Simple Exercises for Healthy Eyes

Eyesight is the most important sense to a majority of people. We rely on our vision to help us do virtually everything, from getting dressed to cooking meals to caring for children and pets to driving to performing our job at work. Without the ability to see, our lives would be dramatically different.

That's why it's important to maintain good vision. We exercise our bodies to keep them in optimal condition. Fortunately, you can do the same with your eyes. Here are some quick and easy exercises you can do to keep your eyesight free from deterioration.

Start with Warm-ups

You should never engage in intense exercise without warming up your body, right? The same goes for your eyes. Start by cupping your palms and covering your eyes. Imagine total darkness. When you see only blackness, uncover your eyes and repeat several times.

Eye Movements

Your parents may not have liked it when they said something you didn't like and you rolled your eyes at them. However, eye rolling is actually a good exercise for your eyes. This exercise is easy to do. Just roll the eyes clockwise for a minute, then switch direction and go counterclockwise for another minute. This helps your eyes maintain strength and agility.

Other eye movements you can do include up and down movements. Move your eyes up and down eight times, then move them from side to side, repeating eight more times. Be careful not to force your eyes too far in any one direction, as you could make your eyesight worse.

Focus Exercises

Pick two objects - one that is less than 30 feet away and one that is more than 150 feet away. Focus on the distant object for about 15 seconds. Next, focus on the closer object for the same amount of time. Go back to the distant object and repeat five times.

Another focus exercise to do is to hold a pencil or other object in front of you, at an arm's length away. Slowly bring the object to your nose and follow it with your eyes until you can no longer focus. Repeat 10 times.