Imbunatatirea Vederii in Mod Natural

IMPROVE
YOUR VISION NATURALLY

THROUGH A HEALTHIER DIET, LIFESTYLE AND VISION EXERCISES
PUBLISHERS NOTE: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this ebook is complete and accurate. However, neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedure, and suggestions contained in this ebook are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your health professional. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. Neither the author not the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this ebook. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Copyrighted Material www.NaturallyImproveEyesight.com
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................2 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................8 CAUSES OF POOR VISION: FACTS AND FICTION ..........................10 MOST COMMON CAUSES OF EYESIGHT PROBLEMS....................12 HOW YOUR EYES WORK? .............................................................14 HOW TO INCREASE THE BENEFITS OF WEARING GLASSES IN A NATURAL WAY? ............................................................................16 PINHOLE GLASSES: DO THEY REALLY HELP IMPROVE EYESIGHT NATURALLY? .................................................................................18 VISION RELAXATION TECHNIQUES AND EXERCISES ....................20 VISION RELAXATION TECHNIQUES ...............................................22
The Benefits of Eye Relaxation .....................................................................................................................23 Easy Eye Relaxation Techniques ...................................................................................................................24 Palming Eye Relaxation Technique ...............................................................................................................24 Acupressure Eye Relaxation Technique ........................................................................................................24 Green Therapy ...............................................................................................................................................25 Contrast Hydrotherapy..................................................................................................................................25
VISION EXERCISES .........................................................................27

What to Expect After Doing Vision Exercises? .............................................................................................28 Before You Start Your Vision Exercise Routine ............................................................................................30 Copyrighted Material www.NaturallyImproveEyesight.com
The Candle Method Vision Exercise ..............................................................................................................32 Figure Eights Vision Exercise .........................................................................................................................33 Two Dots Vision Exercise...............................................................................................................................34 Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise ..........................................................................................................................35 Focusing Vision Exercise ................................................................................................................................37 Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise .....................................................................................................................38 Blinking Vision Exercise .................................................................................................................................40 Tracing Vision Exercise ..................................................................................................................................42 Zooming Vision Exercise: ...............................................................................................................................44 Diagonals Vision Exercise ..............................................................................................................................46 Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise ........................................................................................................................49 Up-Down Eye Movements Vision Exercise ...................................................................................................50 Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise .................................................................................................................52 Shifting and Swinging Vision Exercise...........................................................................................................54 Contouring Vision Exercise ............................................................................................................................56 3 Cups Vision Exercise ...................................................................................................................................58 Fusion Vision Exercise for Double Vision ......................................................................................................60 Near Far Focus Shifts Vision Exercise for Double Vision ...........................................................................61 Vision Exercises for Myopia ..........................................................................................................................63 Vision Exercises for Lazy Eye .........................................................................................................................65 Vision Exercises and Eye Charts ....................................................................................................................67
SELF-MASSAGE TECHNIQUES FOR BETTER VISION ......................68

The Body Swing .............................................................................................................................................69 Head Rolls ......................................................................................................................................................71 Finger Tapping ...............................................................................................................................................73 Eyelid Massage ..............................................................................................................................................74
Eye and Face Massage ...................................................................................................................................75 Occipital Point Massage ................................................................................................................................77 Energy Transfer Point Massage.....................................................................................................................79
VISION EXERCISE AND RELAXATION ROUTINES ..........................81

Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Nearsightedness (Myopia) .....................................................82 Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Farsightedness (Hyperopia) ...................................................86 Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Aging Vision (Presbyopia) ......................................................91 Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routines for Computer Vision Syndrome..................................................96
VISION AND DIET ........................................................................100

Improve Your Natural Vision with a Healthy Diet ......................................................................................101 What Is A Healthy Vision Diet? ...................................................................................................................104 Foods Beneficial for Eye Health ..................................................................................................................105 An Overview of the Essential Vision Nutrients ..........................................................................................107 Vitamin C: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources ..........................................109 Vitamin E: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources ..........................................111 Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources ..............113 Lutein & Zeaxanthin: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources .........................115 Essential Fatty Acids: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources.........................117 Zinc: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources....................................................119 How to Plan a Healthy Vision Diet? ............................................................................................................121 Fruits Beneficial for Eye Health ...................................................................................................................126 Vegetables Beneficial for Eye Health ..........................................................................................................128 Vegetable and Fruit Juices for Better Eyesight ...........................................................................................130 Meat and Fish Beneficial for Eye Health .....................................................................................................132 Herbs Beneficial for Eye Health ..................................................................................................................134 Natural Herbal Vision Remedies .................................................................................................................136 Copyrighted Material www.NaturallyImproveEyesight.com
Foods Bad for Your Vision ...........................................................................................................................138 5 Steps For A Successful Vision Diet ...........................................................................................................140 Healthy Vision Diet Checklist ......................................................................................................................142 Vision Menu Planning Tips ..........................................................................................................................144 Sample Vision-Friendly 7 Day Menu ...........................................................................................................146 Vegetarian Diets and Vision Concerns ........................................................................................................147
VISION AND MEDICATIONS ........................................................149

Medications Harmful for Your Eyesight......................................................................................................150
LIFESTYLE AND VISION ................................................................152

Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Eyesight Naturally ..............................................................................153 10 Habits for Better Vision ..........................................................................................................................155 How to Save Your Eyesight at the Computer? ...........................................................................................158 Should I Wear Computer Glasses? ..............................................................................................................160 3 Easy Tips for Creating Vision Friendly Working Environment ................................................................162 3 Vision Exercises to Help Your Eyesight at the Computer ........................................................................164
VISION AND POSTURE ................................................................166

How Posture Affects Eyesight? ...................................................................................................................167 5 Rules for Vision Friendly Body Posture While Standing .........................................................................169 Vision and Posture When Sitting and Lying Down .....................................................................................171 3 Balance and Coordination Exercises for Better Eyesight ........................................................................173
COMMON EYESIGHT DISORDERS ...............................................175

Myopia .........................................................................................................................................................176 Why Are So Many People Nearsighted? .....................................................................................................176 Causes of Myopia ........................................................................................................................................179 Myopia Symptoms .......................................................................................................................................182 Copyrighted Material www.NaturallyImproveEyesight.com
Natural Treatments for Myopia ..................................................................................................................183 Hyperopia.....................................................................................................................................................185 Causes of Hyperopia ....................................................................................................................................185 Hyperopia Symptoms ..................................................................................................................................186 Natural Treatments for Hyperopia .............................................................................................................187 Presbyopia ...................................................................................................................................................189 Presbyopia Causes .......................................................................................................................................189 Presbyopia Symptoms .................................................................................................................................190 Natural Treatment for Presbyopia ..............................................................................................................191 Cataract ........................................................................................................................................................192 Causes of Cataract .......................................................................................................................................193 Cataract Symptoms .....................................................................................................................................194 Natural Treatment for Cataract ..................................................................................................................196 Glaucoma .....................................................................................................................................................198 Causes of Glaucoma ....................................................................................................................................200 Are You at Risk for Glaucoma? ...................................................................................................................201 Open-Angle Glaucoma Symptoms ..............................................................................................................202 Narrow-Angle Glaucoma Symptoms ..........................................................................................................205 Natural Treatments for Glaucoma ..............................................................................................................205 Macular Degeneration.................................................................................................................................207 Macular Degeneration Causes ....................................................................................................................208 Macular Degeneration Symptoms ..............................................................................................................210 Natural Treatment for Macular Degeneration ...........................................................................................212 Dry Eye .........................................................................................................................................................214 Causes of Dry Eye ........................................................................................................................................215 Dry Eye Symptoms .......................................................................................................................................217 Natural Treatment for Dry Eye....................................................................................................................218 Copyrighted Material www.NaturallyImproveEyesight.com
Conjunctivitis ...............................................................................................................................................220 Conjunctivitis Causes ...................................................................................................................................220 Conjunctivitis Symptoms .............................................................................................................................221 Natural Treatment for Conjunctivitis .........................................................................................................223 Blepharitis ....................................................................................................................................................224 Blepharitis Causes........................................................................................................................................224 Blepharitis Symptoms .................................................................................................................................224 Natural Treatment for Blepharitis ..............................................................................................................225 Astigmatism .................................................................................................................................................227 Astigmatism Symptoms...............................................................................................................................229 Eye Exercises for Astigmatism.....................................................................................................................229 Double Vision ...............................................................................................................................................230 Causes of Double Vision ..............................................................................................................................230 Double Vision Symptoms ............................................................................................................................231 Natural Treatments for Double Vision .......................................................................................................232
VISION GLOSSARY .......................................................................234 EYE CHARTS .................................................................................238

Amsler Grid ..................................................................................................................................................238 Figure Eights Vision Exercise Chart .............................................................................................................239 Tibetan Eye Chart ........................................................................................................................................241
INTRODUCTION
As a person suffering from nearsightedness I had no clue about the possibility to naturally improve my eyesight. I firmly believed that my prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses or refractive eye surgery were my only options for improving my vision or at least for preventing it from getting worse. Reluctant to undergo a risky eye surgery and sick of wearing glasses, I decided to look for alternative methods that could help improve my eyesight naturally. During my research, I came across scary statistical data - according to the Vision Council of America nearly 75% of the American population suffers from some type of eye condition and approximately 64% of them wear correction glasses or correction contact lenses. Another interesting fact is that only 43% of the people actually know eyesight disorders can be prevented but rather view vision impairment as part of the normal aging process. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that many eye diseases require medical attention and need to be treated with correction eyeglasses, other eye treatments and eye surgeries, BUT there are also many other things that can be done to help naturally improve eyesight. Many factors influence vision quality. Lifestyle habits and diet are two that cause the greatest impact on natural vision. For that reason, making some small yet significant changes to the way we live, the type of food we consume and to our eating habits and are the basic ways to help naturally improve eyesight. There are also various other methods that can tremendously help naturally improve eyesight. Some simple eye relaxation techniques and vision exercises can have unbelievable effect on natural vision and not only prevent vision impairment but assist various medical treatments.
Probably the best thing about natural eye health care is that it is not limited to age, gender or ethnicity there are ways that can help improve eye health naturally for virtually anybody. Natural approaches to vision health are not in controversy with standard medial treatments too. Least but not last, you can help naturally improve eyesight without spending a fortune. In fact, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating correctly, taking time for eye relaxation and vision exercises are actually leading to improved vision and less medical bills. So, if you are eager to explore further how you can help eyesight naturally, read on. We have tried to compile useful information and practical advice about the ways you can keep your eyes healthy, relive the symptoms of the most common eye problems and improve your eyesight naturally.
Causes of Poor Vision: Facts and Fiction

Most of us are born with perfect natural vision. Unfortunately, age and lifestyle habits slowly damage our eyes until one day we find ourselves visually impaired. There are many causes for poor vision and you are surely aware of some of them. How to tell apart the facts from the fiction? How to be sure which things are really good or really bad for your eyesight? Being aware of the most common causes for poor vision can help you take the necessary steps to prevent many vision problems and/or stop the progression of existing eye diseases. Here are the most common facts and fiction about the causes of poor vision. Myth: Watching too much TV is bad for my eyes. Fact: Many eye care specialists believe that watching TV cannot really cause vision problems. Indeed, watching television for long hours without a break can make your eyes tired and even cause a headache. Luckily, that could be prevented by maintaining correct vision posture (page 155) while watching television and giving taking regular vision breaks. Myth: Excessive reading is not among the causes for poor vision. Fact: In fact, many studies have demonstrated that people who spend long hours reading as well as doing any other close-up eye work are more likely to develop myopia (nearsightedness). The risk of developing myopia becomes even higher if you read in bed or in a poorly lit room. Myth: The food I eat has nothing to do with my eyes. Fact: Quality, variety and types of food you consume have direct impact on all the organs in your body, including your eyes. Certain food products and food preparation
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methods have totally negative impact on eyesight and are among the causes of poor vision. On the other hand, there are foods greatly beneficial for vision health. Find out more about diet and vision on page 92. Myth: Carrots are greatly overrated. Fact: Carrots contain a great amount of vitamin A, one of the most important vision vitamins. Eating lots of carrots will not cure an existing eye condition but will greatly improve your general eye health and protect you from some of the most common age- related eye disorders. Myth: I dont really need to wear sunglasses. Fact: Sunlight is one of the leading risk factors of eye disorders that lead to severe visual impairment and blindness. Wearing sunglasses is imperative, especially for those who already have some type of eye problem. Myth: Squinting is a natural way to improve eyesight. Fact: Squinting is an accommodation technique that helps people with a focusing problem to see objects clearly. However, squinting cannot help improve eyesight naturally. On the contrary, it causes extra strain on the eye and eventually leads to worsening of the eye problem.
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Most Common Causes of Eyesight Problems

It may sound hard to believe but everything you do impacts your vision. Even the simplest things, like reading a book before you fall asleep, can influence your eye health. That is why, when talking about the most common causes of eyesight problems, we need to look at the big picture first. When it comes to eye health, the principle is: what is bad for your body is ultimately bad for your eyes. For that reason general health is one of the first things to look at. Are you healthy? Do you suffer from chronic illnesses and take medications on a regular basis? How often do you get ill? Poor general health is one of the top factors contributing to poor vision and the development of various eye diseases. Moreover, many over the counter and prescription medications are harmful for the eyes. Some lifestyle habits can also greatly impact your vision. Lack of physical activity, unbalanced diet, and smoking or alcohol consumption are among the most common causes of eyesight problems. Other most common causes of eyesight problems are:
Doing close-up work when you are tired. This includes just about any type of work that requires prolonged eye concentration, such as reading, writing, working on a computer and so no. Bad posture. One of the most overlooked reasons for poor eyesight is bad posture. Bad posture while reading, writing, working or even while watching TV is harmful for the eyes and negatively impacts vision in the long run.
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Fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lights are very energy efficient and are commonly used in most working areas and homes. However, fluorescent lighting and other modern energy saving lights may be harmful for your eyesight. Air conditioning. Air conditioning is a necessity nearly throughout the year. Despite all the positive sides of air conditioning, it has a bad effect on the eyes. Conditioned air is very dry and carries all sorts of dust and other airborne particles that directly damage the eye and ultimately lead to eye diseases.
There are many other things that can damage your eyes along with the most common causes of eyesight problems listed above. A great place to learn about them is to check out our section dedicated to Common Eyesight Disorders (page 164) where you can find detailed information not only about the cause of each vision problem but how you can help improve your eyesight naturally.
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How Your Eyes Work?

