Yoga Exercises for Eyes: Strain Relief and Eyesight Improvement

There are many yoga exercises for eyes, and we’re going to mention the simplest but yet effective ones here. You can eliminate the majority of eye disorders – of spastic and organic nature, – with the regular practice of these exercises. Many people who have been doing these exercises regularly for a long period of time, no longer need glasses.

After completing each exercise, you need to close your eyes and let them rest for 30 seconds (the better way to do so is to rub the palms against each other and cover the eyes with them). The more you do the exercises, the better. However, if you are pressed for time, then the whole series of exercises can be done once in the morning and once in the evening, but with the maximum attention and concentration.

Exercise 1. Applying palms over the eyes

Sit down, close your eyes and turn your face to the sun.

Rub your palms against each other vigorously until hot, then cover the eyes with them. Keep them on your eyes for a while feeling the heat absorbing by the eyes. Remove the hands after 2-3 minutes, keeping the eyes closed. Do it three times.

The best time for this exercise is the morning, at sunrise.

The benefits: This exercise relaxes, revitalizes and recharges the optical nerves with the fresh energy.

Exercise 2. Focusing the eyes in different directions

Sit on the floor and stretch your legs forward. Spread apart the straight arms at the shoulder level. Point your thumbs up, keeping other fingers in a fist. Keep the head straight.

Without moving your head, focus your eyes on the following objects:

a) The left thumb;

b) The space between the eyebrows;

c) The right thumb;

g) The space between the eyebrows.

Repeat this cycle is 15 – 20 times to relax.

Exercise 3. Focusing the eyes in front of you and at the sides

yoga exercises for eyes

Take the same position as in the previous exercise; but place the left palm with the thumb pointing up, on your left knee. Move the right arm to the side (the thumb is also directed upward).

Without moving your head, focus your eyes on the left thumb, then on the right thumb.

Do 15-20 cycles, then close your eyes and do the same mentally – in your imagination.

Repeat to the other side, switching your hands.

Exercise 4. Rolling Eyes

yoga exercises for eyesight improvement

The starting position is the same; place the left palm on the left knee, and hold the right fist over the right leg. Keep your right arm straight, thumb up. Now make a smooth circular motion with your right hand (left, up, right, down), and return to the starting position. Your fist should make a circle with large diameter. While moving your hand, focus on the thumb; head is not moving.

Rotate your right arm 5 times clockwise and 5 times counterclockwise. Then do the same with your left arm. After completing the exercise, close your eyes and have a rest.

Exercise 5. Moving the eyes up and down

yoga for vision improvement

Take the same starting position as in the previous exercise. Place your fists on the knees, keeping the thumbs up. Without bending the arm, slowly lift your fist up, tracking the motion of the thumb. Follow its trajectory with your eyes. Upon reaching the top, slowly return the fist to the starting position, still keeping the eyes on it. Do not move the head during the exercise. Do it 5 times, and then repeat with the left arm.

Close your eyes and rest.

Exercise 6. Focusing the eyes on close and distant objects

yoga postures for eyesight improvement

Sit on the floor as in the previous exercises; relax your arms. Focus your eye on the tip of your nose. Then shift the gaze towards some distant object (it shouldn’t necessarily be too far, but not too close as well – have at least 6 steps between you and the object; I’d prefer to have around 10-50 meters, depending on the circumstances). Then focus your eyes on the nose again. Repeat 20-30 times, after that close your eyes and rest.

This is very effective eye training; it is similar to muscle strength training, because you make the eye muscles contract and relax.

Yoga Postures for Eyesight Improvement

If you want to go further and adopt some yoga asanas to help your eyes, here is a sample list:

a) Sirsasana (headstand);

b) Sarvangasana (shoulder stand);

c) Surya Namaskar (“Sun Salutation”);

g) Surya Bheda pranayama (breathing exercises system);

e) Neti Kriya (rinsing the nose with water or cleansing it with a special thread);

e) Trataka (exercise for concentration).

These are the simple yoga exercises for eyesight improvement; they will help to relieve eye pain, remove strain and relax the eyes, as well as improve vision.

All the pictures come from a really good book on yoga – Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha

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