According to medical research, the most common cause of visual impairment is functional impairment, which in most cases can be overcome with simple and natural treatment, without the need for surgery, glasses or contact lenses.
This article will discuss the most effective ways to restore vision, which have proven themselves in the treatment of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other vision defects. The effectiveness and speed of treatment directly depends on the complexity of the violation, its duration and the implementation of the prescription.
Ignoring advice and recommendations, eye strain due to excessive work, physical and mental stress, as well as improper nutrition can significantly delay the progress of treatment, and in some cases stop it completely. To prevent this from happening, you should carefully follow all instructions during the entire treatment, and also after it is finished.
Causes of visual impairment
According to the research of Dr. Bates, the main cause of visual impairment is excessive psychological and physical stress, which leads to disturbances in accommodation - the ability to simultaneously see distant and near objects.
Contrary to prevailing stereotypes, focus of vision occurs not only due to changes in the curvature of the lens, but also due to changes in the shape of the eye itself, due to the action of the outer 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 moves closer or farther, depending on whether you are focusing on a distant or near object. Therefore, many visual defects are nothing more than the result of a violation of accommodation due to improper function of the extraocular muscles.
In the case of nearsightedness (myopia), the eye has a constantly elongated shape, which does not allow focus on distant objects, and in the case of nearsightedness (hypermetropia), on the contrary, the eyeball has a compressed shape, thus not allowing you to see objects close toclear
Vision correction with the help of lenses worsens the situation, because it fixes the muscles in one position, violating the natural accommodation. As a result, muscle tension increases and the disease progresses.
Therefore, glasses and contact lenses are the main cause of continuous visual impairment, which aims to combat.
Exercises to restore vision
Using special techniques to relieve tension from the eye muscles in combination with diet and improving the general health of the body, a person can significantly improve vision, and in some cases completely overcome many visual defects, including myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
To achieve maximum results, it is necessary to be careful with the treatment and carefully follow all instructions. The main task is to learn how to relieve tension and achieve the desired level of eye muscle relaxation. Deep relaxation and relaxation are the keys to successful vision restoration.
Gymnastics for the eyes
Gymnastics for the eyes is an important step towards improving vision. The main task of eye exercises is to relieve tension from the eye muscles and bring them into tone. This will significantly speed up the treatment process and return to normal vision.
Gymnastics for eyes with myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism consists of four basic exercises that must be performed in the most relaxed state. This is best done while sitting in a chair or sofa.
- Exercise #1. As gently as possible and with minimal effort, move your eyes up and down 6 times in each direction. Movement should be as slow and even as possible. As you relax, the range of motion of the eyes will increase. Keep it as relaxed and casual as possible. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with a 1-2 second pause 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 stressed muscles, not to increase tension, so eye movements require minimal effort. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with an interval of 1-2 seconds between sets. As you relax, increase the amplitude, while maintaining relaxation and relaxation.
- Exercise #3. Bring your index finger to your eye at a distance of about 20 cm, focus on it, and then look at a large object that is 3 meters or more away. Then look back at your finger, then refocus on a distant object. Move your eyes back and forth 10 times at a relatively fast pace. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with an interval of 1-2 seconds. This is one of the best stay exercises to do as often as you can.
- 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 circles in each direction with an interval of 1-2 seconds between cycles, while using minimal effort.
Before each exercise, you need to rest your eyes by covering them with your palms for a few seconds. If you wear glasses, they should be removed during exercise. If your eyes hurt during the process, stop the exercise and rest. Wash your face with cold water and do the palms.
Health exercises for the neck
Gymnastics for the neck is an important step towards restoring vision. Due to too many neck muscles, nerves are affected and there are problems with blood supply. Therefore, for successful treatment, it is important to exclude disorders in the spinal system and achieve complete relaxation of the back muscles of the neck.
