According to medical research, the most common causes of visual impairment are functional disorders, which in most cases can be overcome with simple and natural treatments, without surgery, glasses or contact lenses.
This article discusses the most effective ways to restore vision, which have been proven in the treatment of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other vision defects. The effectiveness and speed of the treatment directly depends on the complexity of the violation, its duration and the implementation of the prescriptions.
Ignoring advice and recommendations, straining the eyes due to excessive work, physical and mental stress, and improper nutrition can significantly slow down the progress of the treatment, and in some cases stop it completely. To avoid this, carefully follow all instructions during the entire course of treatment, as well as after its completion.
Causes of visual impairment
According to Dr. Bates' research, the main cause of visual impairment is psychological and physical overload, which leads to a disturbance in accommodation - seeing distant and near objects equally clearly.
Contrary to the prevailing stereotype, the focusing of vision occurs not only due to the change in the curvature of the lens, but also the shape of the eye itself, as a result of the action of the external muscles of the eyeball, which are responsible for the movement of the eye in all directions.
Due to the contraction of certain groups of eye muscles, the back wall of the eye approaches or moves away depending on whether we are focusing on a distant or near object. Thus, many visual impairments are nothing more than a violation of accommodation due to improper functioning of the external muscles of the eye.
In the case of short-sightedness (myopia), the eye has a permanently elongated shape, which does not allow focusing on distant objects, and in the case of far-sightedness (hypermetropia), on the contrary, the eyeball is compressed, which makes it impossible to see close objects clearly.
Vision correction using lenses worsens the situation, because it fixes the muscles in one position, violating the natural adaptation. As a result, muscle tension increases and the disease progresses.
Thus, glasses and contact lenses are the main cause of continuous visual impairment, which they aim to combat.
Exercises to restore vision
Using special techniques to relieve the tension of the eye muscles, combined with diet and improving the general health of the body, you can significantly improve vision and in some cases completely overcome many vision defects, including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
To achieve maximum results, the treatment must be consciously managed and all instructions must be carefully followed. The main task is to learn to release tension and achieve the desired level of relaxation of the eye muscles. Deep relaxation and relaxation are the keys to successful vision restoration.
Gymnastics for the eyes
Eye exercises are an essential step towards improving vision. The main task of eye exercises is to relieve tension and tone the eye muscles. This significantly speeds up the treatment process and returns to normal vision.
In the case of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, the eye exercise consists of four basic exercises, which must be performed in the most relaxed state. This is best done while sitting on a chair or couch.
- 1. Task. Move your eyes up and down 6 times in each direction as gently as possible and with minimal effort. Movements should be as slow and steady as possible. As you relax, your range of eye movements increases. Be as loose and relaxed as possible. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with 1-2 second breaks between repetitions.
- Exercise 2. Move your eyes smoothly from side to side 6 times in each direction. No tension. The main task is to relax overstretched muscles, not to increase tension, so eye movement requires minimal effort. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with 1-2 second intervals between sets. As you relax, increase the amplitude while maintaining relaxation and lightness.
- Exercise 3. Bring your index finger to your eye about 20 cm away, focus on it, then look at a large object 3 meters or more away. Then look back at your finger and focus again on a distant object. Move your eyes back and forth 10 times at a fairly fast pace. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times at 1-2 second intervals. This is one of the best accommodation practices as often as possible.
- Exercise 4. Move your eyes as gently and slowly as possible in a circle, first in one direction and then in the other. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times for 4 rounds in both directions, with a 1-2 second interval between cycles, with minimal effort.
Before each exercise, you should relax your eyes by covering them with your palms for a few seconds. If you wear glasses, they must be removed during exercise. If your eyes hurt during the process, stop the exercise and rest. Wash your face with cold water and do palm work.
Wellness exercises for the neck
Neck exercises are an essential step towards restoring vision. Due to the overload of the neck muscles, the nerves are affected and blood supply problems occur. Thus, in order for the treatment to be successful, it is absolutely necessary to rule out spinal disorders and achieve complete relaxation of the back muscles of the neck.
- 1. Task. Take a free standing position, arms relaxed and down. Raise your shoulders as high as possible, then pull them back as far as possible, then lower them and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 25 times using fairly quick circular motions with your shoulders.
