- Blinking: (Repeat 10 times)
- After opening our eyes to the first rays of the sun, our yogic activity begins.
- Every blink of our eye is a natural exercise, which should maintain that rhythm with utmost awareness.
- Focus shifting: (Repeat 15 times)
- Sit up straight; take your left hand straight as far as possible, raise your thumb in thumbs up posture.
- Move arm in right and left direction slowly, focusing eyes over thumb, without moving neck or chin.
- Eye rolling: (Repeat 15 times)
- Sit up straight, keeping your head still.
- Look up focusing sky, roll eyes towards right (focusing object towards right), Roll eyes down (focusing floor), Roll eyes towards left (focusing object towards left).
- Near and distant viewing: (Repeat 15 times)
- Sit by an open window with a clear view of the horizon. (Keeping arms side)
- Focus on the tip of the nose for 5-10 seconds.
- Observe the breathing pattern: Inhale during close viewing and Exhale during distant viewing.
- Figure eight: (Repeat 10 times)
- Pick a point on the floor roughly 10 feet away.
- Try to picture a large eight on the floor.
- Starting clockwise, slowly trace the eight with the eyes.
- Continue for 30 seconds.
- Also trace the eight anticlockwise.
- Diagonal stretches: (Repeat 3 times)
- Sit up straight and relax.
- Look up and to the right (5 seconds), blink and bring your gaze back to the centre.
- Look up and to the left (5 seconds), blink and bring gaze back to the centre.
- Look down and to the right (5 seconds), blink and bring gaze back to the centre.
- Look down and to the left (5 seconds), blink and bring gaze back to the centre.
- Bhramari Pranayam: (Repeat 05 times)
- Sit in a crossed legged position.
- Close eyes and ears by lightly pressing the thumbs on them.
- Place index fingers in between your eyebrows, ring, and little fingers at the base of nostrils.
- Focus attention on the centre of your eyebrows.
- Take a deep breath through the nose, hold the breath for 2-3 seconds then slowly exhale through the nose while producing a humming sound, mouth should be closed.
- Eye Massage: (5 minutes)
- Targeted massage stimulates fresh blood flow and relieves stress and tension which is the same applied to eyes.
- If you wear contact lenses, take them out.
- Using pointer, middle and ring fingers, gently press into upper lids for about 10 seconds. Make soft circular movements.
- Palming: (Repeat 07 times)
- Finish eye exercises with a few moments of palming, which calms you down and helps you focus.
- Rub the palms of your hands vigorously until they become warm and place them gently over your eyelids.
- Feel the warmth of the palms being transferred onto the eyes and the eye muscles. You will feel instant relaxation.
- Keep your eyes closed, lower your hands, and feel the dryness fade away gradually.
These exercises are performed in the morning, several times throughout the day and before bed at night. Because they just involve the eyes, they can be performed wherever you are when you have time for them. Eye yoga is a movement practice that claims to help with eye health, including improving vision. Establishing an eye yoga practice is easy, and there are many simple exercises available to get you started. Just remember that eye yoga isn’t a substitute for overall eye care, and it’s important to visit an eye doctor regularly.
Tips for healthy eye:
✓ Regular eye examination
✓ Protect eyes from ultraviolet light by wearing sunglasses.
✓ Try blue light glasses for long exposure on screen.
✓ For long screen time follow the 20-20- 20 rule: Take a 20 second break after every 20 minutes of screen exposure and look at an object 20 feet away.
✓ Don’t smoke or vape and avoid cigarette smoke.
✓ Advise Vitamin A, C and E rich diet.
✓ Make sure to take a diet full of carrots, oranges, and plenty of green leafy vegetables.
