Exercises for eyes for optimal speed reading
It’s harder to read when your eyes are tired. Keep your eyes in an optimal state for reading by doing eye exercises from time to time:
Change focus / 20-20-20
Look up from what you’re reading and alternate a few times between focusing on something in the distance and on something up close. This is called 20-20-20. Your eyes need regular breaks to prevent strain. Every 20 minutes make sure that you take 20-second break from what you’re doing to focus on something 20 feet or more away.
Palm your eyes
Briskly rub the palms of your hands together to warm them slightly. Place the palms over your closed eyes and gently massage the bony areas around the eyes (not directly onto the eyeballs) with the outsides of your palms for about 30 seconds. Open your eyes under your hands, and create a seal with your palms so that you’re looking at complete darkness for a moment or two.
Eye writing
Writing with your eyes, you will force them to move out of their normal ways, giving them more flexibility and range of motion, and strengthening the ocular muscles. Look at a wall or space in front of you and imagine in your mind writing your name or any word using just your eyes. Use your eyes only to write your name or any word – do not move your head – moving them like a pen or paintbrush. Write in capital letters, small letters and in italics.
Clock gazing
Sit comfortably with an erect spine and both feet on the floor. Imagine a huge clock face about 30 centimetres away directly in front of you. Without moving your head, look up to 12 o’clock – then down to 6 o’clock.
Up to 1, down to 7
Up to 2, down to 8
Right to 3, left to 9
Down to 4, up to 10
Down to 5, up to 11.
Close your eyes and rest (or palm them) for 30 seconds.
Lazy eights
Make a fist with your thumb sticking up. Hold it out at arm’s length in front of you. Draw a figure 8 on its side – start in the middle, move up to the right, round, down the outside, up towards the middle again and then round over the top on the left, down the outside, up into the middle again. Make sure you’re going up in the middle and down around the outsides. Keep going. Keep your head still and follow your thumb with your eyes.
Resting eyes
Resting your eyes is the easiest way to relax your eyes, especially when they’re tired or during speed reading sessions. Just close your eyes and relax your eyes. Notice any tension and just smile with your eyes.
Eye squeeze
Tensing and squeezing the muscles around your eyes will relax them when you release the tension. Squeeze and tense the muscles around your eyes for a few seconds, hold the tension and let go. Do it a few times.
Other factors for eye hygiene
Eating healthy: the link between good eye health and diet is well established. Vitamin A helps maintain healthy vision. A good source of vitamin A is sweet potatoes.
Stopping smoking: Smokers are up to four times more likely than non-smokers to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts – the UK’s leading causes of blindness. Cut down and quit smoking.
Further reading
There are many books on how to improve your eyesight
How to improve eyesight naturally?
• Diet is one way.
• Relaxation is another.
• Blinking helps to relax the muscles around the eyes which stop you from squinting.
• Whenever you’re squinting, stop and relax your eyes.
• Avoid the use of sunglasses (most of the time).
• Don’t increase the size of the font on your computer, etc.
• Use tapping / EFT to tap the acupuncture points around your eyes to relax them and release stress.
• Try pinhole glasses