Our vision is built for range. An average person can see a candle flame at more than 2.5km away. The Andromeda Galaxy is over 2.5m light years away, and we can see that as well.
Yet today, we spend much of our time looking at things that are less than an arm’s length away. We check out a sunset by looking down and a bit to the right. Or wherever we’re holding our phone.
This is a new habit for us as a species, and it seems we haven’t adapted to it very well.
Maybe that’s why in 2021, according to a study conducted by YouGov, almost 7 in 10 Australian adults reported feeling problems with their eyes, or headaches, after using phones, laptops, tablets and the like. The figure was even higher if they were working. In generational terms, those who spent the most time growing up with lots of little screens fared worst: gen Z reported the most headaches, sore eyes, dry eyes, and sensitivity to light after using screens.
Are your eyes tired after typing or scrolling? It could be because they work harder when focused on screens or close objects, says Greeshma Patel, a Specsavers optometrist who has an exercise just for that. Dry eyes? She has one for that as well.
While these moves alone can’t prevent eye diseases or the need for glasses, eye exercises can help minimise eye strain, says Patel, whose four exercises are handily illustrated below.
Expert exercises to help relax those eye muscles
Try incorporating these moves into your everyday routine. Each exercise aims to relax the eye muscles and may help alleviate focusing issues. However, remember to check in with your optometrist every two years or sooner, if you notice any changes.
1. Near and far focus shifting
“The purpose of this exercise is to relax the focusing muscles inside the eyes, which are working harder when we are focused on screens or close objects,” Patel says. Place something in front of your eyes (a finger will do) and focus on it, then switch your focus to a distant object across the room.
2. Mindful blinking
“Blinking is important for your eyes as it maintains the tear layer on the front surface of the eye,” Patel says. Mindful blinking may also lessen dry eye symptoms associated with extended screen time and close work. Relax your vision (don’t focus on anything in particular), then blink your eyes 10 times. You can vary the speed of your blinks and even close your eyes for a few seconds to really relax those peepers.
3. Distance gazing
“Taking regular breaks when doing near work may help prevent symptoms of eye strain from building up,” Patel says. The 20-20-20 rule is a good guide to resting your eyes when performing those near tasks for a long time. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something six metres away.
4. Pencil focus push-ups
When focusing up close, our eyes are required to turn inwards. “This is known as convergence,” Patel says. “If your eyes are having trouble converging, ‘push-ups’ can train our eyes to improve convergence and may help make near tasks more comfortable.” Hold an object (such as a pen), at arm’s length in front of your face and focus on the tip. Then slowly move the object to your nose, always focusing on the same point. Then return the object to a full length away again.
It’s important to consider other factors that might be playing into your eye strain, too.
Your posture may be a fundamental item to check out, says physiotherapist Marcus Mancer, who has been “seeing the changes” caused by screen use. To give a sense of why posture matters, Mancer cites a study on what happens to the neck when we tilt the head down, as we often do when texting. For an average body, a 15-degree forward tilt puts about 12kg of additional force onto the cervical vertebrae. A 30-degree tilt steps up that force to about 18kg.
Maybe that’s why the term “text neck” is gaining currency. Mancer, however, prefers the more general “tech neck”, as different screens can trigger different problems. When we look up at screens above eye level, for instance, it causes fatigue in eye muscles that are not designed to do that for long periods, he says – so we subconsciously give them a break by tilting our head back to look down our nose. That tightens our neck and shoulder muscles, which can cause all kinds of strain.
It’s not just about finding one good position. “We’re designed to move,” Mancer says.
For a quick reset at the desk, Mancer offers what he calls some “good old-fashioned mum and dad advice”. Sit up straight, keep your shoulders back (not aggressively), and tuck your chin in a little. “Roll up onto the bones of your bum” and “try to make the top of your head close to the ceiling”. Try holding that for five minutes at a time, a few times a day.
Up for more? Mancer has some simple exercises to rebalance an overtightened chest and underactivated back muscles. A favourite is the archery exercise. Pull back an imaginary arrow, alternating left and right sides, while keeping your neck still. Repeat as needed.
Mancer says you can also do a seated or standing rowing exercise using a stretchy resistance band wound around a pole in front of you, or a door handle. Holding the band in both hands, “pull back, bending your elbows, bringing shoulder blades back”. And if you have muscle knots, feel free to “annoy them” with a tennis ball or massage device. If discomfort doesn’t go away, Mancer recommends seeing a professional who can give hands-on treatment – but after that, “it’s got to be about behavioural change”.
How we eat is also important for eye health, says dietitian Dr Kirsty Seward. She advocates a diet with “lots of fruit and veggies to get antioxidants”. Vitamins C, E and A are really important, she says, citing the benefits of dark leafy greens. In your main meal, half your plate should be vegetables, ideally in three or four colours, she says – with orange-coloured vegies getting a special mention.
Timing matters as well. If you are staying up late on your phone and not getting a sound sleep, Seward says, it messes with your hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin, which are your hunger and fullness cues. That leads to cravings for salty and sugary foods, and can raise your cortisol. All this can cause weight gain, which Mancer says can make good posture harder to keep up. Basically, it’s all related.
At least there’s somewhere to start. Patel says: “Anyone can practise exercising their eyes.” It doesn’t matter whether you have an existing condition or no vision problems at all. As these exercises show, the best gym equipment for your eyes may be literally at your fingertip.
