4 Yoga Exercises for Eye Health

Somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago (depends on who you ask), the very first techniques for yoga were developed. Over the centuries, the techniques have evolved and new branches have developed to increase the benefits of yoga.

Today, yoga studios can be found on street corners, malls, airports, gyms, and many others because the popularity has grown tremendously, due to the mainstream cultivation of the various mind, body and soul benefits that yoga can provide.

You are probably aware of the basics of yoga but perhaps you are unaware that yoga can have very targeted and specific purposes such as eye health. We’re going to explain some of the best yoga for eyes that can help your eyes feel better and improve their health.

These techniques help eye health by circumstance and other yoga eye exercises have been developed to target the eyes specifically. Below are some of the best ones to try if you want to help increase the health of your eyes, naturally through yoga and learn which yoga is best for eyes.

Blinking

This may seem like a silly “technique” to be called yoga but this technique is a bit more involved than your unconscious blinking. To start, either seated or standing, relax and find something to focus your gaze that is a few feet away.

Focus for 30 seconds, then open your eyes as wide as they can go and blink ten times (exaggerate this motion). This technique will help release and stretch your eyelids muscles. Once you have completed ten blinks, close your eyes for 30 seconds. You can repeat this cycle a few more times to really enjoy the benefits of increased blood flow, eye lubrication and stretching.

Palming

First, warm up your palms by rubbing your hands together. Once they are warm, place them over your closed eyes and you will feel the warmth. This soothing and calming sensation will help relax the muscles of your eyes and give them a much-needed break. From the time you wake up until you go to bed, your eyes are constantly working. This technique helps relieve some stress from daily life.

Nose Gazing

Most jobs today involve looking at computer screens or we’re constantly staring at our smartphones. These close-up, digital activities can cause severe strain on our eyes. It is important to work your eyes on focusing at different distances.

To practice this technique, start with the tip of your thumb on the end of your nose. Stare at your thumb for a few seconds and slowly start to stretch your arm away from your face.

When your arm is fully stretched, stare at your thumb for 30 seconds, allowing your eyes to focus fully. After, move your arm from one side to the other, slowly, ensuring that your eyes (not your head) are the only things tracking your thumb. Finally, you can focus on something further than your thumb (10-20 feet away) to really give your eyes a break from near vision work.

Shoulder Stand

While the muscles that move your eyes and lids need attention, your optic nerve and brain are just as important (perhaps more) when it comes to vision. This yoga pose really helps increase the blood flow to your brain and optic nerve. This is crucial for ensuring that the blood flow is optimum to bring nutrients and oxygen that are necessary for functioning.

To perform a shoulder stand, lie flat on your back with your palms facing down on either side of your body. Raise your legs straight above your hips and by pushing your hands into the floor, lift up your hips as well. Tuck your chin and neck in to prevent strain from this position.

Try holding this position for at least a minute while allowing the blood to flow down towards your head. Lower yourself back down slowly to the starting position. This technique will help flush and pooled or old blood out and allow fresh to rejuvenate your brain and optic nerve.

While these techniques and others can help the health of your eyes, it is important to get your eyes checked on a regular basis. When it comes to vision problems, we can help. At Diamond Vision, we provide our patients with the very latest technologies and procedures for vision correction surgeries that are led by our staff of award-winning surgeons. One of our surgery centres is located in Atlanta GA, Eye Health Center.

When it comes to your vision, we strongly believe that we offer the best solutions. To learn more about how we can help and what might be your best option, call us today for your free consultation.