10 Eye Exercises to Improve Eyesight

As the world advances, our lives have undergone transformation. The digital world offers us our livelihoods, entertainment, and communication. This has laid a considerable strain on our eyes owing to increased screen time. This, clubbed with other poor lifestyle habits such as irregular diet and sleep, makes it tricky for our eyes to be relaxed and healthy.

Here are some eye exercises to improve eyesight that can support better vision and eye health.

Benefits of Eye Exercises

Eyesight exercises can help relax the eyes, reduce fatigue, and support overall eye comfort. While they may not improve refractive errors, they contribute to better focusing ability and long-term eye wellness. If you are wondering how to improve your eyesight, these exercises can:

• Relieve eye strain – Exercises reduce the strain caused by constant use of our eyes and reduce several complications like dryness of the eyes, itching, and headaches. 
• Fortify eyе musclеs – Eye muscles are strengthened by exercises, leading to better eye health and vision.
• Prevent possible eye conditions – Relaxing the eyes and appropriate eye exercises can prevent or delay eye problems. While these exercises do not prevent age-related conditions like cataracts or glaucoma, they can support eye comfort and reduce digital strain.
• May enhance focusing flexibility – Some exercises train the eyes to shift focus more efficiently, supporting tasks that require sustained attention.

10 Proven Eye Exercises to Improve Eyesight

1. Palming

As the term suggests, palming is about placing your palms gently on your eyes. This helps your eyes relax and reduces strain on them. Here is how to do this simple and effective eyesight exercise:

• Rub your palms together till they are warm.
• Gently place them over your eyes.
• Ensure that your palms cover your eyes completely to avoid any light.
• Breathe deeply and allow your eyes to relax.
• You can do this for 2-3 minutes as many times in a day.

Palming is a refreshing eye exercise to improve eyesight that helps reduce tension and relax the eye muscles.

2. Blinking

Blinking is an automatic response of the eye that helps the eyes remain moist and prevent dryness. However, when you focus intently on the screen, you don’t blink for a long time. This causes eye strain and often blurs our vision. Here is how you practice blinking:

• Sit comfortably 
• Blink gently and consciously at a relaxed pace for a minute.
• Close your eyes for 10 seconds.
• Repeat 3-5 times.
• You could alternate blinking fast and slow for 30 seconds each. 

This is especially useful when your screen times are longer and without breaks. This also helps when you are working in poor light conditions.

3. Eye Rolling

Eye rolling helps strengthen the eye muscles, facilitates eye movement control, and helps relieve stress. Here is how eye rolling is done:

• Roll your eyes slowly in the clockwise direction 10 times
• Pause for 5 seconds
• Now roll your eyes anti-clockwise 10 times
• You can repeat it twice a day.

Eye rolling can help maintain the flexibility of the extraocular muscles and may support the ease of eye movement.

4. Near and Far Focus

The Near and Far Focus eye exercises to improve vision involve looking alternately at objects near and far away. It helps in improving the ability to shift focus between objects at different distances. Here is how you can do the near and far focus exercise:

• Sit in a comfortable position and extend your hand fully in front of you.
• Hold your thumb upright
• Focus on your thumb for 10-15 seconds.
• Now shift your focus to an object that is far away for another 10-15 seconds.
• Bring your focus back to your thumb again.
• Do this alternate for 2 to 3 minutes.
• You could do this twice or thrice a day. 

This helps strengthen focus and visual acuity, and clarity.

5. Figure Eight

This exercise improves synchronization and coordination between the eyes. 

This is how you can do the figure 8 exercise:

• Imagine the number 8 in front of you, maybe on a wall.
• Slowly trace the number with your eyes.
• You can trace clockwise and anti-clockwise 5 times each.
• You could also imagine a horizontal number 8 like an infinity sign and trace it with your eyes.

This eye exercise for better vision helps strengthen eye muscles and improves peripheral vision.

6. Pencil Push-Ups

The pencil push-up exercise helps improve eye focus. This exercise for better vision also helps strengthen the eye muscles and convergence, i.e., focusing clearly on nearby objects.

How pencil push-ups are done:

• Hold a pencil at arm’s length.
• Bring the person slowly closer to the nose.
• Stop when the pencil looks blurred.
• Slowly move the pencil back far away.
• You can do this for 3 minutes and twice or thrice a day.

This technique is often used to manage convergence insufficiency. For persistent reading difficulties or strain, consult an eye care professional.

7. Focus Shifting

The focus-shifting exercise includes shifting your gaze to objects at different distances. This improves visual flexibility and strengthens eye muscles.

How you shift focus is:

• Extend your thumb in front of you.
• Focus on your thumb for 5 seconds.
• Shift your focus to an object 5 feet away. Stay there for 5 seconds.
• Now shift your focus to an object 10 feet away for 5 seconds.
• Shift your focus to an object 20 feet away for 5 seconds.
• Alternately, focus on these objects for 2 minutes.

8. 20-20-20 Rule

The 20-20-20 exercise is a simple way to rest your eyes after longer screen time. This reduces strain on the eyes, relaxes the eyes, and gives your eyes a break from the screen.

Here is how you follow the 20-20-20 rule:

• When you look at your screen for 20 minutes, look away from the screen.
• Take a break for 20 seconds.
• Look at an object that is 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Blink often.
• Do this whenever your screen time is 20 minutes. 

9. Zooming

The zooming exercise involves focusing on a far-away object and then bringing your attention to a nearby object. 

Zooming is done in the following way:

• Hold your thumb or an object at an arm’s distance. 
• Slowly bring it closer towards your nose till 3 inches away and in focus. 
• Once it becomes blurry, move it farther back. 
• Repeat this twice or thrice.

This exercise improves the focusing ability and strengthens the eye muscles. 

10. Eye Press

The eye press exercise relieves tension around the eyes and reduces strain. This is useful after longer periods of screen time.

 This is how eye press is done:

• Close your eyes.
• Use a warm compress or simply close your eyes and cover them lightly with your palms.
• Hold the fingers for about 10 seconds, and let go.
• Repeat this 5 times, maybe twice or thrice a day.

A Note on Yoga for Eyes 

Yoga for eyes is a traditional approach that includes practices like Trataka (focused gazing) and Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing). These can complement regular eye exercises by enhancing focus, reducing mental stress, and promoting relaxation. While not a direct substitute for medical treatment, yoga for eyes offers holistic support for eye comfort and clarity.

Conclusion

All the eye exercises help reduce the strain and stress on the eyes. It also helps strengthen the eye muscles, influencing visual clarity, focus, flexibility, and coordination. If you wear contact lenses, ensure you change them periodically and remove them before you go to sleep at night. 

These exercises, supplemented with a nutritious diet, adequate sleep, and proper eye hygiene, can strengthen the eyes and prevent possible eye conditions.