According to medical research, the most frequent causes of visual impairment are functional disorders, which in most cases can be overcome with simple and natural treatments, without the need for surgical intervention, glasses or contact lenses.
This article will discuss the most effective ways to restore vision, which have proven themselves in the treatment of myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism and other visual defects. The effectiveness and speed of treatment directly depends on the complexity of the violation, its duration and the application of prescriptions.
Neglecting advice and recommendations, eye fatigue from overwork, physical and mental stress, as well as improper nutrition can significantly slow down progress in treatment, and in some cases stop it completely. To prevent this from happening, you must carefully follow all instructions during the entire course of treatment, as well as after its completion.
Causes of visual impairment
According to the research of Dr. Bates, the main cause of visual impairment is psychological and physical overload, which leads to disturbances in accommodation - the ability to see distant and close objects equally.
Contrary to the prevailing stereotype, the focus of vision occurs not only due to a change in the curvature of the lens, but also due to a change in the shape of the eye itself, due to the action of the external muscles of the eyeball, which areresponsible for moving the eyes in all directions.
Due to the contraction of certain groups of eye muscles, the back wall of the eye moves closer or farther apart, depending on whether you are focusing on a distant or near object. Thus, many visual impairments are nothing more than the result of a violation of accommodation due to improper functioning of the external muscles of the eye.
In the case of myopia, the eye has a constantly elongated shape, which does not allow focusing on distant objects, and in the case of farsightedness (hypermetropia), on the contrary, the eyeball has a compressed shape, thus not allowing. to see nearby objects clearly.
Vision correction with the help of lenses worsens the situation even more, as it fixes the muscles in one position, violating the natural accommodation. As a result, muscle tension increases and the disease progresses.
Thus, glasses and contact lenses are the main cause of the continuous deterioration of vision, which they are intended to combat.
Exercises to restore vision
By using special techniques to relieve tension from the eye muscles in combination with diet and general improvement of the body's health, vision can be significantly improved, and in some cases many visual defects, including myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism, can be completely overcome. .
To achieve the maximum result, it is necessary to be aware of the treatment and carefully follow all the instructions. The main task is to learn how to relieve tension and achieve the desired level of eye muscle relaxation. Relaxation and deep relaxation is the key to successful vision recovery.
Gymnastics for the eyes
Eye gymnastics is an essential 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, hypermetropia and astigmatism consists of four basic exercises to be performed in the most relaxed state. This is best done while sitting on a chair or sofa.
- Exercise number 1. As gently as possible and with minimal effort, move your eyes up and down 6 times in each direction. The movements should be as slow and equal as possible. As you relax, the range of eye movements will increase. Keep it as relaxed and laid back as possible. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with 1-2 second pauses between repetitions.
- Exercise number 2. Gently move your eyes from side to side 6 times in each direction. No tension. The main task is to relax overworked muscles, not to increase tension, so eye movement requires a minimum of effort. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with an interval of 1-2 seconds between sets. As you relax, increase the amplitude, maintaining relaxation and ease.
- Exercise number 3. Bring your index finger to your eyes 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 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 with an interval of 1-2 seconds. This is one of the best accommodation exercises to do as often as you can.
- Exercise number 4. Move your eyes as easily and slowly as possible in a circle, first in one direction and then in the other direction. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times for 4 circles in each direction with an interval of 1-2 seconds between cycles, making 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 palming.
Wellness exercises for the neck
Gymnastics for the neck is an essential step towards restoring vision. Due to the overtension of the neck muscles, the nerves are affected and there are problems with the blood supply. Thus, in order for the treatment to be successful, it is necessary to exclude disorders in the spinal system and achieve complete relaxation of the muscles of the back of the neck.
- Exercise number 1. Take a free standing position, arms relaxed and down. Raise your shoulders as high as possible, then pull back as far as possible, then lower back down and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 25 times, making fairly quick circular movements with your shoulders.
- Exercise number 2. Perform circular movements in the same way, only in the opposite direction. Pull your shoulders back, then lift as high as possible, lower down and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise continuously 25 times.
- Exercise number 3. Lower your chin to your chest as low as possible, relax your neck as much as possible, then gently raise your head and lean back as far as possible. Do not try too hard during the process. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
- Exercise number 4. Carefully 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 maximum possible amplitude, but without tension.
- Exercise number 5. Slowly turn your head to the right, return to the starting position, then turn your head to the left. Turns should be slow, without tension and with 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 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 in the evening, as well as throughout the day, if necessary.
Exercises to relieve eye strain
To succeed in improving vision, the eyes must be given a complete rest, consciously provided every day, lasting 30-60 minutes to relax all the muscles and tissues surrounding the eyes. For this, there are special exercises:
Covering the eyes with the palms of the hands (palming) is one of the simplest and most effective exercises for vision correction, which 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, couch 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 your right and left palms are in front of your right and left eyes respectively, and your fingers are crossed on your forehead. Eliminate any pressure on the eyes.
- 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 about something important or serious, think about the good and the 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 palm should be performed at least 2-3 times a day for at least 10-20 minutes. It is also recommended to do the exercises between work when the eyes are tired.
