Eyes are most delicate organs and like all other organs their over-use and misuse may lead to serious problems. The most common eye problem is eye stress. Eye stress is as much a concern as any illness of the body. It makes the eyes tired and you drained of energy.
Stress comes in many forms and one of the most prevalent is eye stress. No other body part is as overused and taken for granted than our eyes. We need to protect them because the eyes are very sensitive and susceptible to stress.
Modern lifestyle has come to mean more eye stress. There's the endless staring at the computer while in the office. Then if you go out, the glaring sun and the dirt offer another sources of stress.
No matter what you do at work or play, your eyes will surely be subjected to undue stress. It is observed that fatigued eyes often lose focus.
Serious eyestrain can also cause a number of other problems from short-term head and neck aches to long-term conditions like Myopia.
However, giving eyes proper rest as well as exercise would not only fight strain, but also ensure better vision.
Due to the ever-increasing pace of life today, more and more people are searching for ways to achieve relief from stress and that wouldn't require them to take any vacation. Workaholics especially, want something that can provide instant stress relief because they just can't imagine tearing themselves from work.
Probably, some people believe that prescription medicine is the best way to achieve stress relief; the best and the easiest. But that is simply not true! There are a lot of times that people find themselves addicted to the usage of prescription medicine that in the end, it fails to achieve their primary purpose and that's to give the user relief from stress.
The eye stress and strain could be successfully avoided by adopting certain measure to strengthen them. Expert says eyestrain is actually the strain of the muscles controlling the eyes.
Strengthening these muscles with rest as well as a series of eye exercises will go a long way to preventing eyestrain.
Eye exercises are important for two reasons. Firstly, a lot of eye problems in later life are due to a loss of tone in the eye muscles. These muscles become rigid, and this loss of elasticity reduces the ability of the lens of the eye to focus at different distances. It also causes the eyesight to become weaker. These exercises tone the eye muscles up and keep them elastic.
Secondly, any eye tension present will tend to produce a general feeling of tension, due to the eye's connection to the brain via the optic nerve. What happens is that eye tension produces an increase in the nerve impulses in the eye muscles. This increase in nerve impulses travels along the optic nerve and bombards the brain, causing a general feeling of tension and anxiety. The eye exercises will reduce tension in the eye muscles, as well as reduce general tension.
For eye exercises one should begin from neck. Good body posture, particularly the alignment of head and neck, is extremely important for proper vision. Tension in the neck and stiffness in the cervical spine can be related to chronic eyestrain.
An effective and excellent way to rest and refresh your eyes and mind is called palming. First, warm your hands by rubbing them together briskly. Then place your softly cupped hands over your closed eyes, with the heel of each hand resting on your cheekbones.
The centre of each palm should lie directly over each eye, without actually touching the eyelid. Raise your elbows to shoulder level and rest them on the back of a chair or a stack of books in front of you in order to keep your neck and back straight while your shoulders are relaxed. As you palm for several minutes, feel the warmth and darkness soothe your eye muscles and your whole body.
Another quick way of draining excess tension and relaxing tight muscles is shaking. With your arms hanging loosely at your sides, begin by shaking your hands. Then let the vigorous vibrations move up to include your arms and then your shoulders. Feel both arms vibrate energetically and rapidly. Then let the shaking slowly subside and feel the tingling throughout your body. Next, begin loosely shaking one leg and then the other.
Another effective way of relaxing is through imagery. Find a comfortable place to sit or lay. Begin by attending to pleasant, restful images. Many people imagine a beautiful natural scene, a favourite poem or piece of music, a rippling brook, the rustle of the wind in the trees, the waves crashing in the ocean, a thunderstorm, and so on. Any of your own mental images will serve as mental relaxants. Just let your mind ride the waves of your images, welcoming the attitude of relaxation. Once you allow your mind to relax, your body will also relax.
Looking at distant objects also help eye taking rest. Simply by looking at a distant object we can provide rest to the eye. This is because by looking at a distant object you are keeping the eyes in the anatomical position of rest.
Alternate application of hot and cold compresses opens up small blood vessels and has a soothing effect on the eyes. Water splashes also refresh eyes. For a few seconds sprinkle cold water from a running tap onto closed eyes and feel its soothing affect.
FOLLOWING EYE CALISTHENICS WILL BE HELPFUL IN FIGHTING WITH EYE STRESS AND STRAIN:
MEDITATION: Begin breathing long and deeply and gently tuck your chin into your chest. Relax your shoulders down and back, resting your hands on your thighs or down by your side. Close your eyes and float your gaze to a point located between your eyebrows. Relaxing your eye lids, begin to breath long and deeply, allowing your eyes to stretch up to look at your third eye, your seat of intuition.
Take five or more long deep breaths.
EYE MOVES HORIZONTALLY: Begin breathing long and deeply and relax your shoulders. Inhale slowly looking to the far left and exhale slowly looking to the far right. Keep your head and shoulders still.
Do three full sets and then blink your eyes for ten seconds. Gently close your eyes and relax for three long deep breaths.
EYE MOVES VERTICALLY: Begin breathing long and deeply. Relax your shoulders, resting your hands on your thighs. Slowly inhale, stretching your eyeballs up to the sky and then exhale, looking down to the ground. Do not move your head and shoulders. Do three full sets and then blink your eyes for ten seconds. Gently close your eyes and relax for three long deep breaths.
EYE MOVES IN A CIRCLE: Sit very tall in your chair with both feet flat on the floor. Begin breathing long and deep. Do not move any body parts. Sitting in your stillness, begin to move only your eyes.
Roll your eyes in big circles clockwise for three long deep breaths.
Then roll your eyes counter clockwise for three long deep breaths. Blink your eyes rapidly for ten seconds. Gently close your eyes and relax for three long deep breaths.
FOR THOSE WORKING ON COMPUTER SCREEN FOR LONG HOURS, FOLLOWING SIMPLE STEPS MIGHT PROVE GREATLY HELPFUL:
TAKE BREAKS: The best way to prevent eyestrain is to not use them as much. With your eyes that may be difficult to do. Luckily your eyes use more than one set of muscles. That means you can relax one set while using another.
Shift your focus from near to far on a regular basis. Shift focus from up close to at least 20 feet away. If you are at your computer look out the window for a minute. If you are driving check your speedometer every so often.
REDUCE GLARE: Use non-reflective interfaces whenever possible. Like reading from paper instead of a computer screen. When you have to use a screen make sure it is at a 90 degree angle from any direct light source.
Use indirect or reflective lighting whenever possible. Try switching your monitor or TV to a flat screen technology. They are not as reflective. Use anti-glare technology. Use an anti-glare filter on monitors. Use anti-glare glasses when driving (especially at night) or working in general.
ADJUST CONTRAST: Ensure there is good contrast. More contrast makes edges more discernible so the eyes don't have to focus as much. Keep overall lighting levels at a moderate level so there is good contrast around you but glare does not become a problem. Use task lighting to aid eyesight at specific tasks. Adjust the contrast setting on monitors and screens to the best effect.
Use glasses or sunglasses with polarised lenses as they increase contrast and cut down on glare.
ADJUST COLOUR: Use full spectrum lighting. Lighting, like sunlight, that covers the visual spectrum makes things easier to see. Adjust the colour setting on monitors and screens. Some even allow you to adjust the colour temperature. Use a combination of florescent and incandescent lighting. Use full spectrum florescent bulbs.
Remember, if you want instant stress relief minus all the negative side effects, applying these simple methods would do miracles for you.
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