Eye Yoga: 8 Yoga Exercises for Eyes & Its Benefits

It is a well known fact that yoga is beneficial for maintaining good health, improving flexibility and improving the functioning of the body organs. But did you know that yoga could also be beneficial for your eye health!

Performing eye yoga or yoga exercises for eyes can help improve the overall functioning of the eyes. There are quite a few eye yoga exercises which can help you deal with common eye ailments like short sightedness and long sightedness.

There are a number of eye yoga exercises which are helpful in treating the eye disorders. It should be noted that; excluding diseases which have defined etiology like Glaucoma, Trachoma, Retinal detachment, Cataract, Retinal artery or vein thrombosis, Iritis, Keratitis or Conjunctivitis; other disorders of the eye are related to any functional defect in the ocular muscles caused my chronic emotional and mental tension or stress.

The below mentioned yoga exercises for eyes should be practiced daily with perseverance and do not expect any immediate cure as it takes a long time for eyes to get defective, so, it’ll take a few months for these yoga exercises to bring any positive results or any noticeable improvement in the health of your eye.

1. Eye Yoga: Palming Yoga Exercise for Eye & Its Benefits

   Steps to do this yoga exercise for eyes:

   • Sit in any comfortable asana for e.g. Sukhasana, Padmasana or Vajrasana
   • Rub the palms of both hands vigorously until the hands become warm.
   • Place the hands to the closed eyes gently without putting any pressure.
   • The energy from the hands will be transferred from the hands to the eyes.
   • Keep the hands on the eyes until the hands return to normal temperature.
   • Repeat the same sequence at least 3 times.

   *Please note that while practicing this yoga exercise for eyes the palms should cover the eyes and not the fingers.

   Benefits of Palming Yoga Exercise for Eye

   • This eye yoga exercise helps relieve pressure and fatigue from eye muscles and should be practiced by people who sit in front of a computer screen for long periods of time.
   • This eye yoga exercise helps get rid of dark circles and eye bags.
   • Regular practice can help emend degenerative vision.

2. Eye Yoga: Blinking Yoga Exercise for Eyes

   Blinking can be an effective eye yoga exercise. Steps to do this exercise for eye:

   • Sit in any comfortable yogasana for e.g. Sukhasana, Padamasana or Vajrasana.
   • Blink the eyes 10-15 times quickly.
   • Then close and rest your eyes for 20 seconds.
   • Repeat the blinking quickly and then rest for another few seconds.
   • Relax.
   • Repeat this eye yoga exercise for 3-5 times

   Benefits of Blinking Yoga Exercise for Eye

   • This eye yoga exercise is helpful for people who have a habit of irregular/ extremely fast blinking.
   • Relaxes the tension in eye muscles.
   • Performing blinking yoga exercise regularly helps get rid of dry eyes as it keeps the eyes lubricated.
   • Blinking ensures that your eyes have all the essential nutrients and necessary oxygen supply to the eyes.
   • Blinking eye yoga exercise cleans the surface of eyes which results in clear vision.

3. Eye Yoga: Sideward Viewing Yoga Exercise for Eyes

   To do this eye yoga exercise:

   • Sit in a comfortable position with legs stretched forward.
   • Raise the arms to you sides at the shoulder level.
   • Point the thumb upwards.
   • The position of the thumb should be in such a way that you can see them with peripheral vision without moving your head sideways.
   • Fix your gaze and focus on the right thumb. Inhale while moving the focus to right thumb.
   • While exhaling, focus between the eyes.
   • While inhaling, focus on the left thumb.
   • While, exhaling focus between the eyes.
   • This completes one round. Repeat this yoga exercise for eyes 4-5 times.

   *Please note that while performing this eye yoga exercise, the focus will be maintained on thumb and the head will not move and will be stable at one position.

   Benefits of Sideward Viewing Yoga Exercise for Eyes

   In addition to relaxing the eye muscles, sideward viewing eye exercise helps in correction of Squint.

4. Eye Yoga: Sideward and Front Viewing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   Steps to do this Yoga Exercise for eye:

   • Keep sitting in the same position as in sideward viewing.
   • Move the left arm to rest on left knee while keeping the thumb raised upwards.
   • Inhale deeply in the neutral position.
   • Keep the head straight and while exhaling, focus on left thumb.
   • While inhaling, focus on the right thumb.
   • Repeat the whole process 5-6 times.
   • Close the eyes and rest for a few seconds.
   • Always keep your head and spine straight while practicing.
   • Repeat the same yoga exercise, by taking the left arm on side and resting the right arm on the knee.

   Benefits of Sideward and Front Viewing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   • Relaxes and reduces tension in the eye muscles.
   • Regular practice of this yoga exercise for eye helps correct vision.

5. Eye Yoga : Rotational Viewing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   • Maintain the same position as in yoga exercise 4.
   • Keep the focus on right thumb and move the hand in circular motion while keeping the elbow straight.
   • Do not move the head while the arm is moving.
   • Inhale while completing the upper half circle.
   • Exhale while completing the lower half circle.
   • Repeat the same circle for 4-5 times.
   • Do the same yoga exercise for eye with the left thumb as well.

   Benefits of Rotational Viewing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   This yoga exercise for eye nourishes and restores balance in the intra and extra orbital muscles.

6. Eye Yoga: Upward and Downward Viewing Yoga Exercise

   Steps to do this yoga exercise for eye:

   • Sit in a comfortable position with legs stretched forward.
   • Place both hands on knees with thumbs pointing upwards.
   • Take the right hand up while inhaling and keeping focus on thumb.
   • When the hand reaches maximum height, bring it downwards while exhaling to rest on the knee.
   • Repeat the same yoga exercise with both hands for at least 5-6 times.
   • Close the eyes and rest in the end.

   Benefits of Upward and Downward Viewing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   This yoga exercise for eye nourishes and restores balance in the intra and extra orbital muscles.

7. Eye Yoga: Preliminary Nosetip Focusing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   • Sit with the legs stretched in front.
   • Bring the arm forward in front of nose with the thumb pointing upwards.
   • While inhaling, bring the thumb closer to touch the nose tip. The focus will be resting on thumb all this while.
   • Keep focusing on the nose tip while thumb is resting on it. Retain the breath during this period.
   • While exhaling, stretch the arm forward again.
   • Repeat the same yoga exercise with both hands for at least 5-6 times.

   Benefits of Preliminary Nosetip Focusing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   This eye yoga exercise helps in enhancing the focusing power of eyes.

8. Eye Yoga : Distant and Near Focusing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   • Sit or stand in an open area.
   • Focus your gaze on your nose tip for a few seconds.
   • Now, focus your gaze on a distant object for a few seconds.
   • Repeat the same yoga exercise for 5-6 times.

   Benefits of Distant and Near Focusing Yoga Exercise for Eye

   This eye yoga exercise helps in enhancing the focusing power of eyes like the previous one.

   A Few Points to Remember

   • Lie in Shavasana for a few minutes after completing these eight yoga exercises.
   • It is beneficial to splash cold water on closed eyes before starting these exercises.
   • People suffering with etiological Eye Disorders like Glaucoma, Retinal Detachment, Thrombosis and Trachoma etc. should perform these yoga exercises after consulting with an eye specialist.