Eye Exercises for Astigmatism

If you have a refractive error, there’s a good chance it’s astigmatism. In fact, nearly one-third of Americans suffer from this condition. But before you run to the eye doctor for corrective surgery, you may want to think again. Doctors are performing fewer and fewer LASIK surgeries as the years go on, and for good reason. It has been proven that LASIK surgery can cause dry eye and other uncomfortable conditions. To avoid just trading one condition for another, seeking a more natural solution is key. Below, we break down three of the best eye exercises for astigmatism that can help you treat the condition more naturally. But first…

What Is Astigmatism?

Most people assume that their eyes are a perfect spherical shape. After all, any normal eye model in an optometrist’s office will feature a pretty perfectly round shape. However, if you’ve been diagnosed with astigmatism, this isn’t the case with your eyes. Normally, the front of your cornea curves to fit the surface of your eye. Astigmatism is when one area is flatter than the other. Of course, this impacts your vision – because as light tries to pass through the cornea to the retina, the uneven surface of your cornea misdirects it. This can cause blurry vision.

Blurry vision is probably the most common (and most annoying) symptom of astigmatism. Simple tasks like reading a book or being on the computer are a struggle with astigmatism. You may also notice other symptoms like eyestrain, headaches, and eye irritation.

If you’ve had a checkup with your eye doctor, they likely gave you three options for treating astigmatism: prescription glasses, contact lenses, or eye surgery. What they didn’t tell you was that there are natural ways you can treat your astigmatism that won’t cost a penny. This is where eye exercises and vision-boosting vitamins come in to help fix astigmatism.

Do Eye Exercises for Astigmatism Really Work?

Believe it or not, eye exercises can help you with your astigmatism. Eye muscles are like any other muscle in the body; if you don’t use them, you lose them. You may think you’re using your eye muscles every day just by going about your daily tasks, but the unfortunate reality is that you’re not. Many of us use our eyes to stare straight ahead at the computer screen for most of the day. Then, when we go home, we use the same muscles to stare straight ahead as we drive. Our eye muscles are capable of so much more, but most of us aren’t using them to their full potential.

If you suffer from astigmatism, it’s important to complete some eye-strengthening exercises as often as possible to help you get rid of the blurry vision. However, not all exercises are created equal. For example, there used to be a lot of hoopla about the Bates exercises for astigmatism. The Bates method is an alternative approach to improving vision, developed in the early twentieth century by ophthalmologist William H. Bates. Bates proposed that many vision issues, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, stem from chronic tension and strain on the eyes. He believed that through relaxation techniques and specific eye exercises, individuals could alleviate this tension, potentially restoring proper eye function and shape. Unfortunately, scientific research has not found any concrete evidence that his methods are effective.

For blurry vision caused by astigmatism, you need exercises that specifically help you strengthen focus, stop head tilting that leads to overcompensation in one eye, and get your peripheral vision back. Here are three astigmatism eye exercises you can do at home:

Exercise 1: Varying Focus Exercise

The first exercise to strengthen your eyes is to read. And, it’s one of the best astigmatism exercises! Sounds fun, right? Unfortunately, it’s just a tad bit more complex than picking up a good thriller and settling in for the evening. You need to read from varying distances to train different eye muscles. Here’s what to do:

1. Start in a safe, seated position without wearing any corrective lenses. Pick out your favorite book.
2. Read one page of text in your book. Next, avert your gaze to a different object that is a few feet away. It could be a plant, the couch, or art on the wall.
3. Switch back to the book you were reading and read another page of text.
4. Again, switch to the other object that is farther away and focus for 30 seconds before coming back to the text.
5. Continue focusing on near and far objects like this for a few minutes or until your eyes feel tired.

It’s important not to squint or strain your eyes while doing this exercise. If your eyes become sore and tired, take a break and try again later. Over time, you should find that you can continue for longer periods of time before your eyes become tired. This is proof that your eye muscles are getting stronger and your vision is improving.

Exercise 2: Check Your Head

People with astigmatism tend to tilt their heads in one direction or another to see. The cornea’s unevenness creates an inaccurate perception of what looking straight ahead is. One natural way to treat astigmatism is to be aware of your head tilting. If you’re tilting to one side, try tilting your head in the opposite direction. It will feel uncomfortable at first. This is because both your neck and eye muscles are used to compensating for your vision in one way, and you are forcing them to do the opposite.

It takes some time to get used to paying attention to the tilting. When something is so ingrained in our everyday habits, it’s normal not to notice it at all. Consider asking a friend or your family to point out when they notice you tilting your head to see. If you correct it each time you notice, you can retrain your body. Your eye muscles will learn to see straight ahead without tilting. It just takes a bit of time and patience.

Exercise 3: Fun with Paper

Who says exercising can’t be fun? If you want to try something a bit different and more gamified, here’s a good one for you! This astigmatism exercise will also strengthen your peripheral vision.

Get a piece of paper both long and wide enough to cover both your eyes. However, be careful that it doesn’t block your peripheral vision. You may want to use thick paper for this exercise so that you can’t see through it. Like all eye exercises, make sure you feel safe and comfortable. Follow these steps:

1. Start by removing any corrective lenses.
2. Using a piece of tape, attach the paper to your forehead just above the bridge of your nose. You want the paper to block your forward vision while allowing you to see from the corners of your eyes.
3. Next, raise one hand to the side of your eye where the paper ends.
4. Without moving your head, try to see each finger in your peripheral vision.
5. Now, move on to the other side and do the same.
6. Continue to do this for a few minutes or until your eyes get tired.

This exercise will strengthen the eye muscles that aid peripheral vision. So, if you struggle in these areas due to a lot of time spent on the computer, it’s important to keep practicing. It will get easier with time!

By doing one or all of these eye exercises every day, you can improve poor vision due to astigmatism. You don’t need to resort to eye surgery or surrender to a lifetime of eyeglasses. There are natural and easy ways to repair your vision yourself. Practice these eye exercises for astigmatism and take a daily eye vitamin. With a little time and effort, your vision will improve.