According to medical research, the most common cause of vision impairment is functional impairment, which in most cases can be overcome with simple and natural treatments without the need for surgery, glasses or contact lenses.
This article will discuss the most effective ways to restore vision, which have been demonstrated in the treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and other visual defects. The effectiveness and speed of treatment is directly dependent on the complexity of the violation, its duration and the execution of the prescription.
Ignoring advice and recommendations, eye strain from overwork, physical and mental stress, and poor nutrition can significantly slow the progress of treatment, and in some cases stop it entirely. To prevent this from happening, you should follow all instructions carefully throughout and after your treatment.
Causes of Visual Impairment
According to Dr. Bates' research, the main cause of visual impairment is mental and physical overwork, which can lead to adaptation impairment - the ability to see distant and near objects with equal clarity.
Contrary to popular stereotypes, visual focus is due not only to changes in the curvature of the lens, but also to changes in the shape of the eye itself caused by the action of muscles outside the eyeball. Responsible for eye movement in all directions.
Due to the contraction of certain eye muscle groups, the back wall of the eye moves in or out, depending on whether you are focusing on distant or near objects. Therefore, many visual impairments are simply the result of impaired accommodation due to dysfunctional muscles outside the eye.
In nearsightedness (nearsightedness) the eye has an ever-elongating shape that doesn't allow focusing on distant objects, while in farsightedness (farsightedness) the eyeball has a compressed shape so it doesn't allow you to see clearlyto nearby objects.
Correcting vision with the help of lenses can make the situation worse because it holds the muscles in one position, violating natural accommodation. As a result, muscle tone increases and the disease progresses.
Therefore, glasses and contact lenses are the main cause of persistent deterioration of vision, and they are designed to combat this condition.
exercises to restore vision
Using special techniques to relieve eye muscle tension, combined with diet and general physical health improvements, can significantly improve vision and, in some cases, completely overcome many visual defects, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
For maximum effect, it is necessary to pay attention to the treatment and follow all instructions carefully. 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 recovery.
eye gymnastics
Eye gymnastics is an important step in improving vision. The main task of eye exercises is to relieve tension in the eye muscles and make them tense. This will significantly speed up the treatment process and restore normal vision.
Gymnastics for myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism consists of four basic exercises that must be performed in the most relaxed state. Best done while sitting on a chair or sofa.
- Exercise #1. Move your eyes up and down 6 times in each direction as easily as possible. Movements should be as slow and evenly spaced as possible. When you relax, the range of eye movements increases. Stay as relaxed and relaxed as possible. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times, pausing 1-2 seconds between repetitions.
- Exercise #2. Move the eye smoothly from side to side 6 times in each direction. No tension. The main task is to relax over-tense muscles, not to increase tension, so eye movements require minimal effort. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with 1-2 seconds between sets. As you relax, increase the magnitude while remaining relaxed and relaxed.
- Exercise #3. Put your index finger about 20 cm away from your eyes, focus, and look at large objects 3 meters or more away. Then look back at your fingers before focusing on the distant object. Move your eyes back and forth 10 times at a fairly fast pace. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with 1-2 second intervals. This is one of the best accommodation exercises to do as much as possible.
- Exercise #4. Roll your eyes in a circle as gently and slowly as possible, first in one direction and then in the other. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times, 4 circles in each direction, with 1-2 seconds between loops, while applying minimal effort.
Before each workout, you need to relax your eyes by covering them with your palms for a few seconds. If you wear glasses, you should take them off when exercising. If your eye hurts during this process, stop exercising and rest. Wash your face with cold water and do your palms.
neck health exercise
Neck gymnastics is an important step in restoring vision. As the neck muscles are overworked, the nerves are affected and there is a problem with the blood supply. Therefore, for the treatment to be successful, it is necessary to exclude disorders of the spinal system and achieve complete relaxation of the muscles of the back of the neck.
- Exercise #1. Take a free standing position with arms relaxed and down. Raise your shoulders as high as you can, then pull back as far as you can, then lower and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 25 times, doing fairly quick circular motions with your shoulders.
