YOGA AND EYE CARE

YOGIC EXERCISES FOR EYE MUSCLES

Sit in Padmasana, Vajrasna, Sukhasana, Swastikasana or Siddhasana or on a chair but your back
and neck should remain straight. Before beginning the eye exercises, just relax the eyes by
closing them for a moment or assume the corpse pose to relax all the body parts. Do the
following eye exercises regularly to prevent and cure any disorder of the eyes.

TECHNIQUE
1. Move the eyeballs up and look at the space between the eyebrow-center then lower the
eyeballs and look at the tip of the nose. Do it effortlessly in a slow motion allowing the
gaze to go up and down to the maximum level. Don’t move the head. See only by moving
the eyeballs. Do it for eight to ten times. The cornea will be seen moving up and down.
Then take rest by closing the eyes for some moments.
2. Move the eyeballs horizontally parallel to the floor in a straight line from right to left and
from left to right side allowing them to go as far as they can. Do it for eight to ten times.
Then close the eyes for some moments and give rest to the eyes.
3. Now move the eyeballs on left upper side and then right lower side. After that move it on
right lower and left upper side in oblique direction. Do it for eight to ten times. Then take
rest by closing the eyes for some time.
4. Now reverse the sequence. Move the eye balls on right upper and then left lower side.
after that move it on left lower and then right upper side in oblique direction for eight to
ten times. Then close the eyes and take rest for some time.
5. Now move the eyeballs from right to left and from left to right in upper semi circle. Do it
for eight to ten times. Then by closing the eyes take rest.
6. Now move the eyeballs from left to right and from right to left in lower semi circle for
eight to ten times. Then take rest by closing the eyes for sometime.
7. Now rotate the eyes clockwise and then anticlockwise in circular motion. Do it for four to
six times on both the sides. After that give rest to the eyes.
8. Now stretch the right arm forward and keep it parallel to the floor. Keep the index finger
vertically pointing up and fix the eyes on the nail of the finger or just beyond the nail.
Now see the finger with both the eyes. Gradually bring the finger towards the nose and
keep it there for sometime then take it away from it. You can do like this four to five
times. While focusing your attention at the finger you will find you are not seeing one
finger but two. Hence in this exercise eyes become eccentric. One finger will be the
main finger, which is real and the other will be an optical illusion.
9. In the end, blink the eyes eight to ten times. Now rub the palms and create heat and do
palming on the eyes repeating three times. The warm Prana current flowing from the
palms relieves the tension and strain around the eye muscles.

NOTE
 The body must be relaxed and the head should not move when the eye exercises are
performed. Except for the eyes, all parts of the body should be in a relaxed position.
 Give rest to the eyes by keeping them closed for 10 to 12 seconds between each process.

SOME BRIEF EXERCISES FOR THE EYES

  Bounce a ball in a v-shape from one hand to the other and follow the movement of the
ball with the eyes.
 Elephant swing: From a standing position, bend forward with feet 1 foot apart. Bend the
knees, hands together, hang them down and swing like the trunk of an elephant, looking
down on the floor.
 Take a sculpture/picture or any other object and look at it for about 30-45 seconds. Close
eyes and visualize the object with the eyes closed and relaxed. Use a different object each
day.
 Distance accommodation: look at a tree for 30 sec, then look at the palm, all the lines on
the palm, for 30 sec, blink and see (5 times)
 Read in candle light (10 minutes).

NECK EXERCISE
 Sit with the back straight. Turn the tongue inside towards the throat and touch it against
the upper palate.
 Bend the head downwards and press the chin to the chest then head up looking
backwards. Inhale when the head moves upwards and exhale when the head moves
downwards. Do it four to five times.
 Very slowly rotate the head first on the right side and then on the left side. Inhale deeply
when the neck moves on the right side and comes in the line of right shoulder and exhale
when it returns to front side position. Inhale when it moves on the left side and exhale
when it returns to front side gradually. Repeat this exercise eight to ten times that is
four to five times each side. Now relax the neck.
 Thereafter bring the right ear up to the right shoulder and then the left ear to the left
shoulder. Repeat this exercise eight to ten times in total that is four to five times each
side. Now relax the neck.
 Now rotate the head and neck from right side. In this tilt the head first on the right side
then on the back side then on the left side and in front last. This would complete one
rotation. Repeat four to five times very gently and without any stress. Do it in reverse
direction also that is starting it from the left side. Repeat four to five times without
hurrying.
 Rub the hands & massage the neck with warm hands nicely.

