Working at a computer, with papers in the office, assembling small parts for a long time behind a treadmill - all this tires the eyes and can sooner or later lead to myopia.However, simple but regular exercise can not only be an excellent preventative measure against vision loss, but also prevent diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.
Who invented eye exercises?
Already in ancient times, the problems of restoring vision preoccupied the minds of great scientists, priests and thinkers.Gradually, through trial and error, a certain system of exercises was created, echoes of which can be found in the works of Bates and other authors.Many experts criticize these exercise systems, but others consider them completely reasonable and acceptable.
Many ophthalmologists were also involved in the development of eye exercises, in particular a professor who held leadership positions at the Research Institute of Eye Diseases for many years.Under his leadership, a set of exercises was also developed aimed at improving blood circulation, normalizing intraocular pressure and increasing visual acuity.
Currently, in addition to the usual eye exercises that a person can perform, there are special computer programs and hardware methods for vision correction.
Exercises to improve vision according to the teacher's method
General strengthening exercises.Although many people think that if you are nearsighted you just need to do some eye exercises, it turns out that a sedentary lifestyle and poor physical fitness themselves contribute to the progression of myopia.The opposite is also true: daily exercise and moderate physical work are excellent ways to prevent vision loss.
In the 80s of the last century, it was found that the following types of physical activity help to strengthen the ciliary muscle of the eye and improve blood circulation, if the pulse is between 100 and 140 beats per minute:
- run;
- walk;
- ski;
- swimming.
However, when performing the same exercises with a heart rate of 180 beats per minute, as well as when jumping rope, gymnastics and acrobatics, progression of myopia is observed due to deterioration in accommodation and blood circulation of the eye.
How can you determine your heart rate to get the most visual benefits from running or walking?Of course, you can simply measure using special instruments, or count the number of heartbeats for 10 seconds, and then multiply by 6. If this seems difficult to you, then you can use the following method: physical activity is considered moderate if a person is able to speak in sharp and short phrases or expressions during sports.If the load is too heavy, which will be harmful to the eyes, there is only enough breathing to say only short words, for example "yes", "no", "I don't know", etc.
Special exercises
They are divided into three groups: to improve blood circulation and accommodation, as well as to strengthen the eye muscles.
Exercises to improve blood circulation and normalize intraocular pressure
The purpose of these exercises is that you must periodically with your eyes:
- blink frequently (for example, for a quarter of a minute), then take a short break to rest and repeat 4 times;
- close your eyes for 5 seconds (do 8 times);
- Gently massage eyes through closed eyelids for 1 minute, then repeat by pressing on them 3 to 4 times with three fingers for one second.
Exercises to strengthen the eye muscles
The muscles of the eyeball become stronger and keep their shape well if we gently move our gaze without turning our head:
- vertically from top to bottom, from bottom to top;
- along one, then the second diagonal in an up-down direction;
- horizontally from left to right;
- turn clockwise and vice versa.
It is advisable to do almost all exercises in this block up to 10 times.
Exercises for visual acuity
The exercises in this group are based on moving the gaze from near to the distance and back (while the gaze is fixed in each position for 3-5 seconds).This could be:
- bring the index finger at the level of the nose towards the face (so that its image becomes double) and remove it at arm's length;
- looking at a colored mark at eye level on the window and looking at a distant object located along our field of vision for 5-7 minutes per day.
Useful and fun exercises for children
Not all children are able to do such exercises several times a day.And it is here that games that train the accommodation of the eyes and strengthen the muscles come to the rescue.It is important to exclude games where there is a high probability of blows to the face, collisions, high tension or strain.
The following activities can largely replace "boring" exercises for children and help improve vision:
- fast, short run (correction, catch-up);
- catching and passing the ball;
- throw a ball (a small bag of sand) against a wall or a target on the ground.
During class time, towards the middle of the lesson, it is advisable to blink quickly for 30 seconds, then sit for 1 minute with your eyes closed, leaning back in your chair.