- Exercise #2. Do a circular motion in the same way, but in the opposite direction. Pull your shoulders back, then lift as high as you can, lower and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 25 times in a row.
- Exercise #3. Lower the chin to the chest as much as possible, relax the neck as much as possible, then lift the head slightly and lean back as far as possible. Don't try hard during this process. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
- Exercise #4. Gently 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, even, and have the greatest possible amplitude, but no tension.
- Exercise #5. Slowly turn your head to the right to return to the starting position, then turn your head to the left. Turns should be slow, no tension, and maximum amplitude. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Regular exercise helps relax the muscles in the neck and upper back, improves blood and nerve energy flow to the head, normalizes high and low blood pressure, and positively affects vision and overall health. Neck gymnastics are best done in the morning or in the evening, and can be done throughout the day if necessary.
Eye fatigue relief exercises
To successfully improve vision, you need to consciously rest your eyes well for 30-60 minutes each day to relax all the muscles and tissues around your eyes. For this, there are dedicated exercises:
Covering the eyes with the palm of the hand (palm) is one of the easiest and most effective exercises for correcting vision and can be performed almost anywhere, anytime. The technique for performing this exercise is as follows:
- Sit back in a chair, armchair or sofa in a comfortable position and feel free and comfortable. Relax as much as possible.
- Close your eyes and cover your eyes with your palms, so that the middle of your left and right palms is opposite your left and right eyes, and your fingers are crossed on your forehead. Remove any stress on the eyes.
- Rest your elbows on your knees or on a table in a comfortable position. Eyes should be kept closed and covered with palms.
- Try to relax, don't put your thoughts on important or serious things, think more of the good and positive. Try to see as much black as possible. The darker the eyes, the more relaxation and rest they experience.
Schematically, it would look like this:
For good results, it is necessary to cover the eyes with the palm of the hand at least 2-3 times a day for at least 10-20 minutes each time. It is also recommended that you exercise between work when your eyes are tired.
Swinging to the sides is a very effective movement to relieve tension and relaxation in the eyes. To perform it, stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms down your body. Keep yourself relaxed and comfortable and start rocking from side to side.
In the process of exercising, you can imagine yourself as a pendulum, moving in an equally measured and slow manner. The torso should remain straight and the legs should not be bent. If necessary, you can raise your heels slightly without taking your feet off the floor.
It's best to stand by the window and swing. At the same time, the eyes should be relaxed, and the object outside the window should not be tense and "swing" with you. After a minute, close your eyes and visualize the "movement" of the window as clearly as possible. After a minute, open your eyes again and keep moving, then repeat the exercise again.
Swing at least 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. When done correctly, it can effectively relieve stress on the eyes and has a very beneficial effect on the condition of the eyes and the entire nervous system. Needless to say, if you wear glasses or contact lenses, you must remove them before doing this exercise.
Blinking is a very simple and effective eye fatigue relief exercise. Unfortunately, in many people with visual impairments, the natural process of blinking is disturbed: they blink less frequently, their eyes become less mobile, and the blinking process itself becomes jerky, nervous and irregular.
In order to improve vision and the general condition of the eyes, it is necessary to develop the habit of relaxing and blinking frequently and regularly to prevent tension. Effortlessly blinking at least 1-2 times every 10 seconds is recommended, regardless of the situation.
Sunlight is very important in the treatment of visual impairment, and all patients should make the most of it. However, it's worth using it carefully so as not to hurt yourself. To do this, follow the main rule - never look at the sun with an unprotected eye to avoid damage to the retina.
There are many ways to restore vision through 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 light falls evenly on your eyes. It is recommended to do it 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes each time. To be on the safe side, it's best to do it in the morning and evening.
You can also rock side to side while facing the sun. Close your eyes, of course. This sunbathing improves blood circulation to the eyes and relaxes muscles and nerves.
In addition, the following exercises are very beneficial for improving vision:
- Interlace the four folded fingers of one hand and place them vertically on the other four fingers.
- Place your palms over your eyes so that one palm covers one eye and the other palm creates a point where the faint sun's rays enter the other eye.
- Pass a small light through your finger and observe it. Adjust the thickness of the beam so that contemplation of the sun is pleasant and does not cause discomfort.