The eye is one of the most sophisticated organs in the human body. It is comprised of several important parts that function in a way similar to the way a movie camera works. To understand how your eyes work, you need to know what the basic structure of an eye is. The human eye is comprised of three main layers. The outermost one consists of the cornea (the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris) and the sclera (the white of the eye). The middle layer consists of the choroids (the vascular layer, providing oxygen and nourishment to the retina), the ciliary body (composed of muscles and specialized eye tissues) and the iris (the colored part of the eye). The innermost layer of the human eye is the retina. Inside these three layers are the lens and a clear fluid called aqueous humor. The structure of the eye is directly related to the way it functions. We begin to see when the light reflects from an object and enters the eye through the cornea. The cornea bends the light rays and directs them to the pupil. The pupil has two very important functions: it controls the amount of light that will pass further into the eye and directs the light rays towards the central section of the lens rather than to its entire surface. The iris controls the size of the pupil. The pupil can become smaller if our eyes are exposed to too much light or larger if we are looking at something in dim light. This
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ever-changing size of the pupil actually controls the amount of light that can enter the eye. Since the lens can produce much clearer image if the light rays hit its central section and much blurry image if the light rays fall on its sides, the pupil also screens peripheral light and directs the light towards the better-focused center. Next, the light rays pass through the lens. The lens can change its shape with the help of muscles in the ciliary body so that it can focus the light rays further before letting them reach the retina. The way the lens will bend depends on the distance of the object you are looking at. When you look at near objects, the lens bulges and when you look at distant objects, it flattens. The retina is comprised of millions light sensitive nerve cells called rods and cones. Cone cells are mainly located in the center of the retina (macula) and are responsible for our central vision, detection of fine details and color differentiation. The rods are located at the periphery of the macula and extend all the way to the outer edges of the retina. They have little if any role in color vision but they are almost entirely responsible for night vision. Rod cells are used in peripheral (side) vision and motion detection. Once the cells of the retina receive the light rays, they convert them into nerve impulses and send them to the brain through the optic nerve. It is in the brain where the nerve impulses are read and an image of what we see is produced. The quality of our vision depends on the integrity of all eye structures. Since they are so closely connected, even the slightest disorder in one of them may lead to poor eyesight.
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How to Increase the Benefits of Wearing Glasses in a Natural Way?

You have surely heard that wearing correctional glasses or contact lenses is absolutely unnecessary if you want to improve your eyesight naturally. Well, this is simply wrong. Before telling you how to improve your eyesight in a natural way, lets point out why wearing your prescription glasses or contact lenses while you are trying to improve eyesight naturally is important. 1. If you are nearsighted (unable to see distant objects) you are putting yourself at risk of injuries by not wearing your glasses or lenses outside your home and even while moving around your house. 2. If you are unable to see up-close objects, not wearing glasses actually diminished your possibility to read or do any type of close-up eye work. 3. Some eye conditions and diseases require wearing glasses or contacts because else your vision will deteriorate even more. In all of the above cases, and in many more, wearing glasses is important. So, you need to concentrate on the steps you should take to improve your vision naturally while you are still relying on traditional medicine treatments. There are various natural ways to help eyesight. Employing them will eventually make you rely less and less on your glasses or contacts and may even eliminate the need of special vision aids overall. Lets now explore some of the things you can do to help your eyesight while you are still using your glasses. Bilberry extract. A less known herb that can deliver great results in natural eyesight treatments. You can get a standard extract or special eye vitamins that contain Bilberry extract. You can also take a look at the chapter dedicated to Herbs Beneficial for Eye Health (page 125) to learn more about various other
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natural herbal remedies. Cut down the sugar and the salt. Both sugar and salt are unhealthy. They have bad effect on your general health as well as on your vision health. If you are seriously looking to improve your eyesight naturally, reduce the amount of sugar and salt you consume. This not only means to stop adding sugar in your tea, or to put less salt in the salad; it means to cut back the consumption of all types of sugary or salty foods (candies, chips and crackers, cured meats and so on). There are a lot more simple dietary changes you can make to help improve eyesight naturally. Interested to learn more? Read our chapter dedicated to Vision and Diet (page 92). Dedicate a few minutes to your eyes. Eyes are very similar to any other part of your body - the more we exercise them, the more fit and healthy they become. Dedicating a few minutes of your spare time to eye relaxation and vision exercising will help you to improve your poor vision. There are various relaxation techniques and vision exercises that can help your vision in all natural way. Check out our Eye Relaxation Techniques and Eye Exercises find numerous practical and simple methods to improve your eyesight naturally.
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Pinhole Glasses: Do They Really Help Improve Eyesight Naturally?

If you are interested in improving your eyesight naturally, you surely have come across sources advising pinhole glasses therapy. Due to the controversial information circulating around, we have decided to shed some light on this matter: is it really possible to improve your vision naturally by wearing pinhole glasses? First, lets see what exactly pinhole glasses are. Pinhole glasses, or stenopeic glasses, are eyeglasses that have an opaque material instead of lenses. This material is filled with pinhole-sized perforations. Each pinhole allows only a narrow beam of light to reach the eye. Since the light passes only through the center of the eye lens, any defects of the lens will not take effect while the light is focused in that way. That is why people suffering from various eye disorders, mainly myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness), will notice an improvement of their vision while wearing pinhole glasses. However, their peripheral vision will be reduced significantly. The temporary relief that a pair of pinhole glasses gives makes many people believe that wearing pinhole glasses will eventually lead to a permanent improvement of their vision in a natural way. Unfortunately, there is not enough scientific evidence in support of such a statement. How to make up your mind if pinhole glasses can help you cure your nearsightedness or farsightedness, help with blurred vision or another eye disorder you might have?
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It is a fact that while you wear such glasses you will see much better. This is due to the well known pinhole effect of the glasses. As Cherrill Hicks from The Independent points out pinhole glasses are used by optometrists (who are qualified to examine vision) as a sight aid where conventional glasses cannot help - in the case of a scarred cornea, for example. But they are not normally used where prescription glasses can be used, because they cut down on light, and cannot give as clear an image. It seems the bottom-line is that pinhole glasses may have a positive effect on your vision as they will help focus the light on your lens and will make the eye muscles responsible for adjusting the lens work harder and pull the lens in the right direction. Vision improvement achieved that way is largely due to the accommodation ability of the eyes and it may help improve vision only while you wear the glasses. However, if your eye disorder is due to some type of anatomical abnormality of the structures of the eye, you cannot expect permanent eyesight improvement by wearing pinhole glasses.
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Vision Relaxation Techniques and Exercises

Two of the basic approaches to improving eyesight naturally are improving eyesight naturally through vision relaxation techniques and improving eyesight naturally with eye exercises. Both vision relaxation techniques and eye exercises are designed to relieve the symptoms of some common eye disorders and may lead to better natural eyesight over time. A common concern regarding vision relaxation techniques and eye exercises is if they really work or are designed by people looking for quick profits. Although most relaxation methods and exercises are not scientifically approved, there are numerous real-life examples of their positive effect on eyesight. In fact the concept of relaxation as a method of enhancing health and well-being is not new at all. It is in the basis of one of the oldest practices for health - yoga. Up to date, there is hardly any conclusive medical evidence why different yoga techniques and exercises have positive effect on human health. However the facts remain: yoga has such effects. When we discuss vision relaxation and eye exercises, we must mention the founder of this concept. William Bates, MD was the first to discover that natural vision can be greatly benefited by different eye exercises and relaxation techniques nearly a hundred years ago. Until today, his studies and the results of his experiments are in the backbone of any modern developments in this area. Vision relaxation techniques and eye exercises can relive the symptoms of many of the most common eye conditions and prevent the development of other. Moreover, none of the relaxation techniques and eye exercises requires any expensive equipment or lots of time.
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In the following chapters we will explore various vision relaxation techniques and eye exercises that can help you promote general vision health, relieve the symptoms of some common eyesight disorders and improve your eyesight naturally.
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VISION RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

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The Benefits of Eye Relaxation

Imagine that you had to work nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week! Crazy as this sounds, this is what we put our eyes through on a daily basis. In fact, for almost all of us, the only time of the day when we truly relax our eyes is when we sleep. The rotation of work periods with times for relaxation is important to preserving our normal physical condition as well as our emotional sanity. This totally applies to our eyes too - similar to any other part of our body, our eyes need time for complete rest. Eye relaxation has numerous benefits. Taking a few minutes every now and than to fully relax your eyes removes the stress accumulated not only in them, but in your mind and body. It takes just a few seconds to take a deep breath, close your eyes and think of something positive to feel fully refreshed. Another great benefit of eye relaxation is that by relaxing our eyes we actually relax the eye nerves. Since they are connected directly to our brain, we actually relax the rest of the nervous system. The benefits of eye relaxation have their logical explanation. For instance, long hours of work on a computer lead to deterioration of the outer layer of the eye, the cornea. Eventually, this causes a condition known as Dry Eye - one of the most common eye disorders nowadays. Regular blinking and closing your eyes for a few minutes every hour are two simple eye relaxation techniques that can prevent it. Our eyes rest best in total darkness. You can close your eyes and cover them with the palms of your hands, or just switch off the lights in your room for a few minutes and you will notice that positive effects right away. Now that you know what the benefits of eye relaxation are, it is time for you to learn some easy and effective eye relaxation techniques.
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Easy Eye Relaxation Techniques

Here are some easy eye relaxation techniques that can be used throughout the day, both at home and at the work place. All of the techniques listed below are not only helpful for improving eyesight naturally but for reducing visual stress and thus lowering the risk of various eyesight disorders.
Palming Eye Relaxation Technique

This is one of the most effective eye relaxation techniques as it offers eye and mind relaxation at the same time. You dont need any special equipment to perform the technique. Here is how Palming Eye Relaxation is done: 1. Sit on a chair and make yourself comfortable. 2. Rub your hands until they warm up. 3. Close your eyes and cover them with the palms of your hands. Do not press over the eyes; just make sure no light can reach the eyelids. 4. Breath deeply, taking breathes at even intervals. 5. Stay like this for about three minutes.
Acupressure Eye Relaxation Technique

Acupressure massage is one of the best eye relaxation techniques, especially for those who spend long hour in front the computer or dealing with other close-up work. 1. Make sure your fingernails are not long so that you dont damage the skin of the eyelids during the massage. 2. Sit comfortably on a chair. 3. The first two points you will be massaging are located at both sides of the bridge of your nose. Use your middle finger and massage these points gently, with circular movements. 4. Next, massage the areas right under your pupils.
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5. The final massage spots are located at your temples. Apply the same gentle, circular movements used on the previous two massage areas. 6. The whole massage session should take about 3-5 minutes.
Green Therapy
This is probably the easiest of all eye relaxation techniques. All you need to do is spend a couple of minutes staring at something green located at a distance. Of all colors, green is tiring our eyes the least and this is why it is used for eye relaxation. In addition, our eyes relax while looking at far away objects. Give yourself a break and dedicate a couple of minutes per hour to look at a tree outside your building or at the plant in the far away corner of your room. If you wear glasses, take them off to allow your eyes to fully rest.
Contrast Hydrotherapy
Numerous hydrotherapy techniques have become quite popular due to their beneficial effect on the human body. Each hydrotherapy treatment is aimed at a specific part of the body or at specific group of organs. Some hydrotherapy treatments have purely relaxation purposes while others are recommended for relieving the symptoms of certain disorders or chronic illnesses. Several vision hydrotherapy treatments are known to have beneficial effect on eyesight. The following Contrast Hydrotherapy Eye Relaxation Technique is good for releasing vision stress and revitalizing the eyes. Moreover, according to the Medical Center at The University of Maryland, Contrast Hydrotherapy can be used as a natural way to prevent, delay or ease the symptoms of cataracts. Here is what you need to do: 1. Prepare two bowls of water: one hot and one cold. The hot water you will be using should be hot but not so hot to burn you. The cold water must be ice cold, so you can put several ice cubes in it.
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2. You will need two clean washcloths. Place one in the hot water bowl and the other in the cold-water bowl. 3. Close your eyes and place the washcloth from the hot bowl over your eyes. Keep it for about half a minute. 4. Remove the hot washcloth and immediately place the one from the cold bowl. Keep it for about 30 seconds. 5. Continue changing the washcloths for about 3 minutes. You can maximize the relaxation effect of this eye relaxation technique by performing it before or after any of the Self-Massage Techniques for Better Vision (page 66).
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VISION EXERCISES

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What to Expect After Doing Vision Exercises?

