The average American spends over seven hours each day looking at a screen. This excessive screen time is working muscles extra hard that you probably don’t think about often, your eye muscles, which makes a remedy like eye yoga exercises particularly appealing.
Eye strain, the uncomfortable feeling that comes after doing activities such as looking at a screen for too long, is common. It’s estimated that two out of three people in the United States experience eye strain symptoms, including watery or dry eyes, headache, difficulty concentrating, and burning or itchy eyes.
Traditional remedies for relieving eye strain, like using lubricating eye drops or limiting the amount of time you’re on a device, are well-known. However, some people are turning to other options that aren’t as commonplace. One solution that’s gaining traction is eye yoga exercises.
The science behind eye yoga exercises
When you hear the phrase "eye yoga exercises," you may be skeptical and dismiss it as a passing trend in the wellness sphere. However, certain eye yoga exercises are supported by scientific research as an effective remedy for eye strain.
Also known as yoga ocular exercises, eye yoga exercises may reduce eye fatigue symptoms by “increasing the efficiency of extraocular muscles.” This means that certain eye yoga exercises may reduce eye strain and the fatiguing of eye muscles.
In a study conducted in June 2020, a control group led by a trained yoga instructor reported a significant decrease in eye fatigue levels after six weeks of eye yoga exercises. The group included medical college and undergraduate nursing students. They did a regimen of eye yoga exercises for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
According to the study, each session of eye yoga exercises included the following ten-step sequence: "palming, blinking, sideways viewing, front and sideways viewing, diagonal viewing, rotational viewing, preliminary nose tip gazing, near and distant viewing, concentrated gazing, and acupressure point on the palm."
For specific step-by-step instructions on eye yoga exercises, check out this blog from Yoga International.
The study concluded that “yoga ocular exercises can be considered as a nonpharmacologic and therapeutic intervention for reducing asthenopic symptoms as well as relieving the severity of eye fatigue.”
Other ways to reduce eye strain
If eye yoga exercises aren’t your thing, there are other ways to reduce eye strain and keep your eyes healthy. If you're experiencing strained eyes, try the following:
- Adjust your lighting: Avoid working in the dark, and turn on lights so that they do not create a glare or harsh reflection on the screen.
- Blink regularly: Blinking regularly can help moisten and refresh your eyes and prevent dry eyes.
- Take breaks: Give your eyes some relief throughout the day by implementing the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a moment to focus on something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
If you have any questions about your eye health, including eye yoga, please consult with your eye doctor.
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