How to Improve Your Vision Naturally

Exercising Your Eyes

Practice blinking slowly and rapidly to help reduce eye strain. Blinking gives your eyes a brief rest and moisturizes them so they don’t dry out. Take 2 minutes and blink once every 30 seconds, making sure your eyes are completely closed before opening them again. After slowly blinking, spend another 2 minutes where you blink every 4 seconds. Repeat the process several times throughout the day to train your eyes to blink more. This is especially helpful if you focus on a computer or TV screen all day since your eyes get strained more easily. Be sure your eyes close completely when you blink, or else they may still get strained.

Trace a figure-8 pattern with your eyes to strengthen your eye muscles. Pretend that there’s a horizontal figure-8 shape about 6–10 feet (72–120 in) in front of you. While keeping your head still, follow along the figure-8 pattern using only your eyes. Continue tracing the pattern in one direction for about 2 minutes before changing following along in the opposite direction. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times daily to improve your eyes’ flexibility. If you can’t easily make a figure-8 pattern, try rolling your eyes instead. Keep your eyes open and move them around clockwise. After 1-2 minutes, switch to rolling your eyes counterclockwise for 2 minutes.

Shift focus from your thumb to something far away to improve vision. Hold your arm straight out in front of you and stick your thumb up. Focus on your thumb for about 5 seconds before changing your focus to something that’s about 15–20 feet (4.6–6.1 m) away to relax. Continue changing focus every 5 seconds for 2 minutes to improve your near sight. Practice outside or in front of a window so you can easily look out and choose something to focus on that’s far away. Keep your thumb out in front of you when you’re focusing on the far away object so it’s easier to refocus on. When you aren’t focusing on your thumb, it will look blurry in front of the far away object.

Move your thumb closer and further away from you to practice focus. Put your arm straight out in front of you and stick your thumb up. Pull your arm closer to your face, maintaining focus on it so it doesn’t go blurry. Stop when your thumb is about 3 inches (7.6 cm) from your face or until you see double. Slowly stretch out your arm again until your thumb is back in the original position. Repeat the process for at least 10 minutes to help you develop better focus.Tip: Choose a point on your thumb to focus on to make it easier. For example, you may focus on your fingernail or a freckle you have.

Hold your palms on your eyes for 5 seconds to relax them. Palming is a technique used to help relax your eyes when they feel strained. Rub your palms together for 5-10 seconds so they’re warm and then gently place them over your eyes while they’re closed. Take deep breaths while you cover your eyes for 1 minute. Try palming 2-3 times per day to help alleviate your eyes. Don’t apply pressure to your eyes since you could damage them.

Adjusting Your Diet

Eat dark leafy greens to get vitamin A. Fresh leafy greens are rich in vitamin A as well as lutein, an antioxidant that helps promote eye health. Include foods like kale, spinach, broccoli, and collard greens in your diet at least 3-4 times per week to improve your eye health. Enjoy the greens fresh or cook them to include with your favorite dishes. Vitamin A can also help reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Enjoy citrus fruits and other sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C can help decrease your chances of developing cataracts and also improve the circulation in your eyes. Snack on fruits and vegetables like oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, or apples to include it in your diet. Aim to get about 75-90 mg of vitamin C per day to have a healthy dose. If you have trouble eating enough food to get your daily dose of vitamin C, consider taking a supplement instead. Many vitamin C supplements are sold in your local drugstore.

Have foods high in fatty acids and vitamin D to help dry eyes. Omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamin D help fight against macular degeneration, which could lead to vision loss later in life. Enjoy servings of food like salmon, fish, walnuts, flax, and chia seeds about 3-4 times per week to keep a balanced diet. You can also find omega-3 fatty acid supplements at your local drugstore. EXPERT TIP Ritu Thakur, MA Ritu Thakur, MA Natural Health Care Professional Ritu Thakur is a healthcare consultant in Delhi, India, with over 10 years of experience in Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga, and Holistic Care. She received her Bachelor Degree in Medicine (BAMS) in 2009 from BU University, Bhopal followed by her Master's in Health Care in 2011 from Apollo Institute of Health Care Management, Hyderabad. Ritu Thakur, MA Ritu Thakur, MA Natural Health Care Professional Our Expert Agrees: You can improve your eyesight with a balanced diet that is full of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Try including leafy vegetables as much as you can and definitely eat more citrus fruits.

Look for foods high in antioxidants to help reduce the risk of cataracts. Foods like berries, chocolate, green tea, apples, and red wine all have antioxidants that can prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. Try to include foods with antioxidants in your diet at least 2-3 times per week to stay healthy.

Take lutein supplements to help improve your eye health. Lutein is an antioxidant produced by many fruits and vegetables that can help protect your eyes and reduce any degeneration. Check your local drugstore for a daily lutein supplement to include in your diet every day. Take the supplement with a glass of water either in the morning or evening. Consult with your primary care provider before taking new supplements to make sure it won’t have any adverse reactions with medications or medical conditions.Tip: You can also get lutein in your system if you eat foods like egg yolk, corn, bell peppers, zucchini, kiwi, and spinach.

Making Lifestyle Changes

Take occasional breaks from looking at TV or computer screens. Blue light from computers and TV screens can cause eye strain and dry eyes when you look at them for too long of a time. Try to take a 10-minute break every hour if you’re working at a computer so you can spend some time away from a screen. When you are sitting at your computer, make sure to blink regularly and turn down your screen’s brightness so you don’t have to strain them more while you work. Some computers have a setting that removes some of the blue light from your screen so it doesn’t cause as much strain on your eyes. You can also buy glasses that have protective lenses that reduce the amount of blue light you’re seeing.Tip: Practice the 20/20/20 rule when you’re in front of a computer. Take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something that’s 20 feet (6.1 m) away. That way, your eyes can readjust and won’t strain as much.

Wear sunglasses to reduce eye strain when it’s bright. Sun damage can lead to vision loss and make your eyes weaker over time. Put on a pair of sunglasses when you go outside when it’s bright and carry a pair with you wherever you go so you’re prepared. If you want more protection, choose wraparound sunglasses that also protect the sides of your eyes. If you don’t have sunglasses, then wear a hat or visor to protect your eyes from the sun. You can get prescription sunglasses or clip-ons that attach to regular glasses if you need them.

Avoid smoking to prevent optic damage. Smoking can lead to many vision-related problems, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, and optical nerve damage. If you don’t smoke, then avoid having any tobacco-related products. If you already smoke, reduce the number of cigarettes you have in a day and work toward quitting altogether. Not only can the chemicals inside cigarettes harm your vision, the smoke can dry out your eyes and make them strain.

Get a good night’s sleep to give your eyes a rest. If you don’t get enough rest during the night, your eyes will feel sore or dry throughout the day. Aim to get at least 6-8 hours of good rest each night to let your eyes relax and give them time to recover. Avoid using any screens for at least 30-60 minutes before going to bed since they make it harder to get a healthy amount of sleep. If you have trouble falling asleep, try wearing an eye mask or covering your windows with blackout curtains to make your room as dark as possible.

Have an annual eye exam to check your optical health. Eye exams are important to make sure your health hasn’t changed and any conditions haven’t worsened. Schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist at least once per year to check your vision and your eyes. Answer all of the questions honestly during the exam so you can get the most accurate results on during your tests. Ask your doctor about any techniques or exercises you can do to help improve your eye health as well since they may know more techniques.