Astigmatism is a common eye condition that causes blurred vision at close and far distances. While there are a range of different treatment options that can be most effective for astigmatism, there are some simple exercises you can undertake to reduce the effect of the condition.

Ophthalmologist South Yarra, Southbank, South Melbourne and beyond often discuss the benefits of a few handy eye exercises, and these three are designed to strengthen the muscles to improve your vision.

Let’s take a look at these eye-enhancing exercises.

#1 The fun one is first

This is actually a pretty fun way to improve the strength of your eyes muscles. Grab a piece of paper that is able to cover both your eyes. The paper should be long and wide enough to cover your eyes but not inhibit your side vision. It is a good idea to use thick paper or even cardboard so that you can’t see through it.

Now you’re ready to exercise:

1. Take off your corrective lenses.

2. Attach the paper to your forehead and just above the bridge of the nose with a piece of tape. You want to block your forward vision while allowing vision from the corners of your eyes.

3. Raise a hand up to the side of your eye where the paper finishes.

4. Without moving your head, try to see each finger from the corner of your eye.

5. Now do the same with the other hand.

6. Keep repeating this action until your eyes get weary.

This exercise aims to strengthen your muscles and improve peripheral vision. At first, this may be difficult for people with astigmatism who regularly work on the computer. However, it will become easier as you continue to practice.

#2 Varying focus exercise

This exercise uses the power of reading to help strengthen your eyes. But it’s not as simple as picking up the latest bestseller and kicking back for the evening. It involves reading from varying distances to train your eyes to read from up close and further away.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Without wearing your glasses, begin in a safe, seated position with your favourite book in hand.

2. Read the first page of your book before averting your gaze to an object that is situated a couple of feet away. It could be the bedside table, a pot plant, or a piece of art on the wall.

3. Now read the next page of text.

4. Now choose an object that is further away than the previous and stare at it for 30 seconds.

5. Continue to focus on near and then far objects in between reading pages of texts. Your eyes should soon feel tired.

Note: Be sure not to strain or squint your eyes when undertaking this exercise. If your eyes become tired or sore it is best to take a break from the exercise and return to it when they feel better. Soon, you should find that you can continue to undertake this exercise for longer periods of time. You know what it means when this happens? Your eye muscles are strengthening and your vision is improving!

#3 Where’s your head at?

If you struggle with astigmatism, you may oten tilt your head in different directions in order to see better. The cornea is uneven and creates an inaccurate perception of what it’s like to look straight ahead.

One easy way to reduce the impact of such health issue astigmatism is to notice when you’re tilting your head. If you continue to tilt to one side, you should try tilting to the opposite side of how you feel most comfortable. You won’t enjoy it at first, but this is because your eyes need strengthening and are in training. It may also be a good idea to ask a friend or family member to point out when you are tilting your head so that you can quickly redirect it to the opposite side.