Vision exercises and vision relaxation techniques provide an excellent opportunity to give your eyes some extra care and thus to promote your vision health, preserve, protect and even improve your eyesight. The concept of doing vision exercises to address some of the most common eyesight disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, is not new. The benefits of vision exercises have been discovered nearly a hundred years ago and there are many people enjoying natural vision improvement due to vision exercises and different relaxation techniques ever since. If you are eager to improve your eyesight naturally by doing vision exercises, you need to know that each person is different. How fast and how much your eyesight will improve very much depends on the type of your vision disorder, its causes and your overall lifestyle and habits. You may notice a great improvement very quickly or figure out that certain vision exercises dont have the desired effect and try new ones. Even if your vision doesnt improve significantly, vision exercises and eye relaxation techniques are beneficial for a variety of other reasons: Reduce vision stress. Vision stress is an underlying cause of many unpleasant eyesight disorders. By reducing your total vision stress you will be promoting better vision. Moreover, by reducing vision stress you will delay the onset of various eyesight conditions or slow down the progression of vision disorders you might already have. Create healthy vision habits. By doing vision exercises you may not only expect an improvement of your eyesight but also you will slowly create healthier vision habits. You will get used to providing your eyes with time for relaxation, understand which viewing habits are unhealthy and learn how to protect and
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preserve your vision. Increase your overall awareness about vision. How the eyes work, what can influence eyesight in a good or in a bad way. Being aware of the most common eyesight disorders, their risk factors, causes and symptoms will definitely help you create and maintain a healthier vision-friendly lifestyle. Finally, if you are looking to reap out the full benefits of doing vision exercises, you need to know that you can expect results only if you make additional changes to your eating and lifestyle habits.
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Before You Start Your Vision Exercise Routine

There are a few things you need to take into account before you start doing vision exercises altogether as well as how to prepare for each eye exercise session. The following guidelines will teach you what you need to consider before you start. 1. Consult your eye doctor if you have any health related questions or concerns regarding your natural vision correction routine. Eye exercises are totally harmless and have no side effects however, talk to your ophthalmologist if you feel you need to. 2. Make sure you have a correct prescription. If you currently use prescription glasses or contact lenses, make sure you have a correct prescription. Wearing a wrong prescription while trying to improve your eyesight through vision exercises and relaxation may cause unnecessary eye strain and slow down your results. 3. Do not dispose of your glasses or contact lenses if you still need them to see clearly. Although you may notice an improvement of your vision once you start doing vision exercises, dont throw them away right away. Make sure you have a correct prescription instead. You can get rid of your correction glasses or contacts only after you are able to see well without them. 4. Make sure you understand the steps of each vision exercise you plan to perform. Whether you will opt for a complete vision exercise routine or just a couple of eye exercises, make sure know how to perform each eye exercise correctly. 5. Do not use prescription glasses or contact lenses during eye training unless specifically asked to do so. If you are unable to see an object or a chart as per
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vision exercises instructions, find a more comfortable viewing distance (i.e. move the chart closer or further away). 6. If you plan to make your own vision exercise routine or add eye exercises to one of the routines included in this book, make sure you relax your eyes before and after each vision exercise and at the beginning and at the end of the routine. You can use any or a combination of the Vision Relaxation Techniques listed on page 22 as well as the Blinking Vision Exercise on page 40. 7. Do not strain your eyes. If you feel eye discomfort while performing an eye exercise or if you are unable to perform an exercise in its full repetitions, do not push yourself. Each person progresses differently and you should not be worried if your eyes need more time to adjust. 8. Create a healthy exercise environment. Exercise in a well lit room but avoid glaring light. Any supporting materials (charts, objects, etc) should be well-lit too. 9. Choose the best eye training time. It is recommended to perform your vision exercise routine when your eyes are relaxed early in the morning, for example. If youd like to work-out during work or in the evening, make sure you relax your eyes very well before your eye exercise session. 10. Opt for a healthier overall lifestyle. Numerous lifestyle changes can help you to improve your eyesight naturally. Get rid of any unhealthy habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption, create and stick to a vision-friendly diet, start exercising regularly and make sure you work in a vision-friendly environment.
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The Candle Method Vision Exercise

The Candle Method is a vision exercise known to provide great results in improving eyesight naturally. It is specifically beneficial for those suffering from farsightedness (hyperopia). Here is what you need to do: 1. If you are wearing correction glasses or contact lenses, remove them. 2. Place the candle on a table and light it. Sit next to the table. Make sure the candle flame is at your eye level. 3. Your eyes should be about 4 feet away from the candlelight. 4. Relax your body but keep your spine and neck straight. 5. Close your eyes for a minute and relax. 6. Open your eyes and focus them on the candlelight. Stare at it for one minute without blinking. You may feel the urge to move your eyes or close them, but try to resist. It is normal if your eyes water as well, so dont panic. 7. After a minute, close your eyes again. Visualize the flame in your mind - imagine it is between your eyebrows. Hold on to its image as long as you can, then open your eyes and repeat step 6. 8. Repeat the exercise 3 or 4 times. 9. Finish with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. Once you start performing The Candle eye exercise on a regular basis, you can start to gradually increase its duration from one to four minutes. Remember to keep your eyes, face and body relaxed throughout the exercise. If you feel it is becoming hard to keep your eyes focused on the light, stop and make a short break.
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Figure Eights Vision Exercise

Figure Eights are one of the best vision exercises to improve eyesight because it helps improving eye muscles strength and eye muscles flexibility. It is one of the easiest vision exercises and can be done at any time of the day and at any place. Here is how to perform Figure Eights: 1. Place a chair three steps away from a wall (approximately 10 feet). 2. Imagine that there is a big figure eight, flipped horizontally, on the wall in front of you. 3. Start tracing the outlines of the figure with your eyes. You can go from its middle point left to right or vice versa, it doesnt really matter in which direction you will choose to trace the figure first. Do it slowly and work with your eyes only - remember to not move your head! 4. Once you trace the figure eight in one direction, stop and relax your eyes for a few seconds and trace it in the opposite direction. 5. Do the exercise four times. If tracing the figure eights four times makes your eyes tired, do not push yourself. Start with one repetition and increase the number of repetitions slowly until you feel comfortable doing the full number of repetitions. Another great vision exercise for improving eye muscle strength and enhancing eyesight is the Two Dots Eye Exercise.
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Two Dots Vision Exercise

Your eyes are pretty much like any other part of your body - they need exercising and relaxation to stay fit. By taking proper care of your eyes you ensure they will stay healthy for many years to come, thus providing you with great vision. The Two Dots vision exercise is a great exercise to use to achieve this and to improve vision naturally. The Two Dots vision exercise will not only help strengthen the muscles of your eyes but is an excellent eye and mind relaxation technique. The exercise is extremely easy to perform and doesnt require any special equipment. Here is what you need to do: 1. Place a chair about 10 feet away from a wall. 2. Sit comfortably, take a deep breath and relax. 3. Imagine two dots, approximately one and a half meter apart from each other on the wall in front of you. If you are having hard time imagining the dots, you can cut to medium sized circles out of colored paper and pin them to the wall. 4. Look at one of the dots for a few seconds than slowly move your eyes to the other dot. Look at it for a few seconds and slowly move your eyes to the first dot. 5. Repeat this for about three minutes, then close your eyes and relax. The Two Dots vision exercise can be done several times a day - when you feel stressed or tired, or simply when you have a couple of free minutes. It is perfect for anyone who want to enhance their natural vision and particularly for people who work on a computer or are involved in other types of activities requiring long hours of uninterrupted eye concentration.
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Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise

One of the most common causes of eye strain, reduced focusing abilities, general eye stress, burning sensation in the eyes, heavy eyes is actually a very simple one - tense eye muscles. Six muscles surround each of our eyes and make its movements possible. Every time we move our eyes up and down, to the left or to the right, a combination of these muscles work. When we focus our eyes on something, regardless of its location, near or distant, these muscles, along with the ciliary body, change the shape of the lens of the eye so that whatever you we are looking at come into focus. Long periods of constant staring and eye concentration wear out the eye muscles and make them tense and less flexible. The results are eye fatigue, reduced focusing skills and impaired overall visual acuity. According to a research performed by Peter Greene at Harvard University, holding our eyes in the same position hour after hour, day after day may lead to permanent change in the shape of the eye. And this leads to an array of various eye disorders, such as astigmatism. The following exercise is specifically beneficial for people suffering from astigmatism. Moreover, it is perfect for those, involved in close-up eye work or other activities that require long hours of uninterrupted eye concentration. Here is what you need to do: 1. Sit comfortably on a chair and relax your body. 2. Start by performing Palming Eye Relaxation Technique for about a minute. 3. Imagine your face is a clock - 12 oclock is at your forehead, 6 oclock - at your chin and 3 and 9 oclock - on your left and right cheeks.
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4. Start rotating your eyes clockwise: Move them up and look at number 12, then slowly move them to 1, 2, 3 oclock until you reach number 6. Keep on rotating your eyes until you reach upward position. 5. Repeat the above 10 times and make a short break. 6. Do the same 10 times but in counterclockwise direction. 7. Finish the Eyes Stretch exercise with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. People who have astigmatism can do this exercise while keeping their head bended to the direction into which eye movements are harder. For example, if you find it difficult to move your eyes to the left bend your head slightly to the left and perform the above exercise. The whole exercise should take you less than 5 minutes. However, remember to take your time and do it slowly. Breathe regularly throughout the exercise - dont hold your breath just because you are focused on moving your eyes. Do not worry if you are unable to complete the whole exercise in its 20 repetitions the first time you try. Your eye muscles need some time to adapt so eventually you will come around. Doing the Eyes Stretch vision exercise will keep your eye muscles relaxed and in perfect shape. It will reduce the pressure in your eyes and help you improve your eyesight naturally.
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Focusing Vision Exercise

The Focusing vision exercise is aimed at improving the focusing abilities of the eyes. It is great for those having troubles focusing at distant objects as well as for all, who feel eye fatigue. Since you will need to focus at objects located at different distances, the Focusing vision exercise is best performed outdoors. If you are unable to find an outdoor area with an unobstructed view of half a mile, you can perform the exercise at home, looking through the window. 1. At the beginning of the exercise you will be focusing on objects situated near you. Choose something at about three feet from where you are standing or sitting and start looking at it. Do not worry if you are unable to make out its contours perfectly the first time you try. Breathe slowly and calmly and look at the object until you can identify it properly. 2. The next step is to look at something situated further away. Go for an object placed approximately 30 feet away and look at it until you are able to see it well. 3. Once you have successfully completed the previous steps, focus on an object located at about 500 feet from where you are standing. Stare at it until you can make it out clearly. 4. The final step of the focusing exercise will require you to fix your eyes on something really far away from your position. Look at a distant object of your choice until you can see it clearly. Following the four easy steps above will help your eyes improve their focusing skills in a totally natural way. Do not get frustrated if you are unable to see far away objects the first time you try. Stick to this eye exercise and repeat it every day and you will surely notice some improvements of your eyesight.
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Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise

The ability of the eye to focus is essential for good visual acuity. This ability largely depends on the ability of the different eye muscles to flex and change the shape of the lens whenever needed. Many people find it difficult to see near or distant objects. Each these problems is a sign that the eye muscles have started to lose their flexibility and are no longer able to adjust and re-adjust the shape of the eye lens to quickly shift focus when looking from near to far or from far to near objects. A lot of factors contribute for the deterioration of the eye muscles - aging, poor diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, chronic alcohol consumption and so on. Long periods of uninterrupted eye work (reading, writing, working on a computer, etc.) can also greatly contribute to accumulation of tension in the eye muscles and vision deterioration. Fortunately, the following easy vision exercise can help you regain the natural health of the eye muscles and improve your vision naturally. Here is what you need to do: 1. Print the chart above on a piece of paper (available with this book and on page 228). It should be approximately 55 inches in size. 2. Hang a wall calendar on one of your walls (or print the chart on page 227) and pin it to the wall) and sit at about 10 feet away from it. If you need to, move closer to the wall chart until you see it clearly. 3. Keeping the small chart youve printed about 10 inches away from your eyes, concentrate on the number one. If you need to, move the little chart back and forth until you see it clearly.
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4. Once you see clearly the number 1 on the small chart, move your eyes towards the wall calendar and search the number one on it. Concentrate on it until you see it clearly. 5. Next, move your eyes again to the small chart in your hands and look at the number 2. Search for the same number on the wall calendar. 6. Repeat the same for all the dates in the month. The goal of this vision exercise is to remove the tension off your eye muscles, make them more flexible and regain their ability for fast focusing shifts. The exercise is a great way to reduce eyestrain and general vision stress as well.
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Blinking Vision Exercise

