Do Eye Exercises Actually Work?

Larry Plesent

Lots of folks wonder if they can postpone buying new glasses by doing eye exercises. What’s the inside skinny on this now popular internet search term? Stay tuned to learn a simple and surprising hack to help keep your vision strong and clear.

Typical eye exercises are essentially eyeball calisthenics. Up and down, side to side, top and bottom arcs, circles and figure eights. Followed by a brief rest. These exercises strengthen the muscles that move your eyeball around. If you are interested in expanding your peripheral vision to see even more of this beautiful world or to give yourself an extra edge when driving through cities choked with cars. I salute you. These eye exercises might just help a bit.

However, a meta-analysis of eleven eye exercise studies found NO conclusive evidence of improvement over a wide range of eye disorders and diseases. Despite the internet posts, there just isn’t any sold evidence that these type of eye calisthenics do much at all. But don’t despair. There are plenty of studies out there showing that exercise (the usual jumping up and down kind), and more specifically, living an active lifestyle as opposed to a sedentary one; has significant effects on eye health as relates to many common conditions including myopia, macular degeneration and glaucoma. If you are motivated to do eye exercises, don’t stop with your eyeballs! A sensible exercise program for your entire body has proven benefits for your eyes too.

Another thing that we have solid evidence on is the positive effect of ingesting plenty of vitamin A. I won’t go on again about eating piles of greens and carrots daily and salmon twice a week. Do the best you can and take a good multi vitamin every day. That should cover the basics. My significant other and I started taking astaxanthin a couple of years ago. This is a particularly potent form of Vitamin A precursor. It’s hardly conclusive evidence, but since we started taking astaxanthin two years ago we haven’t had to increase the magnification on our reading or prescription glasses. Just saying.

There is one eye exercise that does appear to have real value. I use it when my eyes are tired and have trouble focusing. Usually this happens when driving long distances or after a marathon session staring at a computer screen. It bears little or no semblance to the eye calisthenics promoted by click bait websites. But first the back story…

I learned this hack from a distant relative that until recently I didn’t know that I had. Uncle Jon was 76 when I met him. I wanted to show him some pictures on phone. To my surprise he pulled out a small pair of cheap dollar store readers and began fumbling around with them.

“I hate these things,” he said. “Can’t seem to get used to them.”

I was astonished. “Are these your first pair of readers?” I asked reaching for them. The numbers on the arm did not lie, 1.25. These were beginner strength reading glass being used by a man in his mid 70’s!

“Have you had eye surgery?”, I asked delicately.

“Nope no eye surgery, no glasses…until now. I thought I would make it without needing them but no such luck!” He seemed visibly upset at the prospect of having to fumble for reading glasses the rest of his life. So of course I had to ask what his secret was. Did he eat carrots twice a day?

“No”, he laughed. “I have a little trick I do every day, several times a day. There’s an intersection near my house that has a long stoplight. I do it there while I am waiting, and whenever else I have a moment and remember to do it. I don’t know about anybody else, but it seems to work for me. I haven’t needed any glasses at all until just a few months ago.” He waived his cheap tiny pair in the air between us expressively.

That was enough for me. I started practicing his hack right then and there. So here you go dear reader, ad free and on the house. Just don’t practice it while you’re driving.

Uncle Jon’s soon to be famous eyeball hack:

• If you are wearing glasses, take them off while doing the exercise.
• Focus your eyes on a distant stationary object like a tall tree or building.
• Gently bring the details into focus.
• Now concentrate your attention on a point halfway between you and the distant object,
• Gently bring the details into focus.
• Now look at an object that is close by, from four to ten feet away.
• Again, gently bring the details into focus.
• Repeat this exercise up to ten times.
• Close your eyes for a moment and rest them.
• With your eyes still closed move the lens of your eye from far, to mid, to near; just like you were doing with them open. Feel the lens go in and out. Do these three to ten times with your closed, and then rest your eyes a moment. If you wear glasses throughout the day, put them back on.
• Practice this exercise three to five times daily. It is especially useful when your eyes are tired and out of focus.

Everybody’s situation is different, and results are sure to vary from person to person. However, like flossing your teeth and taking vitamins, this hack empowers you to make small, positive, daily changes that just might affect your outcomes. Be well and stay alert!