According to medical research, the most common causes of visual deficiencies are functional disorders, which in most cases can be overcome with simple and natural treatments, without the need for surgery, glasses or contact lenses.
This article will discuss the most effective ways to restore vision, which have proven themselves in the treatment of myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other visual defects. The effectiveness and speed of treatment directly depend on the complexity of the violation, its duration and the implementation of prescriptions.
Neglect of advice and recommendations, eyestrain from overwork, physical and mental stress, as well as improper nutrition can significantly slow down the progress of treatment, and in some cases completely stop it. To prevent this from happening, you must carefully follow all the instructions during the entire course of treatment, as well as after its completion.
Causes of visual impairment
According to Dr. Bates' research, the primary cause of visual impairment is psychological and physical overexertion, which leads to disturbances in accommodation—the ability to see distant and near objects with equal clarity.
Contrary to the prevailing stereotype, the focus of vision is produced not only by a change in the curvature of the lens, but also by a change in the shape of the eye itself, due to the action of the external muscles of the eyeball, which are responsible for of eye movement in all directions.
Due to the contraction of certain groups of eye muscles, the back wall of the eye moves closer or further away, depending on whether a distant or near object is being focused. Therefore, 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 (nearsightedness), the eye has a constantly elongated shape, which does not allow focusing on distant objects, and in the case of hyperopia, on the contrary, the eyeball has a compressed shape, due to which it does not Allows you to see nearby objects clearly.
Vision correction with the help of glasses further aggravates the situation, since it fixes the muscles in one position, violating 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 is intended to be combated.
Exercises to restore vision.
Using special techniques to relieve tension in the eye muscles in combination with diet and improving the general health of the body, vision can be significantly improved and, in some cases, many visual defects, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, completely overcome. hyperopia and astigmatism.
To achieve the maximum result, it is necessary to be aware of the treatment and carefully follow all instructions. The main task is to learn how to relieve tension and achieve the desired level of relaxation of the eye muscles. Deep relaxation and relaxation are the key to successful vision restoration.
gymnastics for the eyes
Gymnastics for the eyes is an essential step in improving vision. The main task of eye exercises is to relieve tension in the eye muscles and tone them. This will significantly speed up the treatment process and return to normal vision.
Gymnastics for the eyes with myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism consists of four basic exercises that must be performed in the most relaxed state. This is best done sitting on a chair or sofa.
- Exercise 1. As smoothly as possible and with minimal effort, move your eyes up and down 6 times in each direction. The movements should be as slow and evenly spaced as possible. As you relax, your range of eye movements will increase. Keep it as loose and relaxed as possible. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times with 1-2 second breaks between repetitions.
- Exercise 2. Gently move your eyes from side to side 6 times in each direction. No tension. The main task is to relax overloaded muscles, not to increase tension, so the movement of the eyes 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, while maintaining relaxation and stillness.
- Exercise 3. Bring your index finger to your eyes at a distance of about 20 cm, focus 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 #4. Move your eyes as smoothly 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 a 1-2 second interval between cycles, while applying minimal effort.
Before each exercise, you need to relax your eyes by covering them with the palms of your hands for a few seconds. If you wear glasses, they should be removed while exercising. If your eyes hurt during the process, stop the exercise and rest. Wash your face with cold water and clap your hands.
Wellness exercises for the neck.
Gymnastics for the neck is an essential step in restoring vision. Due to overstrain of the neck muscles, the nerves are affected and there are problems with the blood supply. Therefore, for treatment to be successful, it is imperative to exclude disorders in the spinal system and achieve complete relaxation of the muscles of the back of the neck.
- Exercise 1. Take a standing position, with your arms relaxed and down. Raise your shoulders as high as possible, then pull back as far as possible, then lower and return to starting position. Repeat the exercise 25 times, making fairly quick circular movements with your shoulders.
- Exercise 2. Make circular movements in the same way, only in the opposite direction. Pull your shoulders back, then raise them as high as possible, lower and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise continuously 25 times.
- Exercise 3. Lower your chin to your chest as low as possible, relax your neck as much as possible, then gently lift your head and tilt it back as far as possible. Don't strain yourself during the process. Repeat the exercise 12 times.
- Exercise #4. Gently lower your chin to your chest, then turn your head to the left, tilt it back, turn to the right, and return to the starting position. All movements must be slow, uniform and with the maximum amplitude possible, but without tension.
- Exercise #5. Slowly turn your head to the right, return to the starting position, and then turn your head to the left. The turns must be slow, without tension and with the maximum amplitude. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Regular exercise helps 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 be successful in improving vision, the eyes need a complete and mindful rest every day, lasting between 30 and 60 minutes to relax all the muscles and tissues that surround 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 correcting vision, which can be done 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 the palms of your hands so that the center of your right and left palms are opposite your right and left eyes, respectively, and your fingers are crossed over your forehead. Eliminates any pressure on the eyes.
- Get into a comfortable position with your elbows resting on your knees or on a table. The eyes should remain closed and covered with the palms.
- Relax as much as possible, don't keep your thoughts on something important or serious, think about the good and the positive. Try to see as much black as possible. The more black in front of the eyes, the more relaxation and rest they experience.
