We often hear about eye exercises that promise better vision, reduced eye strain, or even correction of certain disorders. But is it really possible to “build muscle” in your eyes as you would in your arms or legs?
Eye muscles: a very specific role
The eyes have six external muscles that allow them to move in all directions. These muscles are responsible for coordinating eye movements, tracking moving objects, and convergence when reading up close.
However, they do not directly influence the sharpness of vision. Visual clarity depends more on the cornea, lens, and retina.
Eye exercises: useful or not?
- For eye strain: some simple exercises, such as moving your gaze from a nearby object to a distant object, can help relax your eyes after long hours in front of a screen.
- For coordination: convergence exercises are sometimes prescribed by optometrists to treat a specific problem (e.g., convergence insufficiency, which can cause reading fatigue).
- To correct vision? No. Eye exercises do not cure nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. These disorders are related to the shape of the eye or cornea and require glasses, contact lenses, or sometimes refractive surgery.
When are exercises recommended?
They are especially useful in a supervised therapeutic context, such as orthoptics or binocular vision therapy. An optometrist can prescribe appropriate exercises to improve coordination or relieve certain discomforts.
How to take care of your eyes on a daily basis
Even if you can't “build muscle” in your eyes like you can in your biceps, you can adopt good habits to maintain your visual comfort:
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds.
- Blink more often to prevent dryness.
- Have good lighting when reading or working.
- See your optometrist regularly to screen for vision problems.
Yes, it is possible to exercise your eye muscles, but only in specific circumstances and for certain disorders. No, exercises are not a substitute for glasses and do not improve vision in the long term. The best strategy is to protect your eyes with good habits and regular checkups at your optometrist.