- Exercise #1. Take a free standing position, arms relaxed and lowered down. Raise your shoulders as high as possible, then pull them back as far as possible, then lower them back down and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 25 times, making fairly quick circular movements with your shoulders.
- Exercise #2. Do circular movements in the same way, only in the opposite direction. Pull your shoulders back, then lift as high as possible, lower back down and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise continuously 25 times.
- Exercise #3. Lower your chin to your chest as low as possible, relax your neck as much as possible, then slowly lift your head and tilt it back as far as possible. Do not strain during the process. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
- Exercise #4. Slowly lower your chin to your chest, then turn your head to the left, lean back, turn to the right and return to the starting position. All movements should be slow, uniform and with the maximum possible amplitude, but without tension.
- Exercise #5. Slowly turn your head to the right, return to the starting position, then turn your head to the left. The rotation should be slow, without tension and with maximum amplitude. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Regular exercise helps relax neck and upper back muscles, increases blood flow and nerve energy to the head, normalizes high and low blood pressure, and also has a positive effect on vision and general well-being. Gymnastics for the neck is best done in the morning or in the morning and evening, as well as throughout the day, if necessary.
Exercise relieves eye strain
To be successful in improving vision, the eyes need to be given full rest, consciously prepared every day, lasting for 30-60 minutes to rest all the muscles and tissues around the eyes. For this, there are special exercises:
Closing the eyes with the palm of the hand (palming) is one of the simplest and most effective exercises to correct vision, which can be done almost anywhere and anytime. The technique for doing the exercise is as follows:
- Sit in a comfortable position in a chair, armchair or sofa to feel free and comfortable. Relax as much as possible.
- Close your eyes and cover them with your palms so that the middle of the right and left palms are opposite the right and left eyes respectively, and the fingers are crossed on the forehead. Eliminate any pressure on the eyes.
- Get into a comfortable position with your elbows resting on your knees or on the table. Eyes should be closed and covered with palms.
- Relax as much as possible, don't think about anything important or serious, think good and positive. Try to see as much black as possible. The blacker in front of the eyes, the more relaxation and rest they experience.
Schematically it will look like this:
To achieve a good effect, covering the eyes with the palms of the hands must be done at least 2-3 times a day for 10-20 minutes at least. It is also recommended to do exercise between work when your eyes are tired.
Swinging sideways is a very effective exercise to relieve eye strain and relax. To perform it, stand upright, feet shoulder-width apart, arms lowered along the body. Keeping yourself relaxed and comfortable, start rocking slightly from side to side.
In the process of movement, you can imagine yourself as a pendulum and move in the same measured and slow way. The body should remain straight and the legs should not be bent. If necessary, you can raise your heels a little without removing your feet from the floor.
It is best to do the swing while standing by the window. At the same time, the eyes should relax and look without tension at the object outside the window, "swaying" with you. After a minute, close your eyes and imagine the "movement" of the window as clearly as possible. After a minute, open your eyes again and continue moving, then repeat the exercise again.
Swinging should be done at least 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. When done correctly, it effectively relieves pressure from the eyes, and also has an excellent 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 must be removed before doing this exercise.
Blinking is a very simple and effective eye strain relief exercise. Unfortunately, in most people with vision problems, the natural process of blinking is disturbed: they blink less often, their eyes become less mobile, and the blinking process itself occurs spasmodically, with tension and infrequently.
To improve vision and eye condition in general, it is necessary to develop the habit of blinking frequently, frequently and in a relaxed manner, thus avoiding strain. It is recommended to blink at least 1-2 times every 10 seconds without any effort, regardless of the situation.
Sunlight is very important in the treatment of visual impairment and should be used to the maximum by all patients. However, it should be used with caution 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 into your eyes. It is recommended to do this exercise 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes. For safety reasons, it is best to do this in the morning and evening.
You can also rock from side to side while facing the sun. Of course, with your eyes closed. Such sunbathing improves blood circulation in the eyes, relaxes muscles and nerves.