Do you know how many times on average a person blinks in one minute? Do you know how often you blink during your regular daily activities? Do you know why blinking is of utmost importance for general eye health? Blinking is an unconscious reflex that involves rapid closing and opening of the eyelids. Although it seems like a minor thing, blinking is of vital importance for eye health. Every time we blink a thin layer of tears is spread across the surface of the eye - the conjunctiva and the cornea. This layer moisturizes the eye, lubricates it and removes various irritants. On average, a healthy adult blinks between 10 and 12 times per minute. However, the number of times we blink goes down drastically when we focus our eyes on something. People involved in activities that require uninterrupted eye concentration on an object, for example when reading, watching TV, working on a computer and so on, blink only 3- 4 times per minute or nearly 60% less than the normal rate. This not only causes extra stress on the eyes and eye muscles but also increases the risk of developing various eye diseases, and particularly Dry Eye. Blinking as a vision exercise will help you improve eyesight naturally and will provide you with the following benefits: It will relax your eyes. It will lubricate them, preventing Dry Eye condition or reliving its symptoms. It will strengthen and improve the flexibility of your eye muscles.
Blinking is one of the easiest vision exercises; it can be done several times per hour, virtually anywhere. Here is what you should do:
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1. Remove your eyeglasses or contact lenses. 2. Close your eyes for a second and relax. 3. Blink 15 times rapidly. Do not put extra tension on your eyelids or your face. Try to blink lightly, as if your eyelids are the wings of a butterfly. 4. Close your eyes for a second and relax. 5. Repeat the exercise twice. Blinking eyesight exercise is a great way to remove your vision stress. Remind yourself to do it at least once per hour and you will notice an improvement of your vision almost immediately.
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Tracing Vision Exercise

The ability of the eyes to focus near or distant objects and to see them clearly is largely due to the action of the eye muscles. These muscles, along with the ciliary body (the circumferential tissue inside the eye), bend and flex the lens of the eye every time you are looking at something and bring it into focus. Normally, the eye muscles and the ciliary body change the shape of the lens more than a hundred thousand times a day. In healthy eyes, the eye muscles have no troubles to adjust and re-adjust the lens whenever its needed. However, staring at objects for long periods of time without a break puts an enormous strain on these muscles. Eventually, they loose their flexibility, eye movements become more rigid and we start to find it difficult to focus and make out things clearly. For instance, long hours of reading makes the muscles used to adjusting the lens only for near vision; they change its shape only that much and we start to experience troubles seeing things at distance. Fortunately, this easy vision exercise can help your eyes in a natural way. Tracing the contours of various objects is a simple yet effective way to improve your eyesight naturally. The Tracing Vision Exercise is good for people with nearsightedness, farsightedness or presbyopia. In healthy eyes, it promotes eye health by reducing the tension in the eye muscles and maintaining their flexibility. Here is what you need to do: If you are inside: 1. Take off your glasses or contacts. 2. Close your eyes for a second and relax. 3. Start tracing the outlines of the objects around you. You can trace the outlines of virtually everything that is in the room - the picture on the wall, the table, the TV
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set and so on. Follow the contours of each object slowly, as if you want to draw it with your eyes. 4. Finish if with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique or the Blinking eye exercise. If you are outside: 1. Find a convenient location. 2. Take off your glasses or contacts. 3. Close your eyes for a second and relax. 4. Find a building or another object located in the distance and trace its outer contours with your eyes. Next, start tracing its windows and entrance. 5. Move your eyes to an object located half the distance of the first one. Trace its contours and the outlines of its details the same way you did with the first object. 6. Finally, move your eyesight towards something situated near you. Trace it the same way you did before. 7. Finish with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique or with the Blinking vision exercise. The whole exercise should take you approximately 3 minutes. It is a wonderful way to take a break from your work and give your eyes and your mind a couple of minutes to relax.
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Zooming Vision Exercise:

One of the most common eye disorders, especially among people in their forties, is presbyopia. The condition is characterized by reduced capabilities of the eyes to focus properly. There are several causes of the condition. The two main culprits are the reduced elasticity of the lens and the loss of power and flexibility of the ciliary muscles (the eye muscles that bend and straighten the lens). A great natural way to improve the focusing capabilities of your eyes is the Zooming vision exercise. Here is what you need to do: 1. Sit comfortably on a char and relax. 2. Stretch out your arm with your thumb in the hitchhike position. 3. Focus your eyes on your thumb. 4. Start bending your arm and moving your thumb closer to you slowly. Dont let your thumb out of sight - keep your eyes focused on it. 5. Bring your thumb closer and closer until it is about 3 inches away from your eyes. 6. Keep it there for a couple of seconds and start moving it away from your face. 7. Move your thumb away slowly until your arm is fully outstretched again. You can do this vision exercise several times a day. Since it takes just a minute or two to complete, you will be able to practice it at home or at your workplace. The Zooming Vision Exercise will enhance your focusing skills, strengthen your eye muscles and improve their flexibility in a totally natural way.
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Diagonals Vision Exercise

Our eye muscles work virtually all the time we are awake. They are responsible not only for moving the eyes up and down, left and right, but for focusing or seeing every single object we look at. A well-known fact is that eye muscles are created several times stronger than what they actually need to be to do their job. Nevertheless, putting constant pressure on them by not letting the eyes to relax eventually leads to deterioration of their strength and flexibility. Weak eye muscles ultimately contribute to an overall feeling of eye strain and eye fatigue as well as to the development of various eyesight disorders. One of the easiest ways to take care of your eyesight naturally is to take care of the muscles responsible for it. The following simple exercise is designed to help you preserve the flexibility of your eye muscles. It will also enhance your focusing ability and your central vision. Least but not last, the Diagonals Vision Exercise is a great way to release the tension and relax your eyes, neck and head. Take a look at the image on the left. You will need a similar chart for performing the Diagonals eye exercise. You can print the chart you received with this book or create your own chart on a standard sheet of paper. 1. Pin the chart on the wall or stick it to the door. 2. Stand or sit approximately 10 feet away from it (you can adjust the distance according to your visual range). 3. Make sure the center of the chart is at the same level as your nose. Sequence I:
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First, you will be moving your head between the top left, top right and bottom right dots of the chart. 1. Look at the top left dot on the chart; point it with your nose. 2. Slowly move your head from left to right until your nose is pointing the top right dot. 3. Continue moving your head down until your nose is aligned with the bottom right point. Now, find the bottom left dot of the chart. 1. Point it with your nose and move your hear to the right until it is aligned with the bottom right dot. 2. Move your head back to the bottom left dot. 3. Move your head up until your nose is aligned to the upper left dot. Sequence II: Once you complete the above sequence, take a minute to relax and proceed to the next sequence of movements: 1. Point your nose to the top left dot. Start moving your head towards the top right dot until your nose is aligned with it. 2. Without interrupting the smooth movement of your head, slide your head diagonally down toward the bottom left dot. 3. Once your nose is centered at it, move your head to the right towards the bottom
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right dot. 4. Do not stop; slide your head diagonally upwards until your nose is pointing at the top left dot. 5. Repeat the movements but reversing their order (start from the top right dot). Sequence III: Take a couple of seconds to relax and proceed to the final set of movements: 1. Point your nose at the top left dot and start moving your head to the right until your nose is pointing towards the top right dot. 2. Move your head down until your nose is pointing at the bottom right dot. 3. Move your head to the left and once your nose is aligned with the bottom left dot, continue moving your head upwards until your nose is pointing at the top left dot. 4. Repeat in the opposite direction. Once you have completed the vision exercise, relax for a minute and repeat the same movements, this time moving only your eyes. Do not forget to breathe regularly during the whole exercise. Holding your breath will decrease the oxygen supply to your head and eyes and will diminish the positive effect of the eye exercise.
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Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise

Do you know that our vision system needs nearly 30% of the oxygen we inhale in order to function properly? One of the best ways to make sure it is getting enough oxygen is to make sure that all of its components are receiving enough blood supply. Poor blood supply is one of the main causes of the various eye disorders. Nevertheless, problems with blood supply to the head cause fatigue and drowsiness. The following vision exercise is one of the simplest ways to increase the blood flow to the head, face and eyes and to relax your eyes. Eye Squeezes are perfect for those victims of the squinting habit. Squinting is an accommodation technique allowing shortsighted people to see clearly distant objects. Although many preach this is a natural way to improve your eyesight, the truth is squinting can only lead to worsening of your vision problem. Here is what you need to do: 1. Take a deep breath and exhale. Relax your neck, face and eye muscles. 2. Start inhaling slowly and squeezing your facial muscles, your eyes and clenching your jaw tightly at the same time. 3. Keep on squeezing until you inhale deeply - it should take about 3 seconds. 4. Exhale rapidly releasing the tension of your eyes, face and jaws by opening your mouth and opening your eyes widely. 5. Relax your eyes and your face. You can practice Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise virtually everywhere and you need only about a minute to complete it.
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Up-Down Eye Movements Vision Exercise

Eyestrain (asthenopia) is an extremely widespread eye problem. Surprisingly, it is also one of the eye disorders that are often left undiagnosed and untreated. Probably this is due to the fact that eye strain doesnt manifest itself with specific symptoms; tiredness, headaches, moments of blurred vision, difficulties focusing and momentary pain in or around the eyes may all be symptoms of eye strain. The signs of eyestrain usually surface during a visually intense work such as reading, staring at a computer screen, writing or any other task requiring uninterrupted eye concentration. The good news is that there is a simple natural way to prevent eyestrain and to relieve its symptoms. The following vision exercise is particularly aimed at those suffering from eyestrain as well as for anybody exposed to visually intense work. Moreover, this exercise is beneficial for our eyesight in general - it relaxes the eyes and releases the accumulated vision stress. Here is what you need to do: 1. Sit comfortably on a chair and relax your back, neck and face. Try to maintain an up straight position and dont let your back sag down. 2. Face forward, take a deep breath and look straight ahead. 3. Slowly move your eyes up as high as they can go. If you find it difficult, try to imagine there is something between your eyebrows and you are trying to see it by moving your eyes upwards.
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4. Next, move slowly your eyes down, as far as they can go. This time you can imagine you are trying to see your mouth. 5. Return your eyes in their normal position. It is of utmost importance to keep breathing while doing the exercise. Remember to keep your head still and your head and neck muscles relaxed. You can start by doing this vision exercise once or twice and gradually increase the number of repetitions to ten. For better result, perform the Up-Down Eye Movements Vision Exercise along with the Two Dots Vision Exercise.
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Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise

Ancient Eastern medicine has recognized the benefits of vision exercises as a way to improve eyesight naturally thousands of years ago. One of the most popular eye exercises, the Tibetan eye chart, provides you with the opportunity to enhance your vision in a totally natural way. Here is what you need to do: 1. Print the Tibetan eye chart (p. 225) on a sheet of paper. 2. Stick it to the door or pin it to the wall. Make sure you position it at such height that when you sit in front of it its central dot is at the same level with your nose. 3. Remove the glasses or contact lenses you are wearing and sit at about 10 inches from the Tibetan eye chart. 4. Start with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. The aim is to relax your eyes and your mind, which will increase the benefit of the exercise. 5. Start by moving your eyesight slowly clockwise on each dot of the outer circle of dots. 6. Take a second to relax your eyes and repeat the movement but counter clockwise. 7. Next, move your eyes several times back and forth between the dots at 2 and 8 oclock. 8. Finally, move your eyes several times between the dots at 4 and 10 oclock. 9. Blink several times briskly. It is recommended to learn the blinking technique explained in the Blinking vision exercise. 10. Finish with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. The Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise will strengthen your eye muscles and enhance their flexibility. It is particularly helpful for reducing eyestrain and lowering the stress
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levels in the whole body. Practice this vision exercise every morning and you will shortly notice a great natural improvement of your eyesight.
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Shifting and Swinging Vision Exercise

