Blinking is a crucial part of keeping the right amount of moisture in the eye surface,especially during cold, dry weather. It coats the eye with a fresh layer of tears while alsocleaning the surface and moisturizing it. It is an almost subconscious action that means a lotto anybody, especially a dry eye patient.
Whether you work at a computer all day, watch a movie, or live in a dry environment, an infrequent blinking rate will increase your dry eye symptoms. Under normal circumstances,your blinking rate is about once every 4 seconds or about 15 times a minute. When using the computer or staring at any other bright screen our blinking rate decreases by up to a whopping 70%! There are various blinking exercises that can help you further improve the condition of your eyes. These are designed to work your eye muscles and maintain your eyesight during the day.
Look at a distant object: This exercise benefits people who are glued to a monitor all day. So the first exercise goes like this: find a window, any window; now focus on a distant tree or car for 10 to 15 seconds. Slowly refocus your eyes on an object closer to you without moving your head. Focus on this new object for another 10 to 15 seconds. Do this 4 to 5times, going back and forth between the distant object and the closer one.
Shut, squeeze, rinse and repeat: This one’s a fairly quick one. Shut your eyes quickly,close tightly and feel your facial muscles moving. Keep this up for 3-5 seconds. Open your eyes slowly and relax the muscles, keep them open for another 3-5 seconds. Repeat this process 6 or 7 times.
Clockwise… counter-clockwise: Roll your eyes clockwise one full round, then counterclockwise another full round. Next, move your eyes up and down, then left and right. Finish up this exercise but looking at your nose tip.
Palming: works to relax your eyes and your mind. It is inspired by Yoga Eye Exercises and you can do this anywhere. To get started sit comfortably and rub your palms against each other until you feel them warm up. Turn your palms facing upwards and place them over your eyes, making sure you are not covering your nose and that no light filters through them. Once your palms are positioned correctly, feel the warmth coming from your palms and close your eyes. Concentrate on the complete darkness and relax your mind for a minute.
Benefits of blinking exercises for dry eye patients: These exercises will help you relax your eyes, improve tear quality and prevent further eye strain. It is recommended that you exercise your eyes for 5 minutes for every 30 to 40 minutes of near vision work.