Eye Exercises to Prevent Myopia
Good eye care habits to practice with the family
Partake in outdoor activities instead of being cooped up indoors doing ‘near work.’ In fact, there are many advantageous benefits to spending time outside besides just taking care of your eyes by not exerting them.
It is also encouraged to remind children to take breaks of 3 – 5 minutes following 30 – 40 minutes of ‘near work’ activities. An alternative to this is the 20-20-20 rule where children are encouraged to take 20 second breaks every 20 minutes, to look at an object 20 feet into the distance.
As a general rule of thumb, parents should remind their children to do the following:
Ensure there is sufficient lighting when reading books or watching television
Ensure that a reasonable space is maintained between your child and large television screens
Do eye exercises work?
The subject of eye exercises and how they can be a method of naturally overcoming vision problems has long been a sore subject amongst scientists and ophthalmologists. While there may be little resources that prove (or disprove) the legitimacy of eye exercises, perhaps it is best not to ‘knock it until you’ve tried it.’
Moreover, while anatomical evidence may not exist to prove the legitimacy of eye exercises, they do help ‘stretch’ the eye muscles which in turn relaxes those same muscles and helps with eye strain. As with any other area of the body that tires after extensive use, stretching and strengthening the eye muscles can be helpful.
If myopia is thought to be exacerbated by extended period of ‘near work,’ it is perhaps worth a shot to try some exercises to help increase eye comfort.
Here are a few different things you can do:
1. Change your point of focus
While in a seated position, hold up your index finger about 30 centimeters away from your eye
Make sure your eyes are focused on your finger as you slowly begin to move your index finger as far away as possible from your face
Stop and look away into the distance for 10 seconds
Refocus your gaze on your extended index finger and slowly move it back towards the initial start point
Stop and look away into the distance for 10 seconds
2. Exercising the muscles of the eye can be done by shifting your gaze from one point to another
Spend a few moments looking at the right inner corner of your eyes and gradually try to shift your gaze to the opposite corner. Repeat this a few times until your eyes feel less strained.
In general, there are a few other steps to take to ensure your optimal eye health such as:
Using anti-glare screens when working on the computer to avoid straining your eyes.
Keeping eyeglasses or contact lenses prescriptions up to date.