Shifting and Swinging vision exercises are two of the firstly discovered natural ways to improve eyesight and treat some of the most common eye disorders - nearsightedness and farsightedness. They are also in the backbone of most modern techniques for natural vision enhancement. We have tried to capture the essence of the popular Shifting and Swinging techniques and present it to you in a simple, easy to follow exercise structure. Our eyes are comprised of various structures and tissues, which, by working together, allow clear vision. In essence, perfect vision is possible when the eye focuses on a certain point. The continuous shifting of the eyes focus provides good vision. In healthy eyes, the process of shifting is fast and effortless. In eyes affected by some eye disorder, the process of shifting the focus from one point to another becomes difficult; the eyes needs longer period of time to produce focus on the objects you observe. One of the best ways to improve eyesight naturally is to train the ability of the eyes to shift their focus. Here is what you need to do: 1. You have received a high-resolution copy of the Snellen vision chart along with this book. Print the chart in a way that the biggest letter E at the top of the chart is 88,7 mm tall. Alternatively, you can purchase a Snellen vision chart from a local bookshop or online.
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2. Hang it on a wall and sit 6-10 feet away from it. You can adjust the distance according to your current visual acuity. For instance, people with myopia may need to sit closer and people with hyperopia may need to sit further away. 3. Look at the first letter of a line of the chart. You can start with a letter from any lines as long as you are able to see it clearly. 4. Move your eyes to the last letter of the same line. You will notice that once you focus your eyesight on the second letter, you will not see the first one as well as before. 5. Now, look back at the first letter. You will notice that now you dont see the second letter as good as before. 6. Shift your eyes between the two letters 6-10 times or until you can see both letters clearly. You can also practice the exercise with letters of different size. For instance, pick a letter from the second line and another from line 5. Focus on the bigger letter then move your eyes to the smaller one. Repeat 6-10 times and you will notice that your vision improves and you are able to see both letters perfectly. The Shifting exercise can be practiced without the Snellen char as well. You can choose two objects to shift your eyesight between - these can be two cars parked outside your window or two of windows of a nearby building. Enhancing your vision in a natural way takes determination, so make sure you are doing your vision exercises regularly. For best results, combine the Shifting and Swinging eye exercise with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique.
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Contouring Vision Exercise

The following vision exercise is very beneficial for developing better coordination between your eyes and your mind. It offers you a natural way to improve the focusing abilities of your eyes. In addition, the Contouring vision exercise is a great way to relax your eye muscles and to let go of some of the vision stress your vision system has accumulated. You can practice the exercise with the picture we have provided or with just about any picture, wall painting or poster. We recommend using a picture portraying a beautiful relaxing scene - this can greatly increase the benefits of the exercise. For training purposes, we are going to use the image on the left, but one again - you can use any image of your preference. Here is what you need to do: 1. Sit or stand in front the image. 2. Relax your eyes, face, neck and shoulders. 3. Imagine you will be contouring all the objects you see on the picture in front of you with a pencil extending from the tip of your nose. 4. Start by tracing the contours of the horizon and the coastline. Move your head and eye slowly and keep on breathing. 5. Next, follow the contours of the buildings on the beach. Once again, you should move your head and your eyes simultaneously.
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6. Move on to the front objects in the picture - the boat in the sea, and trace her contours with the imaginary pencil. 7. Finish by tracing the smallest objects in the image - the two tiki houses. Now close your eyes and imagine the picture you have just drawn. Keep your eyes closed and hold on to the image. Trace the contours of all of its elements with your eyes only. What you will be doing is moving your closed eyes over the contours of all the objects of the picture you have just traced. A good way to complete the whole exercise is by relaxing for a minute using the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique.
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3 Cups Vision Exercise

The following eye exercise is aimed at improving distant vision in case of nearsightedness and double vision. It is also an excellent eye relaxation exercise that helps reduce eye strain and vision stress. Take a look at the image below you can either draw a similar image on a piece of paper or print out this one (this image is available at page 226). You will also need a pencil.
Here is how you should perform the 3 Cups Vision Exercise. 1. Pin the chart youve created to the wall and sit on a chair 10-22 inches away. Make sure that the picture is at eye level. 2. Hold the pencil vertically between the circles and align its top with the top of the circles. 3. Initially, the pencil should be an inch away from the image. Focus your eyes on it and start moving it slowly towards your face. Do not let it out of focus. 4. Keep moving the pencil towards your face until the two circles start to look like the image on the right.
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5. Once you see the third circle clearly, focus your eyes on the middle circle and start moving the pencil away from your face and towards the chart. Do not worry of you are unable to see the third circle the first time you try this exercise. It is also quite likely that you will not manage to keep your focus on it initially. Do not worry - just keep on doing the exercise and eventually you will get it right.
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Fusion Vision Exercise for Double Vision

The following vision exercise is aimed at improving binocular vision and can help the symptoms of double vision. It is a simple exercise that you can incorporate in your current natural vision correction routine. For best results, try to do the exercise five times and finish with Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. Here is what you need to do: 1. Get two identical coins and a pencil. 2. Place the coins on the table at about 2 inches apart. Make sure they face at the same direction and are properly aligned. 3. Sit in front of the coins and place the tip of the pencil on the table between them. 4. Focus on the tip of the pencil and start moving it up towards your nose. You should see the coins with your peripheral vision but your eyes should remain focused on the pencil. 5. When the tip of the pencil is about 8 inches away from your nose, you should see that the coins double (you should see four coins through your peripheral vision). 6. Keep on moving the pencil slowly away from the table until the central two images merge into one (you should see three coins). 7. Hold to the fused image for about 15 seconds and than slowly close your eyes. 8. Finish with Palming Eye Relaxation Technique.
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Near Far Focus Shifts Vision Exercise for Double Vision

The following eye exercise is aimed at strengthening the eye muscles and exercising the ability of the eyes to shift their focus between objects simultaneously. There are two variations of the exercise and you can do the one that you find easier or more pleasant. Option I: 1. Place an object about 10 feet away from you. 2. Take a pencil and sit comfortably on a chair. 3. Start with Palming Relaxation Technique (p. 26). 4. Lift the pencil at your eyes level, approximately 6 inches away from your face. Focus your eyes on it and stay focused on it for 10 seconds. 5. Shift your focus to the distant object and keep looking at it for about 10 seconds. 6. Look back to the pencil and focus your eyes on it for about 5 seconds and then close your eyes. 7. Repeat 10 times and finish with Palming. Option II: The Near-Far Focus Shifts Vision Exercise can be done together with the Fusion Vision Exercise for Double Vision. Make sure you have mastered the Fusion Vision Exercise and have no problem creating and holding to the fused image prior to trying both exercises together. Essentially, what you will be doing is using the fused central image as the near object for the focus shifts. Here is what you need to do:
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1. Place an object about 10 feet away from you. 2. Get two coins and a pencil, sit next to a table and start performing the Fusion Vision Exercise for Double Vision. 3. Once youve created the central fused image and have stayed focused on it for about 5 seconds (step 7 of the Fusion Vision Exercise for Double Vision), shift your focus to the distant object. Hold it while counting to ten and close your eyes. 4. Repeat the steps above 5 times and finish with Palming Relaxation Technique.
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Vision Exercises for Myopia

Myopia (nearsightedness) is probably the most common eye disorder. People with myopia have difficulties seeing clearly distant objects. At first it is hard to make out things situated far from us but as the disease progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to see at even closer range. Usually, myopia is treated with correction glasses or contact lenses. Modern laser eye surgeries provide another treatment alternative. The problem with both common treatment options is that they are not really addressing the cause of the disorder - the inability of the eye muscles to adjust the shape of the lens to focus at distant objects. Several beneficial vision relaxation techniques and eye exercises can help people nearsighted people to see better. One of the best relaxation techniques for myopia is the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. It is an easy yet efficient way to give your eyes a break and release the tension accumulated in your eye muscles. Since nearsightedness is closely related to the function of the eye muscles, vision exercises aimed at improving their flexibility can help improve eyesight naturally. You can choose any of the following eye exercises: Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise (p. 51) Tracing Vision Exercise (p. 42)
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People with myopic eyes often have the nasty squinting habit. Squinting allows nearsighted people to see distant objects better. There is a common misconception that squinting is a natural way to improve eyesight however this is totally wrong. In fact, squinting only puts extra strain on the eye muscles and leads to progression of the disorder. You can take a look at the Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (page 48) - it offers a natural way to get rid of the squinting habit. As you can see, there isnt just a single eye exercise for myopia. You should practice all or combinations of the exercises suggested above and track your progress. Eventually, you will be able to see which provide best results and stick with them.
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Vision Exercises for Lazy Eye

Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is an eye disorder that usually develops in early childhood. It is characterized by the inability of one or both eyes to transmit the images they see to the brain. In some cases the images are transmitted much slower than normally, in other cases they are poorly transmitted in general. Lazy eye may also develop when one of the eyes has poor refractive power and the brain excludes it from the visual process. Lazy eye can be treated if detected early enough. Common treatments of the condition involve wearing prescription glasses, wearing an eye patch on the good eye and vision therapy. There are many eye exercises that can help people with amblyopia restore their vision in completely natural way. Here are a few suggestions: Eye Patch. Use eye patch for the good eye (the one doesnt affected by amblyopia). This way you will be forcing the weak eye to work harder and to improve its communication with the brain. It is hard to start wearing an eye patch all at once, which is why you can start by covering your good eye for 30 minutes three times a day and gradually increasing the duration. Exercises to naturally improve lazy eye. There are three main exercises that you should regularly do: Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)
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Tracing Vision Exercise (p. 42) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35)
All of the vision exercises listed above must be done while the good eye is covered with an eye patch. They are specifically beneficial for lazy eye as they stimulate and improve the focusing abilities of the bad eye, training its central and peripheral vision and its eye muscles. These eye exercises are suitable for both children and adults and can effectively help the treatment of amblyopia in a safe, natural way.
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Vision Exercises and Eye Charts

Anybody using vision exercises to improve their eyesight naturally must use an eye chart as well. An eye chart will give you an accurate estimation of your eyesight improvement progress and will help you decide which vision exercises work best for you. There are various eye charts you can use. We recommend you one of the most commonly used eye charts in the US the Snellen visual acuity chart, provided with this book. You can use it to self-test your vision and to track your natural vision improvement progress after doing your vision exercises as well as to train your eyes to see better in a natural way. Here is how to use the chart: 1. Print the chart and make sure the largest letter E at the top of the chart is 88.7 mm tall. 2. Place the chart 20 feet away from you and start reading it from the top line to the bottom lines. 3. Make notes every time you use the eye chart. Write down which lines of the chart you are able to see clearly, which you dont see well and which you are unable to see at all. 4. Test the natural improvement of your vision once a week, after you have completed your eye exercises. Vision exercises can do a lot for improving your eyesight naturally. To follow your progress accurately, you not only need to test your vision acuity with the Snellen chart on a regular basis, but to understand how the results are interpreted. People with healthy eyes and normal vision (referred to as 20/20 vision) should be able to read line 8 of the chart from 20 feet distance. Those with slight vision problems should be able to read three lines above (line 5) from the same distance. As you can see,
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the size of the letters you are able to clearly see from the same distance (20 feet) indicates the condition of your eyesight.
SELF-MASSAGE TECHNIQUES FOR BETTER VISION
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The Body Swing

The following Body Swing exercise is not really a self-massage technique but is an excellent way to warm up your upper body and prepare it for any of the vision massages we have offered in our self-massage chapter. In addition, the Body Swing exercise has positive effect on your eyesight as it improves the flexibility of your eye muscles and helps you regain the natural movement of your eyes. Here is what you need to do: 1. Stand with your legs a little wider than your hips. Relax your body but keep good upright posture. Slightly bend your knees. Your arms should stay relaxed on both sides of your hips. 2. Start swinging your upper body from side to side. You should swing your head, neck, shoulders and chests at the same time. 3. Keep your head straight and face into the direction of your body movement. 4. Let your eyes follow your motion. You must not try to focus on anything - avoid staring at the walls or at the floor. Try to relax your eyes and to move them effortlessly and smoothly. If you notice the room seems to stand still and your eyes are jumping from one object to another as you swing your body, this will be a sign that your eyes are trying to focus. Stop, close them for a second and try again. 5. Keep on swinging for about three minutes; take a minute break and repeat. It is very important to keep breathing throughout the whole exercise - do not hold your breath! It is possible to experience shortness of breath the first time you do the Body Swing exercise. If this happens, stop for a minute or two and continue. The Body Swing exercise is easily combined with our Head Rolls exercise. It is recommended that you perform these two exercises one after another at least once a day.
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Head Rolls
One of the general causes of the majority of serious eye diseases is related to poor blood supply to the eye nerve and the various tissues and structures comprising the eye. Luckily, this problem can be overcome with some easy vision exercises to improve eyesight. We strongly recommend the following exercise as a great way to improve the blood supply to your eyes. Moreover, it will help your head, neck and shoulder muscles to relax, making it perfect for those who spend long ours in front their computer screens, reading, writing or doing another type of monotonous eye work. Here is what you need to do: 1. Regulate your breathing by taking several slow and deep breaths. Close your eyes. Push all thought out of your mind and relax. 2. Take a deep breath and as you exhale drop your chin to your chests. Do it slowly, relaxing the neck and the shoulders at the same time. 3. Inhale deeply and slowly roll your head to the right and then to the back. Keep your neck and shoulder muscles relaxed all the time. Let your head roll as if it is disconnected from your body. 4. Start exhaling as you roll your head to the other side and exhale fully when it reaches your chests again. 5. Repeat the Head Rolls exercise two times from right to left, take a short break and do it twice in the opposite direction.
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There is no limit to how many times a day you can do this vision exercise. What is important is to remember that by doing it you are helping your vision to improve in all natural way.
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Finger Tapping
Traditional Eastern medicine provides numerous techniques to temporary relieve the symptoms of many disorders and even to permanently cure diseases. No matter how controversial Easter medicine techniques are, there are a number of examples to prove the efficiency of some of its practices. When it comes to improving eyesight or reliving the symptoms of some vision disorders in a natural way, there are several easy self-massage techniques, inspired by the ancient Eastern practices, which you can try. The following simple self-massage technique for better vision is designed to stimulate nerve endings in your fingertips, directly connected to the vision centers in your brain. Stimulating the vision centers of the brain promotes vision health and improves the focusing abilities of the eyes. Here is what you need to do: 1. Sit comfortably on a char and regulate your breathing. Take deep, regular breaths and relax. 2. Place your palms together and pint each finger of the right hand to the respective finger of the left hand. 3. Start taping your fingertips. Tap them fast but keep your hands and wrists relaxed. 4. Continue tapping for a minute then shake your hands to release any tension. As you can see, this self-massage is pretty simple and can be done virtually everywhere and at any time. If you get bored tapping your fingers at each other, you can slightly tap your temples, your forehead or the palms of your hands with your fingertips. Performing this simple vision self-massage technique will not only make your vision clearer but will reduce your overall stress levels.
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Eyelid Massage
You surely know that massages can have very beneficial effect on the human body. The same principle fully applies when we discuss eye massage. Here is a safe and simply eye self-massage technique that must be part of your natural vision restoration program. Here is what you need to do: 1. Take off your correction glasses or contact lenses (if you wear any). 2. Sit comfortably on a chair, close your eyes and relax. 3. Put the fingers of your right hand together as if you are cupping something in your hand. 4. Place your fingers on your right eyelid. Do not press over the eye; try to make a very light contact with the eyelid. 5. Start vibrating your fingertips slightly. Continue for a minute. 6. Repeat the same with your left hand on your left eyelid. This vision self-massage technique is excellent for improving the blood flow to your eyes, for stimulating your vision and releasing any tension that have accumulated in your eye muscles. You will see a definite improvement of your eyesight right after you finish the massage. In long term, this self-massage technique promotes better vision by stimulating the vision system and improving the focusing abilities of the eyes.
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Eye and Face Massage