Schematically it will look like this:
To achieve a good effect, you should cover your eyes with the palms of your hands at least 2-3 times a day for at least 10-20 minutes. It is also recommended to do the exercises between work and work when the eyes are tired.
Swinging sideways is a very effective exercise to relieve eye strain and relax. To do this, stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms down alongside your body. Staying relaxed and comfortable, begin rocking back and forth slightly.
In the process of movement, you can imagine yourself as a pendulum and move in the same measured and slow way. The torso should remain straight and the legs should not bend. If necessary, you can slightly raise your heel without lifting your feet off the ground.
It is best to swing standing by the window. At the same time, the eyes should be relaxed and look without strain at the objects outside the window, "swaying" with you. After a minute, close your eyes and imagine the "movement" of the window as clearly as possible. After a minute, open your eyes again and keep moving, then repeat the exercise again.
Rocking should be done at least 3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. When done correctly, it effectively relieves stress on the eyes and also has a very beneficial effect on the condition of the eyes and the nervous system in general. It goes without saying that if you wear glasses or contact lenses, you should remove them before doing this exercise.
Blinking is a very simple and effective exercise to relieve eye strain. Unfortunately, in many visually impaired people, the natural blinking process is disturbed: they blink less frequently, their eyes become less mobile, and the blinking process itself occurs convulsively, with tension, and not regularly.
To improve vision and the state of the eyes in general, it is necessary to develop the habit of blinking frequently, regularly and in a relaxed way, thus avoiding tension. It is recommended to blink at least 1-2 times every 10 seconds without any effort, regardless of the situation.
Sunlight is very important in the treatment of visual impairment and all patients should take full advantage of it. However, it is worth using carefully so as not to hurt yourself. To do this, follow the main rule: never look at the sun with an unprotected eye, so as not to damage the retina.
There are many ways to restore vision with sunlight. The simplest and most effective is to look directly at the sun, close your eyes and slowly turn your head from side to side so that the rays fall evenly on your eyes. It is recommended to perform this exercise 2-3 times a day for 10 minutes. For safety reasons, it is better to do it in the morning and at night.
You can also rock from side to side while facing the sun. Yes, with your eyes closed. Sunbathing improves blood circulation in the eyes, relaxes the muscles and nerves.
In addition, the following exercise is very favorable for improving vision:
- Cross the four bent 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 spot for a thin ray of sunlight to pass through to the other eye.
- Pass a small beam of light between 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 follow safety precautions can damage the retina of the eye!
Cold water is an effective remedy to quickly relieve tension and improve the tone of the eyes, as well as the muscles and tissues that surround them. To do this, while washing, close your eyes and do not splash them too much with water. Repeat the procedure 10-20 times, then gently wipe your closed eyes with a towel.
Repeat the procedure every time your eyes are tired, but at least 3 times a day. At the same time, keep in mind that the water should be cold, 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, since memory and imagination come to our aid. Therefore, they must be developed for vision restoration to be successful.
To train your memory and imagination, you can use the following exercise. Carefully consider any small object, its size and shape. Then close your eyes and try to remember everything in great 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 significant improvement in vision over time.
Central fixation is a basic exercise that allows you to better see the objects you are focusing your attention on. Unfortunately, visually impaired people are often deprived of this opportunity. Due to constant overexertion, 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 some line. Then highlight the word in the center of the line 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 blurred as possible.
Open your eyes again and repeat the exercise. Do the central fixation for 5 minutes, each time imagining the central word more and more clearly, and all the surrounding words as fuzzy as you like.
As your vision improves, move on to shorter words until you can do the exercise with two-letter words, concentrating on one letter. The second letter will be blurred. 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 where the reading occurs without tension. Otherwise, poor vision will only get worse.
To improve eyesight, you need to read effortlessly. 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, holding it at the most comfortable reading distance, remembering to blink as you read. As soon as the first signs of fatigue appear, give your eyes a rest. Close them for a few seconds and, if necessary, cover your eyes with the palms of your hands (palmation).
As your vision improves, gradually change your distance from the book. In the case of myopia, the distance must be increased, and in the case of hyperopia, it must be reduced. If you currently have very strong myopia, then you can start reading with one eye, giving preference to the eye that sees worse. As vision improves, it will be possible to begin reading with both eyes.
Initially, the duration of the reading may be only a few minutes. However, you should not despair. Over time, by mastering relaxation and relaxation skills, you will be able to read longer without any effort or strain.
Proper nutrition and diet to improve vision.
Inadequate nutrition is a common cause of visual impairment with age. In many cases, following a diet alone can significantly improve vision, and, in combination with special exercises, completely restore it.
It is impossible to make a universal diet that suits everyone, so the following are general recommendations to make the right diet:
- Eat only natural foods.
- Eat more vegetables, fruits and vegetables (depending on the season).
- Cook food as little as possible and only when necessary.
- Excludes artificial and concentrated foods, semi-finished products and canned foods.
- Minimize, or better yet, 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. Fruit and milk are better for this.
- Eat small meals, but often. 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.