You can do shoulder rotation and arms rotation exercises also to remove stress from the
shoulders and arms. Do clockwise for eight to ten times and then anti clockwise for eight to
ten times.

DIET
Take fruits and vegetables which contain more of Vitamin A in good quantity. All red and yellow
color fruit are recommended.

First thing in the morning – lemon water (lukewarm) with two teaspoons honey.
Breakfast- Have munacca (Dry fruit) (10-15no.) and figs (2-4 no.), should be soaked overnight
in water in a glass container after being cleaned thoroughly. They should be taken along with the
water in which they were soaked. Chew well. If you are still feeling hungry then after half an
hour gap, take seasonal fruit such as mangoes, banana, apple, apricot, papaya- all red and yellow
color fruit. Eating one variety of fruit each time is very beneficial.
Lunch– Chapattis of wheat flour with extra bran + seasonal vegetables (lauki, broccoli, cabbage,
carrot, drumsticks, cauliflower, spinach, salad) & curd
Evening- Carrot juice, veg. soup, lemon water honey
Dinner- Same as lunch or Dalia (Broken wheat)
Avoid- Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, deep fried foods, processed foods and most chemical
preservatives in packaged foods. Also avoid white sugar and use little salt. Use honey or brown
sugar.

ASANA
Shirsasana, Sarvangasana, Vipritkarni Mudra for those who don't have cervical spondylosis, high
myopia, hypertension or pregnancy. The eyes obtain tremendous power by practising these
Asanas. After doing Shirsasana don't sit up or stand up immediately. Take rest in
Shashankasana for sometimes. Other Yoga poses that strengthen eyes include Bhujangasana,
Shavasana and Surya Namakara.

PRANAYAMA
Aumkar, Bhramari, Shitali and Anulom-Vilom. Do Shitali Pranayama with opened eyes. Regular
practice of these Pranayama perfuses the eyes with plenty of blood flow. Pranayamas should be
practiced in the mornings and evenings on an empty stomach.

YOGA-NIDRA AND MEDITATION

For better eye care, include deep relaxation (Yoga- nidra) in the practice routine. Practice of
Yoga- nidra and Meditation gives rest to the eyes and increase their working capacity.

MEDITATION AND VISUALIZATION

Slowly, concentrate your awareness on your eyeball and create its mental picture. If you are
myopic, tell your eyes to contract enough to allow the image to coincide on the retina. If you are
long-sighted, tell your eyes to elongate enough to allow the image to coincide on the retina.
Supplement your visualization with some catchy affirmation such as: "My eyes perform better
than the best automatic cameras I have ever known." Practice this visualization Meditation at
least for 15-20 minutes twice a day.

PRANA MUDRA FOR INCREASING EYE SIGHT

Touch the tips of little finger and ring finger by tip of the thumb. Rest two fingers that is index
and middle finger should be straight. Perform Prana Mudra for at least 15 to 30 minutes. Practice
regularly for better vision.

TRATAKA
Light a candle and keep it at eye level at a distance of about two feet. Sit comfortably and gaze at
the candle flame without blinking for about 2-3 minutes. If eyes begin to water before that, close
the eyes. Once the eyes are closed, try to gaze internally at the after-image of the candle flame at
the back of your mind’s eye. Repeat this whole routine one more time.
Then slowly get up and fill your mouth with water. Keeping this water in your mouth, wash the
eyes with tap water. Then spit the water out. This water will be warm as heat gets released from
the body. This has to be done twice or until the water temperature gets normal. This is a must
after this particular Kriya.

This routine will help you strengthen and relax the eye muscles. Also, it is used as a practice
for developing focus and concentration and can be used as a prelude to Meditation.

JALA NETI KRIYA (NASAL WASH)

Jala Neti is a simple technique which involves using a special "neti pot" filled with warm,
slightly salted water. The nose cone is inserted into one nostril and the position of the head and
pot is adjusted to allow the water to flow out of the other nostril. Whilst the water is flowing
through the nasal passages one breathes through the mouth. (One should do this Kriya under
guidance in the beginning).Practice of Jalaneti kriya gives much benefit to eyesight. It keeps the
eyes free from congestion and strain, and improves vision. Its use can be learned from any Yoga
instructor. Neti should be practiced in the morning before Pranayama.

