Exercises for your eyes

 

Prolonged use of electronic devices, artificial lighting, unhealthy diet, mental tension, ageing etc. can cause vision problems. Few measures are explained in Ayurveda and Yoga for the prevention and cure of eye diseases. Excluding diseases such as Glaucoma, Trachoma, Cataract etc. the most common eye disorders today are related to functional defects in Ocular muscles. There is a tremendous increase in Myopia (nearsightedness) among young people in various developed countries. Following simple eye exercises help to alleviate malfunctioning of eye muscles.

Time of practice

Early morning or evening

Preparations

• Before starting the practice, splash cold water on your eyes. This will help stimulate the blood supply and generally tone up the eyes.
• Glasses should not be worn while performing the eye exercises.

During the practice

During the practice, try to remain relaxed. Do not strain your eyes as this will lead to fatigue or tiredness of eyes. Facial muscles, eyebrows and eyelids should remain totally relaxed. After each exercise eyes should be closed and rested for a few seconds.

• Sit in any comfortable meditative posture such as Vajrasana, Padmasana or Sukhasana. You may sit in a chair if necessary.
• Keep your spine, neck and head straight.
• Close your eyes and observe your body and breath for a few seconds.

Palming

Palming is a technique to relax and revitalize your eye muscles. It also stimulates the circulation of aqueous humour. Palming is a necessary step between eye exercise.

How to do Palming?

• Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
• Rub the palms together vigorously until they become warm. Cover your eyes with your palm but make sure you are not touching the eye with your palm or fingers. Place the palms gently over the eyelids without any undue pressure.
• Remain in this position for 10 seconds.
• Then lower your hands, keeping the eyes closed.

Now you can repeat this procedure at least for 3 times.

Blinking

Many people with eye problems blink irregularly and unnaturally. This exercise encourages blinking reflexes to become spontaneous. It is also beneficial for the relaxation of eye muscles.

• Blink the eyes 10 times quickly.
• Close your eyes and relax for 5-6 relaxed breaths.
• Again, repeat blinking for 10 times and close your eyes.

Repeat this procedure for 5 rounds.

Vertical movement of eyeball

• Keep your head steady and gently move your eyeball up and down.
• Continue the movement for 10 rounds. Movement should be smooth and slow.
• Try to avoid jerky movements.

You can also make a loose fist and point the thumb upwards.

Keeping the arm straight, raise the thumb up and then down. While you do that, make your eyes follow the movement of your thumb.

 After completion of 10 rounds, practice palming as mentioned earlier. Feel the warmth and darkness in your eyes.

Horizontal movement of eyeball

• Open your eyes with a few blinks
• Move your eyeball to the right and left keeping your head straight.
• Repeat the same for 10 rounds.
• Practice palming. Do not touch the eyelids with your palm directly.
• Relax for a few seconds. Do not open your eyes immediately.

Diagonal movement of eyeball

•  Open your eyes with a few blinks.
•  Gently move your eyeball to the right upwards then to the left downwards. Slowly continue the   practice for 10 times
• After completion of 10 rounds stop the practice and close your eyes.
• Go for palming. As you inhale, press the palm around the eyes and as you exhale, release the pressure. Repeat it for 5 rounds.
• After completion, feel the cool sensation around the eyeballs.
• Now open your eyes and move your eyeball to the left up and right down position.
• Slowly repeat the practice for 10 rounds. When you move your eyeball to the extreme left up and right down try to avoid jerky movement and keep your head steady.
• After completing 10 rounds, feel the cool sensation around the eyeball.

Rotational movement of eyeball

• Open your eyes with a few blinks.
• Gently move your eyeball to the left-up and then to the right-down position.
• Repeat the same movement for 10 rounds. Try to keep your head steady and count mentally.
• After completing 10 rounds, close your eyes and cover your eyes with your palm.
• Press constantly around the eye until you take 5 deep breaths. Do not press directly on the eyeball.
• Now open your eyes and rotate in an anticlockwise direction. Start gently rotating your eyes from right-up to left-down.
• Continue rotation for 10 times.
•  After the practice, go for constant palming for 5 deep breaths.

Near and distant viewing

To do this practice, sit near an open window which has clear visibility to a distant view.

• Focus your vision to the tip of your nose for a  few seconds then slowly focus on a distant object for few a seconds.
• Repeat the process for 10 rounds. After completing 10 rounds, close your eyes and relax. 

When you use a computer or mobile phone for a longer period of time, you may need to focus your vision on a distant object for a few seconds. This exercise may prevent the chances of Myopia (shortsightedness).

Various yoga postures, meditation, Ayurvedic herbs are all beneficial for eye health. Apart from these exercises, there are few important eye cleansing techniques in Ayurveda and Yoga which you could practice with the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner.