Eye yoga involves eye movements that may strengthen the muscles in your eyes. However, there is not a large amount of evidence to support its purported benefits.
Yogic eye exercises, also called eye yoga, are movements that claim to strengthen and condition the muscles in your eye structure.
Keep reading to learn more about eye yoga, as well as information about eye exercises that can help your eyes function better.
The research on the benefits of eye yoga is mixed. While it appears to help some conditions, the studies are small and more research is needed.
To improve your eyesight
A 2018 study of eye yoga techniques for people with myopia found that they did not show significant improvement. However, more long-term research is needed.
For dry eyes
There’s no evidence that suggests that eye yoga exercises can help with the symptoms of chronic dry eye.
After cataract surgery
Some people claim that doing eye yoga after cataract surgery can help rebuild ocular strength. It isn’t a good idea to try this immediately after having a cataract removed.
Your eye needs time to heal and adjust to the artificial lens inserted during cataract surgery. Avoid rubbing your eyes, especially right after surgery. Do not attempt any kind of eye exercise after surgery.
For dark circles under eyes
Eye yoga will most likely not increase the blood flow underneath your eyes in any significant way and won’t help with dark circles under your eyes.
For eye strain
Eye yoga may work to prevent and relieve the symptoms of eye strain. In a small study of 32 college students, eye yoga exercises decreased eye fatigue.
Eye strain is related to stress, so practicing eye yoga may work in two ways:
- stimulating the muscles that move your eye and strengthening them
- bringing down stress levels, which can promote focus
If you wear contact lenses or glasses, you’ll want to remove them before trying these exercises.
Focus shifting
This exercise trains eye muscles while also working to improve your ability to focus.
How to try focus shifting
- Stick your left hand out as far as it will go and raise your thumb in a thumbs-up posture.
- Sit up straight with your eyes looking straight ahead. Focus your eyes on your thumb.
- Move your arm slowly to your right as far as you can, with your eyes following your thumb.
- Move your arm back in the other direction, following your thumb as far as your eye will go without moving your neck or chin.
- Repeat this movement several times.
Eye rolling
This is another eye exercise meant to help with eye strain.
How to practice eye rolling
- Sit tall in your seat and take a deep breath.
- Slowly look up to the ceiling, letting yourself focus above.
- Roll both of your eyes so that you’re looking all the way to your right.
- Roll both of your eyes so that you’re looking all the way down.
- Roll both of your eyes so that you’re looking all the way to your left.
- Come back to looking at the ceiling, then look straight ahead and take a breath. Repeat several times before switching direction and moving your eyes counterclockwise.
Palming
You may want to finish your eye exercises with a few moments of palming, which are meant to calm you down and help you focus.
How to practice palming
- Rub your hands together to get them warm.
- Place both hands over your eyes, as if you were going to play “peek-a-boo.” Rest your fingertips on your forehead and don’t let your palms touch your eyes — they should be slightly cupped away from your face, with your palms resting on or around your cheekbones.
- Breathe in slowly and clear your mind. Try not to think about anything as you look into the darkness of your hands.
- Repeat for several minutes as you take deep breaths in and out.
There are many other ways to keep your eyes healthy. Compared to eye yoga, the following tips are more likely to support your eye health:
Tips
- Get regular eye exams. This is essential for the
early detection of conditions like cataracts and glaucoma. It also gives you the opportunity to talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about your vision. After age 60, you should go to the eye doctorevery year , even if you have 20/20 vision. - Protect your eyes from ultraviolet light by wearing sunglasses.
- If you work at your computer or use screens often, take stock of your screen time and take 5-minute breaks every hour or so.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your eyes (and the rest of you) lubricated.
- Eat leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, and kale.
- Eat oranges and carrots.
- Don’t smoke or vape and avoid cigarette smoke.
More research is needed to confirm the benefits of eye yoga. However, it does not appear to help many conditions.
If you want to give eye yoga a try, there’s very little risk, no minimum fitness level, and at the worst, you’ll lose a minute or two of your time.
Speak to your doctor if you’re concerned about diminishing eyesight, dry eye, cataracts, or frequent eye strain. Keep in mind that eye yoga and other eye exercises are not a replacement for medical advice from an eye doctor.