It’s probably safe to say that you spend at least several hours a day looking at a screen of some sort. Whether its time spent on the computer at work, on your phone at home, or a combination of both, more and more people are developing ‘Computer Vision Syndrome.’ It’s a serious name for the strain placed on our eyes from staring at bright screens all day. Over time, people tend to notice dry eyes, vision problems, and sometimes even headaches and anxiety.
While we can’t really pass on screen time, especially in this day and age, you can ease the strain with the equivalent of a gymnastics workout for your eyes… in a good way, of course. So here are some eye exercises for computer users. And the best part is that you can do the eye strain exercises at work!
The Eye Roll Exercise
This is an exercise for eye strain relief: Sit up straight and, while keeping your head still, look to your right. Then slowly roll your eyes up to the ceiling and down to your left. Finish by rolling your eyes down to the floor. Do this in a clockwise motion for 10 repetitions, and then anti-clockwise for 10.
The Zooming Exercise
Sit in a comfortable position and stretch your arm out in front of you. Either holding a pen upwards or with your thumb extended, bring your focus to the tip. Then, bend your arm and slowly bring your hand towards your face while keeping your focus on one point. Once your hand is 3 inches from your face, slowly start to extend your arm back to the starting point. Repeat three more times.
Blinking Quickly
Studies show that we tend to blink less, and not as efficiently, when we’re looking at screens all day. One of the best ways to ease fatigue is to make an effort to blink often and well, which helps clean and moisturize your eyes. Start by blinking quickly 20 times, and then close your eyes for three deep breaths. Do this every 20 minutes (or as often as you remember) for less tired eyes at work.
The Figure 8 Exercise
This exercise is similar to the Eye Rolls, but instead of making circles, you’ll be making figure 8s. This makes it a suitable exercise for tired eyes. Keeping your head still, start by looking to the right. Slowly bring your gaze up, then down to the far left. Then look up to the left and slowly across to the lower right. Continue for a few more repetitions going one way, then reverse your 8s the other way.
The Palming Exercise
This tired eyes exercise is great for quickly relieving tension. Sit comfortably, and quickly rub your palms together until they feel warm. Close your eyes and place your palms over your eyelids. Keep your fingers closed so light doesn’t enter and take a few deep breaths. Repeat as often as necessary.
The Rest Exercise
Not all of our exercises should be done in front of a computer at work: At the end of the day, while lying down, close your eyes for about 480 minutes (or as many as necessary). Repeat daily. Ok, so this one isn’t technically an exercise, but rest is vital to healthy eyes and easing strain!
It’s important to keep your eyes functioning well and these eye exercises for eye strain can certainly contribute to your eye health. If you notice your eyes feeling overworked or dry, stop in at your local Optical Express for an in-depth eye examination.
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