Eye Yoga explored
Screens are everywhere nowadays for both work and leisure, and as such the concept of eye health has never been more important. While COVID led to a digital explosion which brought us convenience and practicality, it also at the same time gave rise to an epidemic of digital eye strain, myopia and other visual impairments. Eye Yoga, a trending practice, proposes itself as a natural solution to combat these issues, promoting eye health and potentially improving vision. But does it really work?
Eye yoga may not help improve your vision however studies have confirmed that yoga ocular exercises reduce your eye fatigue by increasing ocular muscle efficiency. The exercises do, in fact, decrease the prevalence and incidence of your eye fatigue, minimising asthenopia. Eye yoga exercises can be considered a non-invasive treatment method for reducing weakness or tiring of eyes accompanied by pain, headache and/or blurry vision, as well as relieving the severity of your eye fatigue.
What is Eye Yoga?
Eye yoga is a set of exercises based on the principles of yoga. It aims to strengthen the muscles that control your eye movements. Just like regular yoga, it focuses on mindfulness, breathing and the harmonious movement of your eyes.
Eye Yoga Exercises
Here are some of the easiest and quickest Eye Yoga exercises you can do every day:
Blinking: Simple but really efficient! Blinking lubricates the eyes, reducing dryness and irritation. Sit comfortably, blink your eyes quickly about 10-15 times, then close your eyes and relax for 20 seconds. Repeat this 4-5 times.
Sideways Viewing: Extend your arms to the sides at shoulder level. With your head still, focus your gaze on your left thumb, then gradually move your gaze to the right thumb. Repeat this 5-10 times, then close your eyes and relax.
Palming: Rub your palms together until they're warm. Close your eyes and cover them with the palms of your hands. Ensure no light enters your eyes, by imagining deep blackness. Think of this exercise as part of a rest and rejuvenation phase.
Zooming: Stretch your arm out with your thumb in the hitchhiking position. Focus on your thumb as you slowly draw it closer to your eyes. Keep focusing until your thumb is three inches in front of your face. Then move your thumb away again until your arm is fully outstretched. Repeat this process 5-10 times.
Figure of Eight: Imagine a giant figure of eight in front of you, about 10 feet away. Trace the figure of eight with your eyes, slowly. Do this for a few minutes, then switch the direction.
Breathing and Relaxation
Just as breathing exercises are integral to yoga, it is no different for eye yoga. Deep, controlled breathing during these exercises helps provide more oxygen to your body, which in turn provides more oxygen to your eyes. Furthermore, it is vital to relax your eyes after each exercise so that you reduce any stress or tension.
Precautions and Consistency
It is important to note that while Eye Yoga can be used to counter your eye fatigue, it has not been proven to be helpful for anything besides that as of this moment. If you have serious eye conditions, you should consult an eye care professional before starting these exercises.
Moreover, you should ideally balance your screen time with regular breaks. The '20-20-20' rule (every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds), when done regularly can prevent digital eye strain and goes well with your Eye Yoga routine.
Eye Yoga and Mindfulness
Another essential aspect of Eye Yoga is mindfulness. Eye exercises shouldn't just be mechanical but also involve deep focus and awareness. Pay attention to your eyes, their movements and how they feel. This will help you identify any strain and provide insights into your visual habits, leading to better eye care practices.
Summary
In a screen dominated world, Eye yoga is becoming trending all over the world. By spending just a few minutes a day on these simple exercises, we can potentially mitigate the adverse effects of excessive screen time and improve our eye fatigue, which studies back up.
However, Eye Yoga is most definitely not a replacement for professional eye care. Regular check-ups with an ophthalmologist are essential, especially if you have vision problems. Doing Eye Yoga every day should be viewed as supplemental and not a replacement.
Eye Yoga is an invitation to us all to pay more attention to our eyes, to care for them and to ensure they remain healthy in the face of growing digital usage. It is about creating harmony - in this case, between our eyes and the digital world and it's time we look beyond our screens, for the sake of our eye health.
