Sharper eyesight without glasses

To transform a weak body into a muscular one, you must exercise faithfully. If you find that you keep replacing your old glasses with stronger ones, perhaps you should give your eyes a workout as well .

Just as you can develop your physical fitness, says Dr. Robert-Michael Kaplan, author of Seeing Without Glasses, you can also improve the fitness of your eyes--the way they work together, their stamina, and their interaction with your brain.

Vision tends to weaken with age, but Kaplan believes you can take action to slow the decline. Your eye muscles can be exercised, he says.  The nerve connection from the brain to your eyes can be stimulated.  Blood flow to your eyes can be increased. 

You don't need a gym for these vision-training exercises.  You can do them wherever you are.

THINK TO BLINK.  The simple act of blinking moistens your eyes, stretches your eye muscles, massages your eyeballs, and forces your pupils to dilate and contract.  But if you are like most people, you probable don't blink nearly as often as you should--especially when reading, driving, watching television, or working
at the computer.  Kaplan recommends blinking every three seconds.

PRACTICE EYE AEROBICS.  Six muscles connect to each of your eyeballs and help them move up and down, side to side, and inward and outward.  Here's an exercise that can strengthen them and improve the coordination of your eyes.     

Sit with your feet firmly on the floor, hands in your lap or supported on the arms of your chair.  With your eyes open or closed, face forward, take a few deep breaths, and relax your neck and shoulders.

Stretch your eyes upward as high as they will comfortably go while you breathe in.  Hold your breath for a few moments, and then stretch your eyes downward as low as you can without straining as you breathe out.  Do this three times.

Next, stretch your eyes sideways to the right, then up to the right.  Then stretch down to the left, up to the left, and down to the right .  Remember to stay relaxed as you repeat these exercises.

REST UNDER THE PALMS,  After doing the stretching exercises, make sure you cool down just as you would after any workout.

First, warm your palms by rubbing them vigorously together. Lace your fingers together over your forehead whth your palms cupped over your eyes, shutting out the light.  Rest your eyes in the warm darkness for a few minutes while taking 20 to 50 breaths.

When you remove your palms, says Kaplan, you'll observe that colors are much brighter, you'll see more contrast, and you'll enjoy a wonderful relaxed feeling in your eyes and brow muscles. 

This technique, called palming, is also a good way to take a break from watching television or using the computer.