Medical News Today: Eye exercises: Some tips and techniques

Many people believe that eye exercises can help improve vision or treat eye conditions.Although there is limited evidence to suggest that eye exercises can actually enhance vision, eye exercises can help with eye strain, certain eye conditions, and overall well-being.Eye exercises can be particularly helpful for people who experience digital eye strain, which is related to the prolonged use of computers.Read on to learn about seven eye exercises.Eye exercises and their potential benefitsShare on PinterestEye exercises can be helpful for the following conditions:nystagmus, which is an eye movement conditionstrabismus, which is also an eye movement conditionamblyopiamyopiavisual field defectsdyslexiavergence problemsocular motility conditionsaccommodative dysfunctionasthenopiaconvergence insufficiencyvisual field deficits following brain injurymotion sicknesslearning difficultiesIt is important to note that people with eye conditions such as retinopathy, cataracts, or glaucoma are unlikely to benefit from trying the eye exercises below.The following are seven eye exercises that people may wish to try for the conditions listed above:1. The 20-20-20 ruleDigital eye strain can become a problem for people who need to focus on a computer screen all day while working.The 20-20-20 rule helps ease digital eye strain. The rule is easy: a person needs to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes while working on a computer.Learn more about the 20-20-20 rule here.2. Focus changeThe focus change exercise can also help with digital eye strain. People should perform this exercise while sitting.Hold one finger a few inches away from one eye.Focus the gaze on the finger.Move the finger slowly away from the face.Focus on an object farther away, and then back on the finger.Bring the finger back closer to the eye.Focus on an object farther away.Repeat three times.3. Eye movementsThis eye movement exercise also helps with digital eye strain.Close the eyes.Slowly move the eyes upward, then downward.Repeat three times.Slowly move the eyes to the left, then to the right.Repeat three times.4. Figure 8The figure 8 exercise can also help ease digital eye strain.Focus on an area on the floor around 8 feet away.Move the eyes in the shape of a figure 8.Trace the imaginary figure 8 for 30 seconds, then switch direction.5. Pencil pushupsPencil pushups can help people with convergence insufficiency. A doctor might recommend this exercise as part of vision therapy.Hold a pencil at arm’s length, situated between the eyes.Look at the pencil and try to keep a single image of it while slowly moving it toward the nose.Move the pencil toward the nose until the pencil is no longer a single image.Position the pencil at the closest point where it is still a single image.Repeat 20 times.6. Brock stringThe Brock string exercise helps improve eye coordination.To complete this exercise, a person will need a long string and some colored beads.