As we step into the new year, it's the perfect time to refresh not only your fitness routine but also your overall health and well-being. While we often focus on physical exercise for our bodies, we tend to forget about one crucial part of our health: our eyes. Just like any other muscle in your body, your eyes can benefit from regular exercise to improve focus, reduce strain, and enhance vision over time.
At 1001 Optometry, we believe that eye care should be part of everyone’s wellness plan. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 7 simple eye exercises you can include in your new year’s fitness routine to keep your eyes healthy, reduce digital eye strain, and improve your visual performance.
1. The 20-20-20 Rule
The most common cause of eye strain is prolonged screen time. Whether you’re working, studying, or browsing social media, staring at screens for long periods can cause fatigue and discomfort. A simple way to counteract this is by following the 20-20-20 rule.
How to Do It:
- Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
- This exercise gives your eyes a break and allows your eye muscles to relax, reducing the risk of strain.
Why It Works:
This technique helps prevent eye fatigue and discomfort associated with staring at screens for extended periods. It also allows your eye muscles to reset and focus on objects at a distance, which is especially important if you're often working in close-up environments.
2. Palming
Palming is an eye relaxation exercise that helps reduce eye strain and stress. It’s particularly beneficial after a long day of screen time or when you feel your eyes are fatigued.
How to Do It:
- Rub your hands together to generate heat.
- Gently place your palms over your closed eyes, ensuring no pressure is applied to your eyes themselves.
- Hold this position for 1-2 minutes while breathing deeply and relaxing.
Why It Works:
Palming helps to relieve tension in the muscles around the eyes. The warmth from your hands encourages blood circulation and promotes relaxation, which can reduce the discomfort from eye strain.
3. Eye Rolling
Rolling your eyes may sound like something you do out of frustration, but it’s actually a great way to give your eye muscles a thorough workout.
How to Do It:
- Sit comfortably and relax.
- Look up, then slowly roll your eyes in a circular motion, first clockwise and then counterclockwise.
- Repeat 5-10 times in each direction.
Why It Works:
Eye rolling exercises the muscles around your eyes, helping to improve flexibility and range of motion. It also helps relieve tension in the eye muscles, especially after prolonged close-up tasks or screen time.
4. Focus Shifting
Focus shifting is a great exercise to improve the flexibility of your eye muscles and train your eyes to easily switch focus between near and far objects.
How to Do It:
- Hold your finger or a pen about 6 inches from your face.
- Focus on the object, then slowly move it toward a point about 10-15 feet away.
- Focus on something distant, then return your focus to the near object.
- Repeat this 5-10 times.
Why It Works:
This exercise improves your eyes’ ability to shift focus quickly and effectively, which can help with tasks like reading and driving. It also helps reduce the risk of blurred vision or difficulty focusing when switching between near and far tasks.
5. Blinking Exercise
Many people blink less often when staring at screens, which can lead to dry eyes and discomfort. The simple act of blinking is important for maintaining eye moisture and health.
How to Do It:
- Blink your eyes rapidly 10-15 times.
- Close your eyes gently for a few seconds, then repeat.
- Perform this exercise several times a day, especially after long hours in front of screens.
Why It Works:
Blinking helps to spread tears evenly across the surface of the eyes, reducing dryness and irritation. This exercise can help you maintain proper moisture levels in your eyes, preventing discomfort associated with digital eye strain.
6. Figure Eight Exercise
This exercise helps improve eye coordination and flexibility, which is especially beneficial if you experience difficulty focusing or struggle with visual fatigue.
How to Do It:
- Imagine a large figure eight on the floor about 10 feet in front of you.
- Trace the shape of the figure eight with your eyes, first in one direction and then the other.
- Repeat this for 1-2 minutes.
Why It Works:
Tracing a figure eight with your eyes helps strengthen the muscles responsible for eye movement, enhancing flexibility and improving your ability to track moving objects. It’s also great for those who experience double vision or have difficulty maintaining focus on objects.
7. Zooming
Zooming is a simple exercise to improve the focus and clarity of your vision, and it's especially useful for people who experience blurry vision when reading or focusing on objects up close.
How to Do It:
- Sit comfortably and extend your arm straight out in front of you with your thumb pointing upward.
- Focus on your thumb as you slowly bring it toward your nose.
- Keep your focus on your thumb and then slowly move it back out to arm’s length.
- Repeat 10-15 times.
Why It Works:
This exercise strengthens the muscles responsible for focusing and helps to improve the clarity of vision, particularly for near tasks like reading or working on a computer. It’s also effective in reducing the risk of nearsightedness (myopia) or difficulty focusing up close.
Why Incorporating Eye Exercises Is Important
Your eyes are one of your most important sensory organs, and with increasing screen time and digital dependency, eye health should be a priority in your overall fitness routine. Regular eye exercises not only improve focus and visual performance but also help reduce the risk of developing common eye problems like digital eye strain, blurry vision, and dry eyes.
As part of your 2025 fitness plan, don’t forget to care for your eyes! These simple, easy-to-do exercises can be incorporated into your daily routine and can have lasting benefits for your eye health and overall wellness.
At 1001 Optometry, we’re here to help you take proactive steps to keep your eyes healthy throughout the year. If you’re experiencing any eye discomfort or have concerns about your vision, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us. Our experts are always here to support your eye care journey.
Start the year right — make eye exercises a part of your fitness routine today!
About 1001 Optometry
At 1001 Optometry, we are dedicated to providing personalized eye care that helps improve and maintain your vision for life. From comprehensive eye exams to advanced treatments and eyewear options, our goal is to help you see clearly and comfortably. Schedule an appointment with us today and take the first step toward better eye health.