Eyes are the medium which enables you to enjoy and explore the scenic beauty of this world. But at the same time it is equally important to take good care of them because they are very delicate and easy to loose their strength over the course of time as you grow old. Yoga has many wonderful poses and practices that are helpful to improve and maintain health of your eyes.
How is yoga good for your eyes?
Now days most of the children, youngsters and adults are spending their huge amount of time watching TV, Mobile, Laptop and other similar electronic gadgets. The harmful radiations and constant stress our eyes are facing can slowly but dangerously damage them and their vision capacity in a long run. Yoga for eyes has a bunch of powerful practices that help you to strengthen the eye muscles, aid in relaxing the nerves and improve eyesight for decades to come. A simple blinking exercise while using bright screens can give much-needed relief and can minimize the damage to a great extent.
Pupil Rotation
Sit in Sukhasana or Padmasana comfortably with your spine erect. Keep the right fist with thumb pointing upward in front of your eyes, keeping the elbow straight. Focus your gaze on the thumb. Move the thumb clockwise with your eyes and gaze following it. Repeat the process 5 times and do the same in an anti-clockwise direction. Repeat this entire process by lifting the left fist and gazing left thumb. This is highly beneficial to the people working long hours on computers and laptops. Moving your eyes clockwise and anti-clockwise safeguard them from any eye disorder or eye disease. Gives a good massage to the eye muscles improving their functionality.
Tratak
Tratak is a Shuddhi kriya or cleansing process. The literal meaning of tratak is to gaze continuously at an object. This is one of the best yoga for eyes, at the same time it is helpful to increase concentration and focal power.
Sit down comfortably, either in Padmasana or Vajrasana. Make sure that there is minimum light in the room and the place is quiet. Light a candle and keep it at a distance of about 2 feet from you. Gaze at the flame without blinking your eyes. Try not to waver your mind and thoughts, continue to look at the candle as long as you can. The longer you hold the gaze the better are the results.
Kapalbhati
Kapalbhati is a body cleansing kriya. Kapalbhati involves the breath and many more in it. It cleanses the various toxins from the body including carbon dioxide and removes the restlessness of the mind. It cleans the lungs, improves vision, and is a skull shining breathing exercise. Kapalbhati must be done on an empty stomach, preferably early in the morning or 3 hours after the food consumption. It can be done by seating in meditative yoga postures like Sukhasana, Padmasana as well as Vajrasana. Try to keep the back straight and body relaxed. If the person has a back problem or feels uncomfortable sitting straight for a long time then, it can be done by resting against the wall or even by lying on the bed.
Bhastrika
Bhastrika pranayama refreshes your physical and mental wellbeing. It improves blood circulation and increases blood and oxygen supply to the brain. Sit in Padmasana with spine erect, eyes closed. Take a deep breath and breath out forcefully through the nose. Inhale, exhale repeatedly, deeply, and fully. Use the diaphragm muscles with vigor as per capacity.
Sarvangasana
This pose requires you to hold the legs above your head. It is good pose to improve the blood flow towards your head, face and increases the oxygen supply to your eyes, and scalp. It helps to strengthen your hair roots, brings glow to the face, relaxes mind and improves the health of your eyes. Just like how your scalp gets benefits, when you flip over your head during sarvangasana or sirsasana, eyes also receive extra oxygen and nutrient-rich blood, which helps the sensory organs like eyes, ear, skin to work properly.
Padahastasana
Widely known as the hand over foot pose is an intense forward bend pose and categorized as the inverted yoga posture. Similar to the other inversion poses like sarvangasana or sirsasana, padahastasana also has immense benefits of filing up the upper part of your body with the nutrient rich blood and oxygen, which is responsible to improve your overall health including eye health.
Bakasana
Known as the crane pose in other terms, bakasana is other yoga pose that improves eyesight and strengthens it. It effectively reduces the puffiness around the eyes. As focus towards one point during this balancing pose, it increases your concentration, strengthens the eye muscles, and improves the eyesight.
All these yoga practices are highly beneficial in improving your eye health, and reducing the effects of ageing on your eyes. But always seek expert yoga instructors help for better performance of your yoga practices and follow the instructions of your ophthalmologist to maintain your eye care routine.