- After 1-2 minutes, switch hands and look at the sun with the other eye.
Be very careful looking at the sun through the hole between your fingers! Failure to observe safety precautions can damage the retina of the eye!
Cold water is an effective remedy for quickly relieving tension and improving the tone of the eyes and surrounding muscles and tissues. To do this, when washing, keep your eyes closed and don't splash too much water on your eyes. Repeat the process 10-20 times, then gently wipe your closed eyes with a towel.
Repeat this process every time your eyes get tired, but at least 3 times a day. Also note that the water should be cool, not cold.
Training memory and imagination is an important step towards good vision. It's easy to verify this - we recognize familiar objects much faster than unfamiliar ones because memory and imagination help us. Therefore, they must be developed for vision restoration to be successful.
To train your memory and imagination, you can use the following exercises. Think carefully about any small object, its size and shape. Then close your eyes and try to remember everything in great detail. Repeat the exercise.
The above exercises should be performed for 5 minutes or more, of course, without glasses or contact lenses. Words or letters in a book can also be used as objects. Regular exercise can help improve vision significantly over time.
Central gaze is a basic exercise that allows you to better see the object you are focusing on. Unfortunately, people with visual impairments are often denied this opportunity. Often overworked, they see better with peripheral vision than with central vision.
To restore central vision, use the following exercises. Open the book and focus all your attention on one line. Next, highlight the word in the center of the line and focus on it. Afterwards, close your eyes and imagine yourself seeing the word as clearly and clearly as possible, and blurring all the words around you as much as possible.
Open your eyes again and repeat the exercise. Focus on the center for 5 minutes, each time imagining the center word more and more clearly, and all the surrounding words are blurred as you like.
As your eyesight improves, keep using shorter words until you can practice with two-letter words, focusing on one letter. The second letter will be blurry. In this case, we can consider that center fixation is almost possible.
Reading - Contrary to popular stereotypes and misconceptions, reading is one of the best ways to train your eyes and keep them active and healthy. Of course, this only applies when reading is not stressful. Otherwise, poor vision will only get worse.
To improve eyesight, it is necessary to read without tension. To do this, sit in a comfortable position, cover your eyes with your hands, and be as relaxed as possible. After a few minutes, pick up the book and start reading, holding it at the most comfortable reading distance, remembering to blink as you read. Give your eyes a break at the first signs of fatigue. Turn them off for a few seconds and, if necessary, cover your eyes with your palms (palms).
As your eyesight improves, gradually change the distance from the book. In the case of nearsightedness, the distance must be increased, and in the case of farsightedness, the distance must be decreased. If you are very nearsighted at the moment, then you can start reading with one eye, giving priority to the eye that sees worse. As your vision improves, you can start reading with both eyes.
Initially, the duration of the reading may be only a few minutes. However, you shouldn't despair. Over time, by mastering relaxation and relaxation techniques, you will be able to read for longer periods of time without any effort or tension.
Proper nutrition and diet to improve vision
Malnutrition is a common cause of vision impairment with age. In many cases, diet alone can significantly improve vision, combined with specific exercise to fully restore vision.
It is impossible to create a one-size-fits-all diet for everyone, so here are some general suggestions for creating the right one:
- Eat only natural foods.
- Eat more vegetables, fruits and vegetables (depending on the season).
- Cook food as little as possible and only when necessary.
- Artificial and concentrated foods, semi-finished products and canned foods are excluded.
- Minimize, or better yet, give up fried, smoked, fatty, sweet and salty foods entirely.
- Avoid alcohol and carbonated beverages.
- Minimize your intake of tea, coffee, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Eat animal products, such as meat, in moderation.
- Start your day with a light breakfast. Fruit and milk are best for this.
- Eat small, frequent meals, but often. Up to 5-6 times a day.
- Fiber-rich foods should be included at every meal (see point 2).
- Eat dinner no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that all consumption that is so hard to promote with the help of the media must be minimized, preferably completely abandoned. Food should be seen as a necessity, not a means to satisfy our tastes and whims. By changing your relationship with food, you will change your health.