The ability of the eye to focus objects located at various distances is fundamental to 20/20 vision. Deterioration of the eyes focusing power inevitably leads to deterioration of eyesight. Preserving and improving the focusing ability of your eyes is the key to maintaining good vision or enhancing your eyesight in case you have an eye disorder. The following self- massage technique is a safe and easy way to do just that. It is designed to stimulate the muscles of the eyes responsible for focusing and to release their tension. The results of the massage can be felt right away: you will feel your eyes totally relaxed, your vision will be much clearer and your overall energy will increase. Here is what you need to do: 1. Start the massage with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. This relaxation method is the best way to relax your eyes and your mind and thus to increase the benefits of the massage. 2. Keep your eyes closed after you have finished with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique. 3. Place the thumb of your right hand behind your right ear, your middle finger - on the outer corner of your right eye socket and your index finger - on your right temple bone. 4. Place the fingers of your left hand in the same positions but on the left side of your hand: your left thumb should go behind your left ear, your left middle finger - on the outer corner of the left eye socket and your left index finger - on your left temple bone. 5. Start inhaling slowly; at the same time start sliding all your fingers in an outer direction as if you are trying to enlarge your face. Inhale and slide for about 5 seconds, then slide gently your fingertips in their original positions and exhale. 6. Repeat the same five 10 times.
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7. Finish the massage with the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique.
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Occipital Point Massage

Our vision is largely dependent on the perceptive capabilities of our eyes. The better they can capture and transmit the images they have captured to the brain, the better we see. However, a portion of the brain is also involved in the seeing process. The main vision centers of the brain are located in its occipital lobes. The two occipital lobes are located in the rearmost portion of the brain (colored in pink on the image. They receive the raw data from the retina of the eye and transform it into meaningful images. Although the anatomy and the function of the occipital lobes is quite complicated to be explained in a few words, it is enough to mention that this portion of the brain contains a map of our visual field. An occipital point self-massage can help your vision by stimulating your brain vision centers and improving its blood supply. Moreover, this self-massage technique is an excellent way to release the tension of your neck muscles. Before starting the massage, you need to find your occipital points. You can do that easily by bending your head slightly towards your chest and placing one of your index fingers in the middle of your neck. Slide it upwards over your spine until you reach the base of the skull. The first bony prominence of your skull you will feel is called inion. Once you feel the inion, slide your fingertip approximately an inch to the right and down - this is where your right occipital point is. Do the same sliding your finger from the inion down to the left to find your left occipital point.
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Once you have found both points, straighten your head. You should look straight ahead, keep your neck and shoulder muscles relaxed and breathe regularly. Start pressing the points with the tips of your fingers. Do not press too hard; just make sure you are applying constant pressure on these points for about 2 minutes. You can do this simply acupressure massage several times a day, especially if your work required you to keep your head locked in the same position for long periods of time.
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Energy Transfer Point Massage

Massage is a powerful way to revitalize our body especially if it is aimed at specific body points. According to Traditional Eastern medicine, there are specific energy points located at different places all over the body. Each of these points allows energy to flow uninterrupted through the body. Massaging the energy points responsible for vision balances the flow of energy through these points. When energy is able to flow freely, vision health is achieved. The energy points connected with your eyesight are also responsible for the head and neck areas. Massaging these points is not only very beneficial for improving eyesight naturally but for releasing any tension accumulated in the neck and the head. First, you need to locate your vision energy points. There are two points, located at the back of your shoulders. Bring your left hand over your right shoulder and place your fingertips at the base of the neck. Slide them slowly over the top section of your shoulder muscle until you feel a sensitive spot - this is your right vision energy transfer point. Once you have your fingertips on your right energy transfer point, start applying steady pressure on it. You dont need to press very hard, just maintain constant deep pressure for about a minute. Next, locate the energy transfer point on your left shoulder. You can do that by bringing your right hand over your left shoulder and sliding your fingertips over the top section of your shoulder muscle. Once you have found the correct spot, apply deep pressure on it for about a minute.
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You can do the massage as many times a day as you want. It will have best results if you vary the pressure every time you are massaging those points. Another important thing to note is that you must keep your neck and shoulders relaxed during the massage and keep breathing. It is recommended that you combine the above vision self-massage technique with the Occipital Point Massage.
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VISION EXERCISE AND RELAXATION ROUTINES
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Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Nearsightedness (Myopia)

This vision exercise routine is specifically designed for people suffering from nearsightedness (myopia). The routine is divided into six different vision exercise and relaxation sessions. You will be doing each session for one week before progressing to the next session. Each session includes 10 simple steps that should take you about 30 minutes to complete. Dont worry if you are unable to complete the exercises within the specified time. It is likely that you will need more time at the beginning until you learn how to perform each vision work-out and until your eyes get used to the challenge. It is strongly recommended to take more time to relax your eyes at the beginning and the end of each exercise session: if you have extra spare time, dont hesitate to perform the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique for longer than the specified time. It is of utmost importance that you follow the instructions and complete all exercises within a session and each vision exercise - in its full repetitions. However, if you feel uncomfortable at any point, stop and take a moment to rest your eyes (you can do that by performing the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique for a minute or two). It is highly recommended that you do each session two times a day or repeat it twice one time a day. The goal is to have at least an hour of vision exercising per day. Once you complete this 6 week natural vision correction program you should continue doing vision exercises at least 3 times a week. This will help you retain the vision improvement you have achieved and even improve your eyesight further. You can perform Week II, Week V and Week VI sessions. You can also create your own routine
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with the eye exercises that you liked the most. If you choose to do so, remember to include relaxation techniques in every session. Week I (Days 1-7) Vision Exercise
Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Repetitions - - - 1 - - 10 x each direction - 3 -
Time 5 minutes 3 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 1 minute 3 minutes 4 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes 5 minutes
Two Dots Vision Exercise (p. 33)

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35)
Eyelid Massage (p. 67)

Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Week II (Days 8-14) Vision Exercise

Head Rolls (p. 64) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Repetitions 5 x each direction - 10 x each direction - 2 - 1 - 1 -
Time 2 minutes 5 minutes 4 minutes 3 minutes 6 minutes 1 minute 1 minute 1 minute 2 minutes 5 minutes
Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44)

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Occipital Point Massage (p.70) Green Therapy (p. 25)
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Week III (Days 15-21) Vision Exercise

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35)
Repetitions - 5 x each direction 2 - 4 3 1 - - -
Time 5 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 1 minute 2 minutes 2 minutes

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48)
Diagonals Vision Exercise (p. 45)


Green Therapy (p. 25)
Week IV (Days 22-28) Vision Exercise

The Body Swing (p. 63) Energy Transfer Point Massage (p. 72) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Repetitions 50 times 1 x each side 4 x right eye - 4 x left eye - 2 - 5 x each direction -
Time 2 minutes 2 minutes 10 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 1 minute 2 minutes 1 minute 2 minutes 2 minutes
3 Cups Vision Exercise (p. 56)

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
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Week V (Days 29-35) Vision Exercise

Eye & Face Massage (p.71) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35) Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Tracing Vision Exercise (p. 42)
Repetitions - 5 x each direction - 5 x right eye - 5 x left eye 1 2 - -
Time 2 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 2 minutes 4 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute
3 Cups Vision Exercise (p. 56) Eyelid Massage (p. 67)


Week VI (Days 36-42) Vision Exercise
Repetitions - 3 - 3 1 - 4 - 3 -
Time 5 minutes 6 minutes 1 minute 3 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 2 minutes
3 Cups Vision Exercise (p. 56)

Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise (p. 51) 3 Cups Vision Exercise (p. 56)
Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)
Eyelid Massage (p. 67) Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise (p. 51)
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Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Farsightedness (Hyperopia)

This vision exercise routine is specifically designed for people who suffer from farsightedness (hyperopia). The routine is divided into six different vision exercise and relaxation sessions. You will be doing each session for one week before progressing to the next session. Each session includes 10 simple steps that should take you about 30 minutes to complete. Dont worry if you are unable to complete the exercises within the specified time. It is likely that you will need more time at the beginning until you learn how to perform each vision work-out and until your eyes get used to the challenge. It is strongly recommended to take more time to relax your eyes at the beginning and the end of each exercise session: if you have extra spare time, dont hesitate to perform the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique for longer than the specified time. It is of utmost importance that you follow the instructions and complete all exercises within a session and each vision exercise - in its full repetitions. However, if you feel uncomfortable at any point, stop and take a moment to rest your eyes (you can do that by performing the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique for a minute or two). It is highly recommended that you do each session two times a day or repeat it twice one time a day. The goal is to have at least an hour of vision exercising per day. Once you complete this 6 week natural vision correction program you should continue doing vision exercises at least 3 times a week. This will help you retain the vision improvement you have achieved and even improve your eyesight further. You can perform Week IV, Week V and Week VI sessions. You can also create your own routine
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Repetitions - 1 x each direction - 1 - - 3 x each eye - 2 -
Time 3 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute 1 minute 1 minute 1 minute 15 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes
Figure Eights Vision Exercise (p. 32)

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44) Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)
Eye and Face Massage (p. 68) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52)

Occipital Point Massage (p. 70) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Repetitions 1 - 1 - 2 x each direction 5 x right eye 3 5 x left eye - -
Time 2 minutes 3 minutes 3 minutes 3 minutes 4 minutes 5 minutes 2 minutes 5 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes
Diagonals Vision Exercise (p.45)

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Figure Eights Vision Exercise (p. 32)
Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52) Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52) Eye and Face Massage (p. 68)
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Week III (Days 15-21) Vision Exercise Eye and Face Massage (p. 68) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52)
Repetitions - 7 x right eye - 7 x left eye 3 4 - 2 1 -
Time 2 minutes 7 minutes 1 minutes 7 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 1 minute 6 minutes 5 minutes 1 minute
Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52) Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48)
Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Diagonals Vision Exercise (p.45)

Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Week IV (Days 21-28) Vision Exercise

Occipital Point Massage (p. 70)
Repetitions 1 1 - 10 x right eye 1 x each direction 10 x right eye - 6 1
Time 2 minutes 3 minutes 2 minutes 10 minutes 2 minutes 10 minutes 1 minute 5 minutes 3 minutes
Diagonals Vision Exercise (p.45) Eye and Face Massage (p. 68) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52)
Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52)

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)
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1 minute
Week V (Days 29-35) Vision Exercise Eye and Face Massage (p. 68) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52)
Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Figure Eights Vision Exercise (p. 32) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44)
Repetitions - 10 - 3 x right eye 1 x each direction 3 x left eye - 6 - -
Time 2 minutes 10 minutes 1 minute 5 minutes 2 minutes 5 minutes 1 minute 5 minutes 3 minutes 2 minutes


Repetitions 1 - 10 x right eye 1 x each direction 10 x right eye - 3 x right eye
Time 2 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 2 minutes 10 minutes 1 minute 5 minutes 89


Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)

Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
- 3 x left eye -
3 minutes 5 minutes 1 minute
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Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Aging Vision (Presbyopia)

