Eye Correction Exercises

A Snellen Chart

When practiced regularly, eye exercises can improve, and in some cases correct, imperfect vision due to presbyopia or myopia. Such techniques were first presented to the public in 1920 in the form of a book by Dr. William Horatio Bates titled "Perfect Sight Without Glasses."
The exercises in the book combined with relaxation and practiced for even 20 minutes daily can yield improvements even in more extreme cases of what Bates calls "eccentric fixation." The term refers to vision problems caused by the eye failing to properly register the minute core of any given focal point. The degree of eccentricity from the central focal point determines the amount of blurring the viewer experiences.
Basic eye correction exercises are used to relax, strengthen and retrain the eyes to focus on the central point of fixation.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Quiet, safe environment

1. Place your palms over your eyes in such a way that you completely block out all light. You can do this while sitting a table or lying down. Do not press hard but only enough to block out all rays of light and see only black. It might help to visualize a black object or to imagine yourself in the blackness of outer space. Palm for at least 10 minutes. Your eyes will become very relaxed. Use this exercise between any of the others or whenever your eyes feel tired.
   Palming is a relaxation technique. In "Perfect Sight Without Glasses," Bates said that patients could be cured by this practice alone. The technique requires some visualization to be effective.

2. Clock

   Imagine that you are looking at a large clock. Move your eyes from 12 to 6 on the imaginary clock 20 times. Do the same from 3 to 6. Then circle your eyes around the entire clock, first clockwise, then counterclockwise. Do this 20 times in each direction. Rest.

3. Find an object across the room and practice viewing the outside edges of it. Trace the entire outline with your eyes. Repeat this exercise 20 times.

4. Choose a color. Consciously notice how many objects, either in the room or outside, are that color. Every day, choose a different color.

5. Hold your thumb at a distance in front of your face where you can see it clearly. Focus on your thumb. Then shift your focus to an object 3 feet away. Then put your focus back on your thumb, seeing it as clearly as possible. Repeat this exercise 20 times. Rest.

Tips & Warnings

• Whenever possible, read without your glasses or contact lenses. Perform any activities inside your home that you can safely do without visual aids. Blink more frequently. Whenever your eyes feel tired, close them. Use the palming technique frequently. Stress, particularly the kind which causes fear, can cause vision problems. Remove yourself from stressful situations and people as much as possible.

• Do not perform these exercises while wearing glasses or contact lenses.

References

• Perfect Sight Without Glasses