- Exercise 2. Make circular movements in the same way, only in the opposite direction. Pull your shoulders back, then raise them as high as possible, lower them and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise continuously 25 times.
- Exercise 3. Lower your chin to your chest as far as possible, relax your neck, then gently raise your head and tilt it back as far as possible. Don't try too hard during the process. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
- Exercise 4. Gently lower your chin to your chest, then turn your head to the left, tilt back, turn to the right and return to the starting position. All movements should be slow, steady and of the greatest possible amplitude, but without tension.
- Exercise 5. Slowly turn your head to the right, return to the starting position, and then turn your head to the left. The turns should be slow, tension-free and of maximum amplitude. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Regular exercise helps to relax the muscles of the neck and upper back, improves the flow of blood and nerve energy in the head, normalizes high and low blood pressure, and also has a positive effect on vision and general well-being. Neck exercises are best in the morning or in the morning and evening, and if necessary throughout the day.
Exercises to relieve eye strain
For vision improvement to be successful, the eyes must be given complete, consciously assured rest every day, lasting 30-60 minutes, so that all the muscles and tissues surrounding the eyes relax. There are special exercises for this:
Covering the eyes with the palms (palming) is one of the simplest and most effective vision-improving exercises that can be performed almost anywhere and at any time. The technique for performing the exercise is as follows:
- Sit in a comfortable position on a chair, armchair or couch to feel free and comfortable. Relax as much as possible.
- Close your eyes and cover them with your palms so that the center of the right and left palms are facing the right and left eyes, respectively, and the fingers are crossed over the forehead. Relieve eye pressure.
- Get into a comfortable position with your elbows resting on your knees or on a table. Eyes should remain closed and covered with palms.
- Relax as much as possible, do not keep your thoughts on something important or serious, think about the good and the positive. Try to see as many blacks as possible. The more black in front of the eyes, the more relaxation and rest they experience.
Schematically it will look like this:
To achieve a good effect, cover the eyes with your palms at least 2-3 times a day, for at least 10-20 minutes. We recommend doing the exercises while working, when your eyes are tired.
Swinging to the side is a very effective exercise for releasing and relaxing eye tension. To perform it, stand up straight, with your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your arms along your body. Keeping yourself relaxed and calm, start rocking slightly from side to side.
During the movement, you can imagine yourself as a pendulum and make the same measured and slow movement. The trunk should remain straight and the legs should not bend. If necessary, you can raise your heels slightly without taking your feet off the floor.
The swing is best placed next to the window. At the same time, the eyes should be relaxed and look without tension at the objects outside the window that "swayed" with you. After a minute, close your eyes and imagine the "movement" of the window as clearly as possible. After a minute, open the window again. your eyes and continue the movement, then repeat the exercise.
Swinging should be done at least 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. When performed correctly, it effectively relieves eye tension and has a very beneficial effect on the condition of the eyes and the nervous system as a whole. It goes without saying that if you wear glasses or contact lenses, they should be removed before doing the exercise.
Blinking is a very simple and effective exercise to relieve eye fatigue. Unfortunately, in many visually impaired people, the natural process of blinking is disturbed: they blink less often, their eyes are less mobile, and the blinking itself occurs spasmodically, tensely and irregularly.
In order to improve vision and the condition of the eyes in general, it is necessary to develop the habit of frequent, regular and relaxed blinking, thereby preventing tension. We recommend that you blink at least 1-2 times every 10 seconds without any effort, regardless of the situation.
Sunlight is very important in the treatment of vision impairment and every patient should make the most of it. However, you should use it carefully so as not to harm yourself. To do this, follow the main rule - never look at the sun with unprotected eyes, so as not to damage the retina.
There are many ways to restore vision with sunlight. The easiest and most effective is to face the sun, close your eyes and slowly turn your head from side to side so that the rays fall evenly on your eyes. We recommend doing this exercise 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes. For safety reasons, this is best done in the morning and evening.
You can also rock from side to side facing the sun. With eyes closed, of course. Such sunbathing improves the blood circulation of the eyes, relaxes the muscles and nerves.
In addition, the following exercises are very beneficial for improving vision:
- Cross the four folded fingers of one hand and place them perpendicular to the other four.
- Place your palms over your eyes so that one palm covers one eye and the other creates a point where the thin rays of the sun pass into the other eye.
