In today’s digital age, caring for your eyes is more important than ever. Office workers and students often spend long hours staring at screens, leading to eye strain and blurry vision as our eye muscles become fatigued. Your eye muscles are like any other muscle in your body; you can exercise them to help them work better, potentially improving eyesight while working on screens.
While eye exercises won’t correct refractive errors like nearsightedness or farsightedness, they can help reduce eye strain and improve eye coordination, especially if you’re one of the many Americans who work at a computer all day.
What Is Eye Strain?
Eye strain is a common condition that occurs when your eyes get tired from intense use, such as staring at a computer screen for too long. Digital screens have a unique combination of factors that can make our eyes work harder than usual, such as slightly blurry text, poor contrast, or glare reflecting off the screen.
Aside from computers, eye strain can affect anyone who spends extended periods focusing on one task, whether reading, driving, or using digital devices. It could indicate an uncorrected vision problem, even if you don’t wear glasses regularly.
Watch out for symptoms of eye strain, such as:
- Sore, tired, or burning eyes
- Blurred or double vision
- Headaches
- Increased sensitivity to light
- Dry eyes
- Neck and shoulder pain
By understanding what causes eye strain, you can take steps to prevent it and keep your eyes comfortable.
Exercises for Comfortable Vision
Here are some eye exercises you can sprinkle throughout your workday to help keep your vision clear and comfortable.
The 20-20-20 Rule
Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. This simple exercise helps relax your eye muscles and reduce strain from prolonged screen time.
Remember to Blink
Think of this one as more of a memory exercise. Blinking keeps your eyes moist and refreshed, but we tend to blink less when focusing on a digital screen. Remind yourself to blink every few seconds while working on a computer to prevent dryness and irritation.
Palming
Rub your hands together to generate warmth, then gently cup your palms over your closed eyes. Breathe deeply, holding this position for a few minutes. This soothing exercise can help relax your eye muscles and reduce strain.
Figure 8
Imagine a large figure 8 on the wall or floor about 10 feet in front of you. Trace the shape slowly with your eyes for around 30 seconds, first in one direction and then the other. This exercise helps improve control of your eye muscles and can be done from a seated position, such as sitting at your desk.
Near & Far Focus
Hold your thumb about 10 inches from your face and focus on it for 15 seconds. Then, shift your focus to an object about 10–20 feet away for another 15 seconds. Repeat this exercise several times to exercise your eye’s focusing ability.
Eye Rolling
Close your eyes and slowly roll them in a circular motion. Do this exercise clockwise and then counterclockwise a few times every hour to help relieve tension.
Eye Movements
Close your eyes and look up as if trying to see the ceiling while keeping your head stationary. Do the same, but this time “look” at the floor. Repeat this motion a few times. Afterwards, switch to moving left to right. This can help stretch tired eye muscles.
The Brock String
To perform this exercise, you’ll need a Brock string, which is a string with several colored beads on it. Follow these steps:
- Tie one end of the string to a fixed point at eye level.
- Hold the other end of the string to the tip of your nose, making sure the string is taut.
- Position the beads at different intervals along the string.
- Focus on the bead closest to your nose. You should see 1 bead and 2 strings forming an “X” shape. If you see 2 beads or 1 string, your eyes might not be converging properly.
- Shift your focus to the next bead further down the string, making sure you see a single bead and an “X” with the strings.
- Continue this exercise by focusing on each bead down to the end of the string, checking your convergence at each point.
Regular practice with a Brock string can enhance depth perception, convergence, and eye coordination for more comfortable vision. This tool is particularly popular for vision therapy.
Eye Massage
Gently massage your closed eyelids and the area around your eyes with your fingertips. Start from the inner corners and gradually make your way outwards, focusing on keeping the pressure light. It shouldn’t feel like you’re rubbing your eyes. This can help increase blood circulation and relieve tension.
Pencil Push-ups
Hold a pencil at arm’s length and focus on the tip. Slowly bring it closer to your nose while keeping your focus on the tip. Move the pencil back to arm’s length and repeat several times. This exercise improves convergence and coordination.
Enjoy Comfortable Vision All Day
Keeping your eyes healthy and comfortable is crucial, especially if you spend long hours in front of screens. While these exercises won’t improve your eyesight due to refractive errors, they can help your eyes work together better.
Remember to practice these exercises regularly and take breaks to give your eyes the rest they need. If you’re experiencing persistent discomfort or symptoms of eye strain, consider booking an appointment with Total Vision Del Mar to explore further solutions. Our team is ready to help you prioritize your eye health and make screen time more enjoyable for all!