In addition, the following exercises are excellent 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 for a thin ray of sunlight to enter the other eye.
- Send a small beam of light through your finger and see. Adjust the thickness of the beam so that the reflection of sunlight is pleasant and does not cause discomfort.
- After 1-2 minutes, switch hands to look at the sun with the other eye.
Watching the sun through the hole between your fingers is very careful! Failure to comply with safety measures can damage the retina of the eye!
Cold water is an effective remedy to quickly relieve tension and improve the tone of the eyes, as well as the muscles and tissues around them. To do this, while washing, close your eyes and do not splash water into them too much. Repeat the procedure 10-20 times, then gently wipe your closed eyes with a towel.
Repeat the procedure every time your eyes are tired, but at least 3 times a day. At the same time, note that the water should be cool, not cold.
Training memory and imagination is an important step towards good vision. It is easy to confirm this - we recognize familiar objects faster than unfamiliar ones, because memory and imagination help us. Therefore, they must be developed in order for vision restoration to be successful.
To train your memory and imagination, you can use the following exercises. Carefully consider any small object, its size and shape. Then close your eyes and try to remember everything in detail. Repeat the exercise.
The above exercise should be done for 5 minutes or more, of course, without glasses or contact lenses. Words or letters from books can also be used as objects. Regular exercise contributes to a significant improvement in vision over time.
Centering is a basic exercise that allows you to better see the object on which you focus your attention. Unfortunately, visually impaired people often miss out on this opportunity. Due to constant fatigue, they see better with peripheral vision than central vision.
To restore central vision, use the following exercises. Open the book and focus your attention on a few lines. Next, highlight the word in the middle of the line and focus on it. After that, close your eyes and imagine that you see this word as clear and as clear as possible, and imagine all the words around as blurred as possible.
Open your eyes again and repeat the exercise. Do the center fixation for 5 minutes, each time imagining the center word more clearly and all the words around it as blurred as you like.
As your vision improves, move on to shorter words until you can practice on two-letter words, focusing on one letter. The second letter will be blurred. In this case, we can assume that 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 occurs without tension. Otherwise, poor vision will only get worse.
To improve vision, it is necessary to read without tension. To do this, take a comfortable sitting position, close your eyes with your hands and relax as much as possible. After a few minutes, pick up the book and start reading, holding it at the most comfortable reading distance, remembering to blink while reading. As soon as the first signs of fatigue appear, rest your eyes. Close it for a few seconds, and if necessary, cover your eyes with the palms of your hands (palming).
As your vision improves, gradually change the distance to the book. In the case of myopia, the distance must be increased, and in the case of farsightedness, it must be reduced. If at this time you have very strong myopia, then you can start reading with one eye, giving priority to the eye that sees worse. As vision improves, you can start reading with both eyes.
At first, the reading period can be only a few minutes. However, you should not despair. Over time, by mastering relaxation and relaxation skills, you will be able to read longer without any effort or strain.
Proper nutrition and diet to improve eyesight
Improper nutrition is a common cause of vision impairment with age. In many cases, following a diet alone can significantly improve vision, and in combination with special exercises, restore it completely.
It is impossible to create a universal diet that suits everyone, so here are general recommendations for creating the right diet:
- Eat only natural foods.
- Eat more vegetables, fruits and vegetables (according to the season).
- Cook as little food as possible and only when necessary.
- Exclude artificial and concentrated foods, semi-finished products and canned foods.
- Reduce, or even better, completely leave fried, smoked, fatty, sweet and salty foods.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and carbonated drinks.
- Reduce the intake 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, but frequent meals. Optimally up to 5-6 times a day.
- Each meal should contain foods rich in fiber (see point 2).
- Dinner no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
In conclusion, it should be noted that it is necessary to minimize, and it is better to completely abandon the use of everything that is diligently promoted with the help of the media. Food should be considered a necessity, not a means to satisfy our tastes and desires. By changing your relationship with food, you will change your health.