- Run a small beam of light through your fingers and see. Adjust the thickness of the beam so that viewing the sunlight is pleasant and does not cause discomfort.
- After 1-2 minutes, switch hands to look at the sun through the other eye.
He looks very carefully at the sun through the hole between his fingers! Failure to observe the safety precautions can damage the retina of the eye!
Cold water is an effective remedy to quickly release tension and improve the tone of the eyes and the surrounding muscles and tissues. To do this, close your eyes while washing and do not splash too much water into them. Repeat the procedure 10-20 times, then carefully wipe your closed eyes with a towel.
Repeat the process every time your eyes are tired, but at least three times a day. However, note that the water should be cold, not cool.
Training memory and imagination is an important step towards good vision. This is very easy to check - we recognize familiar objects much faster than unfamiliar ones, since memory and imagination help us. Therefore, they must be developed in order for vision restoration to be successful.
You can use the following exercise to train your memory and imagination. Carefully consider each small object, its size and shape. Then close your eyes and try to remember everything in great detail. Repeat the exercise.
The above exercise should be done for 5 minutes or more, of course without glasses and contact lenses. Words or letters from books can also be used as objects. Regular exercise contributes to a significant improvement in vision over time.
Central fixation is a basic practice that allows you to see better the objects on which you focus your attention. Unfortunately, visually impaired people are often deprived of this opportunity. Due to the constant strain, they see better with peripheral vision than with central vision.
Use the following exercise to restore your central vision. Open the book and focus all your attention on one line. Then highlight the word in the middle of the line and focus on it. After that, close your eyes and imagine seeing this word as clearly and distinctly as possible, and imagine all the surrounding words as blurred as possible.
Open your eyes again and repeat the exercise. Do the central fixation for 5 minutes, each time imagining the central word more clearly and the surrounding words as blurred as you like.
As your vision improves, switch to shorter words until you can practice on two-letter words, focusing on one letter. The second letter will be obscured. In this case, we can consider that the central fixation is almost achieved.
Reading – Contrary to popular stereotypes and misconceptions, reading is one of the best ways to exercise your eyes and keep them active and healthy. Of course, this only applies to cases where the reading is done without tension. Otherwise, poor vision will only get worse.
In order to improve vision, you should read without straining. To do this, take a comfortable sitting position, cover your eyes with your hands and relax as much as possible. After a few minutes, take out the book and start reading, keep it at the most comfortable reading distance and remember to blink while reading. As soon as the first signs of fatigue appear, rest your eyes. Close them for a few seconds and, if necessary, cover your eyes with your palm(s).
As your vision improves, gradually change the distance from the book. In case of nearsightedness, the distance should be increased, in case of farsightedness, it should be reduced. If you are currently very nearsighted, you can start reading with one eye, giving preference to the lower-sighted eye. As your vision improves, you can start reading with both eyes.
In the beginning, the duration of the reading may be only a few minutes. However, one should not despair. Over time, if you learn the skills of relaxation and relaxation, you will be able to read for longer periods of time without any effort or tension.
Proper nutrition and diet to improve vision
Poor nutrition is a common cause of vision loss with age. In many cases, following a diet alone can significantly improve vision, and combined with special exercises can completely restore it.
It is impossible to create a universal diet that suits everyone, so the following are general recommendations for creating the right diet:
- Eat only natural foods.
- Eat more vegetables, fruits and greens (according to the season).
- Cook food as little as possible and only when necessary.
- It excludes artificial and concentrated foods, semi-finished products and canned goods.
- Minimize or even better completely avoid fried, smoked, fatty, sweet and salty foods.
- Avoid alcohol and carbonated drinks.
- Minimize the consumption of tea, coffee and sugary drinks.
- Eat animal products such as meat in moderation.
- Start your morning with a light breakfast. Fruit and milk are best for this.
- Eat small portions, but often. Optimally 5-6 times a day.
- Every meal should include foods rich in fiber (see point 2).
- Have dinner no later than 2 hours before going to bed.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that it is necessary to minimize, and it is better to completely abandon all the consumption that is so diligently promoted with the help of the media. Food should be treated as a necessity, not as a means to satisfy our tastes and whims. If you change your relationship with food, your health will also change.