Side swings are a very effective exercise for relieving eye strain and relaxation. To perform it, stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms down along the body. Keeping yourself relaxed and calm, 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 be straight and the legs should not be bent. If necessary, you can raise the heel a little without taking your feet off the floor.
It is best to perform the swing while standing near the window. At the same time, the eyes should be relaxed and look without tension at the objects outside the window, "swinging" with you. After a minute close your eyes and imagine as clearly as possible the "movement" of the window. After a minute, open your eyes again and continue moving, then repeat the exercise again.
Oscillations should be performed at least 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. When performed correctly, it effectively relieves stress from the eyes, and also 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 this exercise.
Eye twitching is a very simple and effective exercise for relieving eye strain. Unfortunately, in many visually impaired people, the natural process of eye blinking is disturbed: they blink less often, their eyes become less mobile, and the blinking process itself occurs convulsively, tensely, and not regularly.
In order to improve vision and the condition of the eyes in general, it is necessary to develop the habit of closing the eyes often, regularly and in a relaxed manner, thus preventing tension. It is recommended to ignore 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 should be used to the maximum by all patients. However, it is worth using it carefully so as not to harm yourself. To do this, follow the main rule - do not look at the sun with unprotected eyes, so as not to damage the retina.
There are many ways to restore vision with sunlight. The simplest 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. This exercise is recommended to be performed 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes. For safety reasons, it is better to do this in the morning and in the evening.
You can also move from side to side while facing the sun. Of course, with eyes closed. Such sunbathing improves blood circulation in the eyes, relaxes muscles and nerves.
In addition, the following exercise is 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 a thin ray of sunlight passes to the other eye.
- Run a small beam of light through your fingers and look at it. Adjust the thickness of the beam so that the contemplation of sunlight is pleasant and does not cause discomfort.
- After 1-2 minutes, switch hands to look at the sun with the other eye.
Looking at the sun through the hole between the fingers is very careful! 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, as well as the muscles and tissues surrounding them. To do this, while washing, close your eyes and do not splash a lot of water on them. Repeat the procedure 10-20 times, then gently wipe your closed eyes with a towel.
Repeat the procedure whenever 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 very easy to verify this - we recognize familiar objects much faster than unfamiliar ones, as memory and imagination come to our aid. Therefore, they must be developed in order for the restoration of vision to be successful.
To train your memory and imagination, you can use the following exercise. Carefully consider each 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 performed 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 noticeable improvement in vision over time.
Central fixation is a basic exercise that allows you to better see the objects on which you are focusing your attention. Unfortunately, people with visual impairments are often deprived of this opportunity. Because of the constant overload, they see better with peripheral vision than with central vision.
To restore central vision, use the following exercise. Open the book and focus all your attention on one line. Then highlight the word in the center of the row and focus on it. After that, close your eyes and imagine that you see this word as clearly and clearly as possible, and imagine all the surrounding words as vaguely as possible.
Open your eyes again and repeat the exercise. Perform the central fixation for 5 minutes, each time imagining the central word more and more clearly, and all the surrounding words as vague as you like.
As your vision improves, move on to shorter words until you can do the exercise with two-letter words, focusing on one letter. The second letter will be ambiguous. 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 train your eyes and keep them active and healthy. Of course, this applies only to those cases when reading occurs without tension. Otherwise, poor eyesight will only worsen.
To improve vision, it is necessary to read without strain. To do this, take a comfortable sitting position, cover your eyes with your hands and relax as much as possible. After a few minutes, pick up the book and start reading, keeping it at the most comfortable reading distance, remembering to close your eyes while reading. As soon as the first signs of fatigue appear, give your eyes a break. Close them for a few seconds, and if necessary, cover your eyes with your palms (palming).
As your vision improves, gradually change the distance from the book. In the case of myopia, the distance should increase, and in the case of farsightedness, it should decrease. If you currently have very strong myopia, then you can start reading with one eye, giving priority to the eye that sees worse. As the vision improves, it will be possible to start reading with both eyes.
Initially, the reading time may only be a few minutes. However, you should not despair. Over time, by mastering the skills of relaxation and relaxation, you will be able to read longer without any effort or tension.
Proper food and diet to improve vision
Improper nutrition is a common cause of vision impairment as we age. In many cases, just following a diet can significantly improve vision and, in combination with special exercises, restore it completely.
It is impossible to make a universal diet that will suit everyone, so the following are general recommendations to make the right diet:
- Eat only natural food.
- Eat more vegetables, fruits and greens (according to the season).
- Cook food as little as possible and only when necessary.
- Exclude artificial and concentrated food, semi-finished products and canned food.
- Minimize, or better still, completely abandon fried, smoked, fatty, sweet and salty foods.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and carbonated drinks.
- Minimize your intake of tea, coffee and sugary drinks.
- Eat animal products, such as meat, in moderation.
- Start your morning with a light breakfast. Fruits 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).
- Eat dinner no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that it is necessary to minimize and it is better to completely abandon the consumption of everything 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. By changing your relationship with food, you will change your health.