Be part of Healthy Vision Month 2023. We live in an era where we are staring at text and images on computer screens, televisions, and mobile phones which leads to eye strain and possible age-related eye disorders.
Exercise is prevention. As a rule, some activity is better than no activity at all. If possible, the minimum should be 150 minutes of physical activity each week. That means 30 minutes a day for 5 days or more. Muscle strengthening activity should be performed at least twice a week, but with caution, if you have glaucoma.
The best way to exercise is by finding something that you enjoy. Exercise should be more of a lifetime activity. It is important to vary the duration and intensity of physical exercise. Exercising with a friend or family member makes exercise even more worthwhile.
Setting goals for exercise is important to improve your physical strength, capacity, and performance. Always listen to your body if you have imbalance, discomfort, or become tired. Many find that exercising at the same time of the day helps with consistency.
Eye exercises for a healthy vision
Eye exercises may be another form of physical exercise that may be beneficial to your eyes. If practiced the right way, eye exercises can help prevent you from needing glasses or contact lenses.
Here are some simple exercises for eye health
Focus change. Challenge your focus while in a stationary position by shifting your focus from near to far. This will reduce eye strain, particularly if you are reading or working close up.
Figure Eight exercises. While in a stationary position, try following an imaginary figure eight for about 30 seconds and then reverse it. This is best done while seated and choosing to focus on something about ten feet in front of you.
20-20-20 exercise. This is similar to the focus change exercise. It is something everyone should do if they are working at a computer. Take a break every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Palming: Palming is a good yoga technique used to soothe the eyes. Again this a good eye exercise if you use computers often. This is an exercise to relieve stress around the eyes. Sit on a chair and close your eyes. Place your two hands over your eyes. The palm of your hands should cover the eyes, the fingers on the forehead, and the base of the palm resting on the cheekbone. Do not put too much pressure on the eyes, ensure that your eyes can blink freely. Do this exercise over a period of 2 minutes.
Regular physical exercise and a good diet can promote eye health and prevent vision loss. There are limits, however, for some strenuous exercises since they may be deleterious to our eyes.