1 Eye exercise
Practice blinking slowly and quickly to reduce eye strain. Blinking gives the eyes a short rest and moisturizes them so they don’t dry out. Take 2 minutes and blink every 30 seconds, making sure your eyes are fully closed before opening them again. After you blink slowly, spend another 2 minutes blinking every 4 seconds. Repeat this process several times throughout the day to train your eyes to blink more often.[1]
This is especially helpful if you’re focused on a computer or TV screen all day, as your eyes get strained faster.
Make sure your eyes are fully closed when you blink, otherwise they may still strain.
2 Draw a figure eight with your eyes to strengthen the eye muscles.
Imagine a horizontal figure of eight in front of you, about 6 to 10 feet (72 to 120 inches). Keep your head still and follow a figure eight using only your eyes. Continue drawing the pattern in one direction for about 2 minutes before changing it to follow in the opposite direction. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times a day to improve the flexibility of your eyes.[2]
If you can’t easily draw a figure eight, try rolling your eyes instead. Keep your eyes open and move them clockwise. After 1-2 minutes, switch to rolling your eyes counterclockwise for 2 minutes.
3 Improve your vision by moving the focus from your thumb to something far away.
Hold your hand straight out in front of you and put your thumb up. Focus on your thumb for about 5 seconds before switching to something 4.6-6.1 meters away from you to relax. Continue focusing in 5 second increments for 2 minutes to improve near vision.[3]
Practice outside or in front of a window so you can easily look outside and pick something you want to focus on in the distance.
Hold your thumb in front of you when focusing on a distant object to make it easier to focus on it. When you don’t focus on your thumb, it looks blurry against a distant object.
4 Practice focusing by moving your thumb closer and further away from you.
Extend your arms straight out in front of you and give a thumbs up. Bring your hand closer to your face and focus on it so it doesn’t blur. Stop when your thumb is about 3 inches from your face or until you see double. Slowly extend your hand again until the thumb returns to its original position. Repeat this process for at least 10 minutes to improve your concentration.[4]
5 Hold your palm over your eyes for 5 seconds to relax them.
Palming is a technique used to relax the eyes when they feel tension. Rub your palms together for 5-10 seconds until they are warm, then gently place them over your eyes with them closed. Take a deep breath and close your eyes for 1 minute. Try using the palm of your hand 2-3 times a day to ease the eyes.[5]
Do not apply pressure to the eyes as you may damage them.