WASHING THE EYES

After attending to the call of nature, wash the eyes in the eye washing glass. Fill the eye washing
glass with pure water and cup the eyes in it. Blink inside the water 15 to 20 times. (In the
absence of an eye washing glass your palm can be cupped for the purpose.) Throw away the
water and refill the glass with some more fresh water and wash once again. Repeat the same with
the other eye. Wash them after watching television, before retiring to bed, as you come home
after a long tiring day outdoors, and also after reading for a considerable time at a stretch. Do not
watch television unblinkingly.

SUNBATHING THE EYES

Early morning, allow indirect Sunlight into the eyes (closed eye lids). Keep your feet a foot
apart, let your arms hang loosely at the sides and be as relaxed as possible and sway the body
gently from side to side like a pendulum for three to five minutes. Hot Sun at noon should be
avoided. At Sunrise and Sunset look directly into the Sun for a short period of time. It should be
stopped as soon as the Sun causes discomfort.

After the Sun treatment, come to the shade and place a piece of cold wet cloth on the closed eye
lids for two minutes / Sprinkle cold water over your eyes and then dry them with a soft piece of
cloth.

BLINKING
 Practice deliberate blinking for five full minutes any time of the day.
 Squeeze gently under the eyes before going to sleep.
 Roll the eyes in the socket clockwise and anti-clockwise.

PALMING
 Rub both palms together quickly for 10 seconds. This friction creates mild heat. Close the
eyes and gently place the left palm over the left eye and right palm over the right eye. Do
 not apply pressure with the palms, but just left them gently rest. Breathe in and out slowly
to release stress. Repeat this 2-3 times.
 Sit comfortably in a chair in front of a table and stay relaxed. Close your eyes. Cup your
right palm and shield the right eye with it. Cup your left palm and cover the left eye with
it. Let the fingers of both the hands meet on the forehead. Rest the elbows on the table
and keep yourself completely relaxed. Look only at the darkness without opening the
eyes. Let your mind also relax for some time. Sit like this for five minutes at a time, at
least thrice a day.

AVOID
Bright Sunlight, reading in poor light or in a lying down position, reading or writing in a moving
train, plane, car or bus, watching television for too long or working at a computer for long hours.
These cause stress on the eyes and contract the eye muscles which lead to deteriorating eyesight
or pain in the eyes.

SOME MORE SUGGESTIONS

 For all eye problems, keep the eyes clean. Splash fresh & clean water on the eyes 10-15
times at least twice a day.
 Dampen wads of cotton-wool with pure Organic Rose Water and place over closed eyes.
Relax for 10 minutes that way. The cooling effect of organic rose water helps cool tired
eyes.

 Remove your glasses or contact lenses while doing eye exercises.

 Every four to six months or minimum once in a year eyes should be checked up for their
visual capacity even though our eyes are normal. They should be immediately tested if
something unexpected happens so that if there is any change in the vision the eyes can be
immediately treated.
 Constipation also affects our eyes. Therefore, it is essential that bowels get cleaned fully
everyday. For this, drink plenty of water through the day, as constipation or internal
dryness can have adverse effect on the eye. Do practise Yogamudra and Vajrasana (after
the meals). Shitali Pranayama in morning and evening is very effective. Periodic use of
enema is also helpful.
 Morning and evening walks rejuvenate the eyes, enhancing proper sight.
 Walking barefoot on the grass in the morning is very good for the eyes.
 In case you have access to Triphala, put a teaspoonful of Triphala powder in a glass of
water and let it stay overnight. Strain the water and wash the eyes with it.

 Improve your diet; enjoy Sun-shine and fresh air. Winter Cherry (Ashwagandha) also
helps strengthen vision.

 To improve eyesight, soak seven almonds overnight. Next morning grind it to a paste
with seven peppers and mix with water and sugar candy using the same water in which it
was soaked. Take this paste after meals regularly for a few months.
 These remedies can help you keeping your eyes healthy and beautiful, and can be used by
everyone, in general.
Spare at least half an hour every day for eye care. Change your food habits and do regular eye
washing and other exercises and you will be benefited by these safe and natural methods. Every
morning start the exercises with the determination that YOU ARE GOING TO IMPROVE THE
EYESIGHT. Have faith and patience.

AUM SHANTI