide one eye, then the other. Your directing eye is the one that reproduces an image that is almost identical to the one you see with both eyes.