Posted on October 17th, 2011

Question: What postures or any special technique would you recommend to relieve eye's tension and tiredness.

Answer: Working the eyes in their full range of motion along with relaxation can be helpful in releasing eye tension, especially if the eyes are tired from continuous "fixed gazing" (prolonged reading or computer work).

You can work the eyes by sitting tall, keeping the head still, and slowing moving the eyes far to the sides of the sockets as though they are following the numbers on a clock. Another method is to "cut a pie into slices" with the eyes - move the eyes in straight horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines from on far point to the other.  The aim is to work the muscles of the eyes in their full range of motion.

You can also "work" eye muscles throughout your yoga practice. In postures like cat pose, cobra, lion pose and upward facing dog, send the eyes upwards following the line of the back arch. In relaxing poses and balances, focus on softening the eye muscles as your gaze remains steady, thus teaching yourself how to keep awareness with your sight, but not placing intensity in the eye muscles.

As a final tip, test to see if eye pillows are comfortable for you. If so, place an eye (even one that has been lightly cooled in the refrigerator) over the eyes during relaxation. Be aware that some people do find eye pillows too heavy for the eyes and can create discomfort. It is advisable to test the comfort of eye pillows for only a couple minutes at first. If the pillows are too heavy, you can try placing a cool folded cloth over the eyes instead.

Be aware of what might be causing chronic eye fatigue. Is it your environment, type of activities or occupation, or actual changes in health. Once you are aware of conditions that are negatively impacting your eyes, try to modify these conditions. Being proactive is far better that being reactive.

 Expert Q & A provided by My Yoga Online teacher and Co-Founder, Kreg Weiss.

Tags: Yoga Tips, Yoga, Wellness, Kreg Weiss, relax, Stress, health, yoga exercises, yoga expert, eyes

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