Virtual Eye Exercises

According to the Virtual Cancer Centre, your eye and vision problems could be the result of your computer use. While these are temporary eye issues, they can cause significant discomfort. For relief, the Centre recommends you take regular breaks, keep your computer screen at eye level and ensure your computer is glare-free. You can also help protect your eyes with certain eye exercises.

This exercise strengthens the muscles surrounding the eye. This helps relieve the double vision and eye strain that is common after long periods of visual focus. To start, grab a pencil and hold it 10 inches away from your face, says AdvanceMed Hanford, which provides occupational health services to the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site. Bring the pencil slowly to your face, stopping right before it begins to take on a doubling appearance. Next, envision a tic-tac-toe board in front of your face, with nine separate squares of the same size. Holding the pencil at 10 inches again, place it in one of these boxes. Bring the pencil toward your face from this box, following it with your vision until stopping it before it doubles. Then, follow the pencil with your eyes as you distance it again to another box. Perform this same method with each box on the board. Perform as often as desired.

This exercise helps work the eye's full range of motion. To begin, sit upright while facing and looking forward. Look up and down, ensuring that you do not move your head as you perform the motion. Then, look left and right, keeping your head still. Perform this exercise upon experiencing eye strain.

The Virtual Medical Centre site recommends performing this exercise after 20 minutes of computer use. Upon hitting this time limit, look up from the screen and focus on an object that is distanced. This object should be about 18 feet away from you. Focus on this object for at least 20 seconds before returning your vision to the screen. If this distance is problematic or not feasible, pick an object that is at least 8 or 9 feet away. Perform this exercise when you have eye strain.

The focus exercise helps you increase focus speed and ability. It can also help reduce the need for reading glasses, according to AdvanceMed Hanford. To start, hold an object close to your face so that you can see it clearly, says the site. Next, focus on an object that is at least 10 feet away. Refocus again on the close object, and back again to the distant object. Perform this five minutes daily.