Introduction:

The eyes are a very important part of our body. Besides yogasanas, there are certain exercises for the eyes, which keep the eyes healthy and save them from many diseases. By toning up the connecting muscles and nerves of the eyes, they even improve the eyesight. Some of these simple exercises are explained here, which can be performed after doing yogasanas. Sit in Padmasana, Sukhasana of Siddhasanaa, keeping your head, neck and spine straight, and perform the following exercise

Vertical Movement:

First look up work towards the middle of your forehead and then on the tip of your nose without moving your head. Only the pupils of your eyes should have upward and downward movement. Do it quickly for 24 times and then close your eyes gently for five seconds to provide rest.

Horizontal Movement:

Spread your hands sideways. Close your fists and raise your thumbs. Now first look towards your right thumb, without moving your neck, then towards left thumb. Repeat this exercise 24 times and then close your eyes gently for five seconds. 3. Diagonal Movement: First look above the corner of the right eye and then towards the ground near left knee. Do this 12 times. Similarly, look above the corner of your left eye and then bring attention on the ground near your right knee. Repeat this also 12 times. After this, close your eyes gently for 5 seconds and give the eyes the rest they need.

Diagonal Movement :

First look above the corner of the right eye and then towards the ground near left knee. Do this 12 times. Similarly, look above the corner of your left eye and then bring attention on the ground near your right knee. Repeat this also 12 times. After this, close your eyes gently for 5 seconds and give the eyes the rest they need.

Rectangular Movement:

Make an imaginary rectangle before your eyes. Make it as big as you can. Then move your eyes on the four corners of the rectangle from left to right to left also 12 times. Close the eyes gently after this for about five seconds.

Circular Movement:

Make an imaginary circle from the earth to the sky and move your eyeballs first clockwise for 12 times and then anti-clockwise 12 times. Give rest to the eyes.

Forward-Backward Movement:

Stretch your right hand forward. Raise your thumb, closing the first with the fingers. Fix your gaze at a point beyond your thumb and slowly bring it closer fix it ultimately on the thumb. Do that for at least 10 times. Now gradually star bringing the thumb closer to the eyes and repeat the process of looking beyond the thumb and at the thumb. Go on doing it until the thumb comes very close to the eyes. Close the eyes gently and give rest. This exercise improves the eyesight. At the end of these exercises close your eyes gently. Now rub your palms with each other and place them on your eyes. Do it three times. Open your eyes and look at a green plant or grass. Note: All the eye exercises can be done in a standing posture. Regular practice of the eye exercises removes tension and exhaustion. They lend luster and brightness to the eyes and as a result the eyes become healthy and beautiful. These exercises are to be done after doing Asanas.

Palming:

This is an easy and quick method of providing relief to the tired eyes. Sit comfortably in a chair or on the ground. Close the eyes gently. Bend the palms in the shape of cup and place them on your eye, the right palm on the right eye and the left palm on the left eye. The palms should not touch the eyed, but only cover them completely. The finger should rest on the forehead, and the nose should remain uncovered. Let your elbows rest on your knees. Whenever you feel that your eyes are tired due to continuous reading or overwork, practice palming for ten fifteen minutes. You will find that your eyes become fresh after this.

Blinking:

This is another easy, quick and natural method of living rest to the eyes. Blinking, i.e., raising and dropping eye-lashes quickly can be done during any type of work. Gazing or staring is the chief cause of damage to the eyesight. Dropping the eye-lashes is essential at leas once if not twice in ten seconds. Blinking also helps during reading. It saves the eyes from getting tired and one can read for a long time at a stretch. Book-worms must cultivate the habit of blinking.

Washing Eyes with Cold Water:

Cool pure water works as a tonic for the eyes. Whenever you wash your face, do not forget to splash water on your eyes from a distance of about 10 cm. Do it for twenty times. This will refresh your eyes and provide new vitality to them.

Providing Sunlight to the Eyes:

Sunlight, if provided in a proper way to the eyes, is extremely useful for them. But direct sunlight on the open eyes is not only harmful but dangerous also. There are several ways of feeding the eyes on sunlight. Some of these are described below. a) Close your eyes and stand facing towards the sun. Now move your neck towards right and left for five to seven minutes, to let the sunlight fall on all parts of the eyes. This exercise is particularly useful if done in the morning when the sun is not very hot. b) See the sun through water. The light of the sun coming through water is very useful for improving the eye sight. c) See the sun through green leaves. Take two green leaves of Pipal and bring them close to your eyes. Now look at the sun through the leaves. This practice also provides energy to the eyes.