How to Relieve Eye Strain

Everyone has probably noticed that after sitting longer at a computer, television, or book, and suddenly lifting your head or directing your gaze farther away, we can no longer clearly see the objects around us. This is related to eye strain. Constant visual strain leads to its gradual deterioration. It is much easier to preserve vision than to restore it later. Here are a few simple actions that will help relieve eye strain.

To relax the eyes, you can simply close them, but to strengthen the effect, you can perform palming exercises.

Sit at a table, bend your arms at the elbows, and place them in front of you. Cross your palms by interlacing the fingers so that the base of one little finger touches the base of the other. With your hands in this crossed-palm position, place them over your eyes. The palms should form a cup shape so that the eyes are not pressed. Light should also not pass through the crossed palms. Completely relax and close your eyes. Sit like this for a few minutes, then remove your palms from your eyes and slowly open them.

You can also help your eyes with very simple exercises, especially when there is no time for longer sessions.

• Tightly close your eyes, count to 5, and open them. Repeat the exercise at least three times.
• Blink quickly for 20 seconds, close your eyes tightly for 10 seconds, then repeat the exercise at least three times.
• Without turning your head, direct your gaze as far as possible to the right, then do the same to the left. Repeat the exercise 5 times.
• Without raising or lowering your head, look up, then lower your eyes down. Repeat the exercise 5 times.
• Close your eyes and begin drawing a figure eight with them horizontally (to the left and right), then vertically (up and down). Writing two such figure eights in each direction is enough.
• Slowly open your eyes and blink for another 10 seconds.

Do not forget to do these exercises at least twice a day during periods of active visual load.

The simplest way to relax the eyes is to warm them with the heat of your hands. Vigorously rub your hands together until they become warm. Then place your warm palms over your closed eyes and hold them there until they cool. Never press on the eyes, just lightly touch them. Repeat this several times. The sensations should feel pleasant, and your eyes will rest perfectly.