This vision exercise routine is specifically designed for people with aging vision (presbyopia). The routine is divided into six different vision exercise and relaxation sessions. You will be doing each session for one week before progressing to the next session. Each session includes 10 simple steps that should take you about 30 minutes to complete. Dont worry if you are unable to complete the exercises within the specified time. It is likely that you will need more time at the beginning until you learn how to perform each vision work-out and until your eyes get used to the challenge. It is strongly recommended to take more time to relax your eyes at the beginning and the end of each exercise session: if you have extra spare time, dont hesitate to perform the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique for longer than the specified time. It is of utmost importance that you follow the instructions and complete all exercises within a session and each vision exercise - in its full repetitions. However, if you feel uncomfortable at any point, stop and take a moment to rest your eyes (you can do that by performing the Palming Eye Relaxation Technique for a minute or two). It is highly recommended that you do each session two times a day or repeat it twice one time a day. The goal is to have at least an hour of vision exercising per day. Once you complete this 6 week natural vision correction program you should continue doing vision exercises at least 3 times a week. This will help you retain the vision improvement you have achieved and even improve your eyesight further. You can perform Week II, Week IV and Week VI sessions. You can also create your own routine
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Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40)
Repetitions - - - 2 - 3 3 3 1 minute each side -
Time 3 minutes 1 minute 3 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute 5 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes

Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)
Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52) Energy Transfer Point Massage (p. 72)

Repetitions - 5 x each direction 4 - 3 x right eye - 3 x left eye - 5 -
Time 3 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 3 minutes 3 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 2 minutes 5 minutes 3 minutes
Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35)

Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)
Eyelid Face Massage (p. 67) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52)

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Week III (Days 15-21) Vision Exercise

Repetitions 1 - 5 x right eye 5 5 x left eye - - 5 x right eye 5 x right eye -
Time 2 minutes 3 minutes 5 minutes 3 minutes 5 minutes 1 minute 3 minutes 3 minutes 3 minutes 3 minutes



Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Week IV (Days 21-28) Vision Exercise Energy Transfer Point Massage (p. 72)
Repetitions 1 minute each side - 7 x right eye - 7 x left eye - 5 x each direction 10 x each direction 10
Time 2 minutes 1 minute 7 minutes 1 minute 7 minutes 1 minute 2 minutes 3 minutes 10 minutes


Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40)
Head Rolls (p. 64) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35)
Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38)
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3 minutes

Week V (Days 29-35) Vision Exercise Eye and Face Massage (p. 68)
Repetitions - - - 6 - 10 3 10 1 minute each side -
Time 2 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes 3 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes

Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48) Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52) Energy Transfer Point Massage (p. 72)

Repetitions - - 10 - 10 3
Time 1 minute 2 minutes 3 minutes 1 minute 10 minutes 1 minute

Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48)
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1 x each direction 10 - -
2 minutes 10 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute
Shifting Vision Exercise (p.52) Two Dots Vision Exercise (p. 33)
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Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routines for Computer Vision Syndrome

People who spend long periods of time daily in front a computer often experience a variety of unpleasant eye symptoms such as eye strain, blurred vision, burning or itchy sensation in the eyes and so on. Moreover, frequent uninterrupted close up eye work may lead to permanent changes in the eye and cause different eyesight disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. The exercise routines listed below are specifically designed for people who are involved intense eye work activities. Each routine includes 3 vision exercises and/or eye relaxation techniques that take about 3 minutes to complete. You mush do one of the suggested routines once per hour if you are doing some type of close eye work such as reading or working on a computer. The exercises included in the routines are specifically targeted at vision and mind relaxation, enhancing eye muscle power and flexibility. You can also create your own eye relaxation routines using the vision exercise, eye relaxation and self-massage techniques listed in this book. If you decide to do so, look for those natural vision improvement techniques dedicated to eye relaxation and eye muscle stimulation.
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Computer Vision Syndrome Routine #1 Vision Exercise

Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Repetitions - - -
Time 1 minute 1 minute 1 minute
Two Dots Vision Exercise (p. 33) Computer Vision Syndrome Routine #2 Vision Exercise
Repetitions - 5 x each direction 2
Time 30 seconds 2 minutes 30 seconds
Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35)

Computer Vision Syndrome Routine #3 Vision Exercise Head Rolls (p. 64) Contouring Vision Exercise (p. 54)
Repetitions 3 x each direction 1 -
Computer Vision Syndrome Routine #4 Vision Exercise Energy Transfer Point Massage (p. 72) Up-Down Eye Movements (p. 49)
Repetitions 30 x each side 2 -

Repetitions - 1
Time 30 seconds 2 minutes 97
Diagonals Vision Exercise (p. 45)
30 seconds

Repetitions - 1 -
Eye Squeezes Vision Exercise (p. 48)


Repetitions - 1 -
Eye and Face Massage (p. 71)

Computer Vision Syndrome Routine #8 Vision Exercise Energy Transfer Point Massage (p. 72) Up-Down Eye Movements (p. 49)
Repetitions - 2 -
Computer Vision Syndrome Routine #9 Vision Exercise Head Rolls (p. 64)
Figure Eights Vision Exercise (p. 32) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24)
Repetitions 3 x each direction 1 x each direction -
Time 1 minute 2 minutes 1 minute

Repetitions -
Time 30 seconds
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Figure Eights Vision Exercise (p. 32) Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40)
1 x each direction -
2 minutes 30 seconds
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VISION AND DIET

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Your long-term health primarily depends on your diet. The same rule fully applies to your eyesight - nothing has greater impact on your vision health than your food choices and habits. Maintaining a balanced and varied healthy diet and adding certain eye nutrients to it can help you preserve your natural vision for much longer and significantly lower the risk of various eyesight disorders.
Improve Your Natural Vision with a Healthy Diet

You know your body cannot function without food. You also know that type and amount of food you consume, the way you prepare it and your eating habits have impact on your general health. What you may not know is that exactly the same things are directly linked to your vision. Moreover, in many respects your diet has greater impact on your vision than on any other organ or system of your body. There have been a lot of discussions about the relationship between food and vision. Many scientists, ophthalmologists and public health specialists are working on discovering the exact mechanisms in which various food types are affecting eyesight. Many studies and clinical trials held over the last 20 years have proven that certain foods can prevent or delay the progression of eye disorders while other foods can increase the risks of their occurrence. For instance, a recent research of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Research Service found that consuming a high glycemic-index diet over a long period of time is associated with a higher risk of developing the early stages of a major
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eye disease - age related macular degeneration, or AMD. In other words, eating too much quickly digestible carbohydrate foods such as candies, directly damages the eye. When it comes to improving your eyesight naturally, nothing can take the place of a healthy, well-balanced diet. Adding certain nutrients to your daily menu can help you preserve your vision, delay the progression of your existing eye disorders, relive some of their symptoms and lower the risks of developing more serious eye conditions. Many foods are known to have positive influence on eye health. Their beneficial effects are due to the vitamins, minerals and microelements these foods contain. Figuring out which foods you need to incorporate in your daily diet and which to leave out is only possible if you learn which nutrients are of importance to your eyes and which food types contain them. The most important nutrients essential to eye health are vitamin A, C and E, the antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxantin, essential fatty acids and the microelement Zinc. An adequate intake of these nutrients reduces the risk of chronic eye diseases, slows the progression of visual acuity loss and delays the progression of various eye conditions. In addition, these nutrients protect the eye tissue cells from damage caused by free radicals and ensure the proper function of all eye structures. Generally speaking, there arent organic unprocessed foods totally bad for our eyesight. There are certain food preparation techniques and eating habits that make the foods we consume dangerous for our vision. For instance, sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamin E; however, if we deep-fry them we make them bad for our vision. Obviously, it is impossible to cover everything about the relationship between diet and vision in just few lines. Thats why we have dedicated a whole section of book to teaching you how to maintain and enhance your vision naturally through a healthier diet. Take the first step to improving your eyesight naturally by learning how to feed not only your body but your eyes.
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What Is A Healthy Vision Diet?

A healthy vision diet is a diet that helps maintain or improve your eye health. Such diet is vital for reducing many vision health risks, as well as decreasing the risks of various general health chronic illnesses that may also impact vision (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure). A healthy vision diet needs to provide you with sufficient yet balanced quantities of macronutrients - carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It must also provide you with adequate amounts of essential eyesight nutrients that your body cannot create - vitamins, minerals, microelements and essential fatty acids. The first step to planning and sticking to a healthy vision diet is to understand the basic requirements of such a diet. There are numerous dietary recommendations, devised by medical and government institutions. The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates 5 easy dietary recommendations that are easy to follow and can help you greatly improve your vision health and your overall health. World Health Organization Recommendations for a Healthy Diet Achieve energy balance and a healthy weight. Limit energy intake from fats. Shift fat consumption away from saturated and fats and replace them with unsaturated fats. Avoid foods containing trans-fats. Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Limit the consumption of sugars. Limit the consumption of salt (sodium).
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Foods Beneficial for Eye Health

Maintaining a healthy well-balanced diet means much more to your eyes than any other natural eyesight improvement technique you may use. Feeding your eyes with the nutrients they need will ensure your vision remains great for many years to come. Those, suffering from an eye disorder should be even more concerned of what and how they eat because many foods and eating habits are directly linked to slowing or speeding up the progression of various eye disorders. When we talk about foods beneficial for eye health, we actually discuss which nutrients are essential to maintaining the proper functions of the eyes. Learning how to create a vision healthy diet starts with learning, which those nutrients are. Lets take a quick look at what the food we eat contains. There are there main groups of nutrients contained in food - carbohydrates (sugars), proteins and lipids (oils). The human body needs all of these three groups of nutrients in order to survive. Apart from the above-mentioned groups of nutrients, there are also vitamins, minerals, microelements and essential fatty acids - each one represents a group of specific chemical compounds without which human life would be impossible. It is these special chemical compounds that are of greatest importance to eye health and vision. Vitamins. Vitamins are organic chemical compounds needed in minor quantities by the human organism. Regardless of the minor amount of vitamins required, life would be impossible without them. Since they participate in many of the major processes taking place in the body, even the slightest imbalance can lead
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to serious health conditions. Many vitamins cannot be produced in sufficient quantities by our organism and that is why they must be obtained from our diet. Many vitamins have direct impact on eye health and visual acuity. Sign up for our free newsletter to receive our free report featuring detailed information about the most important vision vitamins. Minerals. Minerals are naturally occurring solid chemical substances formed through various geological processes. Although the human body cannot produce these substances, we need them to maintain many of its functions. When it comes to vision, Zinc is one of the most important minerals. Microelements. The term microelements is used to describe various chemical compounds having important roles in some of the processes taking place in the human body. Similar to the minerals, we cannot produce these chemical compounds and need to obtain them from the foods we ear. Selenium, copper and chromium are some of the most important eye health microelements. Essential fatty acids. The term essential fatty acids signifies a group of chemical compounds needed for human life. Similar to some vitamins, they are not produced in sufficient quantities by the human body and need to be obtained through various dietary sources. When it comes to eye health and vision, several essential fatty acids are of main importance: omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. As you can see, selecting foods beneficial to eye health is actually selecting foods rich in nutrients beneficial for vision. If you are looking to improve your eyesight naturally, you need to incorporate adequate amounts of foods containing the vitamins, minerals, microelements and essential fatty acids.
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An Overview of the Essential Vision Nutrients

Virtually all macro- and micronutrients are important for your vision. They are used for cell formation, cell development and as energy sources. Moreover, many essential nutrients participate in various bio-chemical processes that allow proper function of the vision system. However, some nutrients are of particular importance for the cells, tissues and organs comprising your vision system. It is these nutrients that must be in sufficient amounts to promote vision health, maintain good natural eyesight, protect you from various eyesight disorders and delay the progression of some of the most common eye illnesses. Here are the main eye-friendly nutrients your daily diet must provide: Vitamin C. Vitamin C is of utmost importance for retaining the normal functions of eye cells and tissues. It lowers the risk of cataract formation and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Lutein & Zeaxantin. From all 600 naturally occurring carotenoids, only Lutein and Zeaxanthin are found in the human eye. They protect our eyes from harmful UV and blue wave light rays thus reducing the risk of some of the most common eyesight problems. Vitamin A. Vitamin A bioactive substances are required for vision development in children and support the normal function of the retina of the eye. Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant protecting the eyes from the negative effects of unstable molecules called free-radicals.
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Essential Fatty Acids. These special fat molecules are essential for proper visual development and reduce the risk of various eye disorders such as age-related macular degeneration.
Zinc. Zinc is a trace mineral required in very small quantities by the human body. It is important to vision health as it transports Vitamin A to the retina of the eye.
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Vitamin C: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources

Vitamin C is one of the main essential nutrients required by your body as nearly all cells depend on it. It is involved in the synthesis of various physiological substances and participates in many of the main metabolic processes taking place in the human body. Vitamin C is responsible for the health of the small blood vessels, including the ocular blood vessels, teeth, cartridges, gums and the absorption of iron. Eye cells and tissues need Vitamin C to retain their normal functions. In addition to promoting natural vision health, scientific evidence suggests that Vitamin C lowers the risk of developing cataracts, and combined with other essential nutrients can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and vision acuity loss. The body cannot produce Vitamin C and that is why providing an adequate daily intake of it is of utmost importance.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vitamin C Dietary Reference Intake Recommended daily allowance (adult male) Recommended daily allowance (adult female) Tolerable upper intake (adult male) Tolerable upper intake (adult female) 90 mg per day 75 mg per day 2000 mg per day 2000 mg per day
Some health conditions, lifestyle patterns, dietary habits and chronic illnesses lead to the depletion of Vitamin C much faster than normal. For that reason certain groups of people (people under stress, smokers, alcoholics, diabetics, pregnant and breastfeeding women, older adults, athletes) require more Vitamin C than the recommended daily allowance.
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Foods of plant origin (fruits, vegetables, herbs) are the main natural source of Vitamin C. The following table shows some of the foods with the highest Vitamin C content that you might consider adding to your menu.
Food Source Rose Hip Acerola Green chili peppers Blackcurrant Red pepper Parsley Kiwi Broccoli Brussels sprouts Strawberry Orange Grapefruit Spinach Raw green cabbage Potatoes Apricot Banana Carrot Apple Amount of Vitamin C (mg/100g) 2000 1600 244 200 190 130 90 90 80 60 50 30 30 30 20 10 9 9 6
Some animal-based foods can also be used as natural sources of dietary Vitamin C.
Food Source Amount of Vitamin C (mg/100g)
Fried chicken liver Fried lamb liver Fresh goat milk Fresh cow milk
13 12 5 2
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Including some of those foods in your daily menu will definitely boost your overall mental and health status and will greatly enhance your vision health. Since some of the most common food preparation methods (boiling and baking) can drastically lower the amounts of Vitamin C in fruits and vegetables, it is best to consume them fresh and raw.
Vitamin E: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources

Vitamin E is a group of fat-soluble nutrients with powerful antioxidant properties. It has a major role for supporting the immune system and the health of cell membranes, and participates in DNA repair and in other metabolic processes. Vitamin E is particularly important for maintaining eye health because it protects the cells of the eye from damage caused by free radicals. Additionally, many scientific studies suggest that Vitamin E, along with zinc and other antioxidants can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and slower its progression as well as delay cataract formation. The human body cannot create Vitamin E. For that reason a healthy vision diet must include sufficient amounts of foods rich in this essential nutrient.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vitamin E Dietary Reference Intake Recommended daily allowance (adult male) Recommended daily allowance (adult female) Tolerable upper intake (adult male) Tolerable upper intake (adult female) 22 IU (15mg) per day 22 IU (15mg) mg per day 1500 IU (1000 mg) per day 1500 IU (1000 mg) per day
The main natural sources of Vitamin E are nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, vegetables and fruits. The following table includes some of the foods with high content of Vitamin E.
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Food Source Wheat germ oil, 1 tablespoon Almonds (roasted), 1oz Sunflower seeds (roasted), 1 oz Sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon Hazelnuts (roasted), 1 oz Peanuts (roasted), 1 oz Corn oil, 1 tablespoon Spinach (boiled), cup Peanut butter, 1 tablespoon Broccoli (boiled), cup Sweet potato (baked medium size) Soybean oil, 1 tablespoon Kiwi (medium fruit) Pumpkin (100gr) Mango, cup Tomato (medium raw fruit) Spinach (raw), 1 cup Amount of Vitamin E (mg) 20,3 7,4 6.0 5,6 4,3 2,2 1,9 1,9 1,5 1,2 1,2 1,1 1,1 1,06 0,9 0,8 0,6
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Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources
Vitamin A is a group of substances that have important role in many body processes - bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation, immune system regulation, and many others. Vitamin A also has a significant part in maintaining the integrity of the structures of the eye as well as retaining good natural vision. Vitamin A is primarily necessary for proper function of the retina of the eye - the part of the eye catching light rays and sending image information to the vision center of the brain. Vitamin A supports the function of the main retinal cells - rods and cones, assists in the transformation of light impulses to neuroimpulses and participates in the transmission of those signals along the optic nerve to the visual center of the brain. In addition to its general role in retinal function, Vitamin A is part of a special eye pigment Rhodopsin, responsible for low-light contrast and night vision. Vitamin A also promotes the health of the surfaces of the linings of the eyes - the conjunctiva. Lack of Vitamin A can cause severe health and vision complications. In children, Vitamin A deficiency causes severe vision impairment and blindness, in pregnant women causes night blindness, in adults - reduced vision acuity (particularly in low light), dryness of the conjunctiva, corneal damage and blindness. Maintaining adequate levels of Vitamin A is essential to vision health. The table below shows the recommended daily allowances of Vitamin A.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vitamin A Dietary Reference Intake Recommended daily allowance (adult male) Recommended daily allowance (adult female) Tolerable upper intake (adult male) 3000 IU (900 mcg) per day 2310 IU (700 mcg) mg per day 9240 IU (2800 mcg) per day
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Tolerable upper intake (adult female)
9240 IU (2800 mcg) per day
Since Vitamin A is not synthesized in the human body, adequate quantities of this vision vitamin must be provided with food. Various plant and animal-based foods are great natural sources of Vitamin A. Adding those foods to your daily menu protect your eyes and preserve your eyesight. Generally, Vitamin A contained in animal-derived foods (preformed vitamin A) is better for you as it is ready for use by the body. Vitamin A found in foods of plan origin (provitamin A) needs to go through certain transformations before the body could utilize it. Nevertheless, no food type should be excluded in favor of the other, as both preformed vitamin A and provitamin A play important roles in various body processes. For instance, some provitamin A carotenoids do not have vitamin activity but are powerful antioxidants with major role for eye health and vision.
Animal - Based Food Sources Beef liver (cooked), 3 oz Chicken liver (cooked), 3 oz Milk (fortified), 1 cup Cheddar cheese, 1oz Egg (1 hard-boiled) Amount of Vitamin A (IU) 27,187 12,325 500 284 140

Plant - Based Food Sources Carrot juice (canned), cup Carrots (boiled), cup Spinach (frozen, boiled), cup Kale (frozen, boiled), cup Carrots (1 raw) Spinach (raw), 1 cup Apricot (nectar, canned), cup Papaya, 1 cup Amount of Vitamin A 27,567 13,418 11,458 9,558 8,666 2,813 1,651 1,532
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Mango, 1 cup Peas (frozen, boiled), cup Peach (1 medium fruit)
1,262 1,050 319
Lutein & Zeaxanthin: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources
Lutein and Zeaxanthin are carotenoids of tremendous importance for human eyes and vision. They protect the eye tissues from free-radical damage, filter harmful high energy blue wavelengths from the light and maintain proper function of eye cells. Clinical trials demonstrate that sufficient intake of those two nutrients can lower the risk of various chronic eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Zeaxanthin is mainly concentrated in the central portion of the macula, while Lutein is found in great concentrations in the peripheral regions of the macula and the rest of the retina. Both carotenoids acts as natural sunglasses as they absorb some of the harmful ultraviolet and blue wave light in the sunlight and thus prevents the retina from damage. In addition, Lutein and Zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants that neutralize the harmful effect of free-radicals and reduce the oxidative stress in eye tissues. Since the human body cannot create Lutein and Zeaxanthin, consumption of foods rich in those carotenoids is essential to a healthy vision diet. Many studies suggest that a dietary intake of 6-10 mg per day shows positive health results. The main dietary sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin are green vegetables, some fruits and eggs. The table below shows some of the foods with high Lutein and Zeaxanthin content you may consider adding to your daily menu.
Food Source Amount of Lutein & Zeaxanthin (mg)
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Kale (cooked), 1 cup Spinach (cooked), 1 cup Collards (cooked), 1 cup Turnip greens (cooked), 1 cup Spinach (raw), 1 cup Corn (cooked), 1 cup Green peas (cooked), 1 cup Broccoli (cooked), 1 cup Egg (1 hard-boiled) Orange (1 medium sized) Kiwi (1 medium fruit)
23,8 20,4 14,6 12,2 3,8 2,2 2,2 1,6 0,3 0,2 0,1
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Essential Fatty Acids: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources
Essential fatty acids (ETAs) are components of fat molecules. Two types of ETAs - omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid) fatty acids have significant role for human health as they are part of some important biological processes taking place in the human body. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids support the immune, cardiovascular, reproductive and nervous systems. It is interesting that the biological effects of omega-3 and omega- 6 fatty acids depend not only on their overall concentration in the body but on the ratio between the concentrations of each one. Two omega-3 fatty acids have shown to have beneficial effect on vision and specifically on retinal function - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Docosahexaenoic acid can be found in very high concentration in the retina of the eye and Eicosapentaenoic acid is needed for the synthesis of DHA. Proper supply of DHA and EHA is vital for normal visual development in children. In adults, lack of those fatty acids leads to visual impairment and retinal degradation. Various eye diseases are linked to omega-3 fatty acids deficiency. Those include Dry eye, diabetic retinopathy and age- related macular degeneration. Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained through food. Their primary food sources are cold-water fatty fish and marine mammals. Very small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in lean red meats, turkey meat, black raspberry, and hazelnuts. The table below shows the best dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Food Source Amount of omega-3 FTAs (mg) Copyrighted Material www.NaturallyImproveEyesight.com
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Salmon (cooked), 3 oz Tuna (cooked), 3 oz Mackerel (cooked), 3 oz Anchovy (canned in oil), 2 oz Trout (cooked), 3 oz Halibut (cooked), 3 oz Scallops (cooked), 100 g Snapper (cooked), 3 oz
1800 1300 1000 900 800 400 350 300
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Zinc: Vision Benefits, Dietary Reference Intake, Natural Food Sources

Zinc is a trace mineral required in very small doses by the human body. It can be found in the brain, muscle tissues, bones, liver and kidneys however its highest concentration is in the retina of the eye and the vascular tissue underneath it (the choroids). One of the main functions of Zinc in the human body is the transportation of Vitamin A from the liver to the eyes. Lack of Zinc can lead to impaired vision, loss of night vision and development of cloudy cataracts. Many studies suggest that Zinc can lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and slower the progression of the disease in its early stages.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Zinc Dietary Reference Intake Recommended daily allowance (adult male) Recommended daily allowance (adult female) Tolerable upper intake (adult male) Tolerable upper intake (adult female) 11 mg per day 8 mg per day 40 mg per day 40 mg per day
The human body cannot synthesize Zinc and food is its only source of this essential nutrient. Various foods contain good amounts of the trace elements and including them in your daily menu will be greatly beneficial for your vision health. The table below shows some of the best animal and plant food sources for Zinc.
Food Source Oysters, raw (6 medium) Beef (cooked), 3 oz Lamb loin (roasted), 4 oz Lobsters (cooked), 3 oz Pork (cooked), 3 oz Amount of Zinc (mg) 76,3 5,2 4,6 2,5 2,4
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Green peas (boiled), 1 cup Shrimp (boiled/steamed), 4 oz Spinach (boiled), 1 cup Salmon (cooked), fillet Asparagus (cooked), 1 cup Summer squash (cooked), 1 cup Egg (hard-boiled), 1 large Swiss chard (boiled), 1 cup Maple syrup, 2 tablespoons
1,9 1,8 1,37 1,3 0,8 0,7 0,5 0,5 0,5
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How to Plan a Healthy Vision Diet?

Now you know which the most important vision nutrients are and which foods are the best dietary sources of those nutrients. Your next step is to learn how to devise a healthy vision diet. The key to creating a healthy vision diet is in following three simple rules: If you think about each of them you will realize that a diet beneficial for your eyesight is not only about what you eat but how you eat, and how much you eat. Most importantly, a diet that is good for your eyes is ultimately good for your overall health. Balance Variety Moderation
Balance
Your general health and your eye health are directly linked not only to the specific foods you eat, but to the proportion between the different food groups that comprise each of your meals. A diet is considered balanced when you choose foods from different food groups in the correct proportions. There are four general food groups. Each food group consists of various foods important for maintaining and enhancing your vision and general health. Grains: any food made of wheat, rice, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain belongs to this food group. Consuming sufficient quantities of grain foods is extremely important for your health as they contain B-vitamins, iron and dietary
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fibers. These nutrients support the health of other systems in your body, which on turn contribute to proper eye function. There are two types of grain foods whole grains (whole-wheat flour, bulgur, brown rice, oatmeal, whole cornmeal) and refined grains (white flour, white rice, white bread). In general, whole grains and foods made of whole grains are considered a healthier nutrition choice. These foods retain their natural vitamins and minerals that are usually depleted during the refinement process. Moreover, unlike refined grains, whole grain foods digest slowly and do not cause rapid, dangerous for eyesight spikes of blood sugar levels. Vegetables: any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice belongs to this group. Vegetables are an excellent dietary source of numerous essential nutrients, including some of the most important eye nutrients. A healthy vision daily menu should have vegetables with every meal and even in between meals. Do not stick to only one type of vegetables though; vary your vegetable choices by picking vegetables of different colors this way you will know your body is getting enough of all important nutrients. Fruits: any fruit or 100% fruit juice belongs to this group. Similar to vegetables, fruits are extraordinary natural sources of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. A study from the Channing Laboratory at Harvard Medical School and Brigham Womens Hospital indicates that three or more servings of fruits per day lower their risk of developing age-related macular degeneration as seniors. Additionally, fruits are greatly beneficial for our general vision status and overall health. Diary products: all fluid milk products and some foods made of milk belong to this group. Diary foods are essential for health as they provide your body with
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lots of vital nutrients, for instance calcium. To promote your vision health, choose low-fat natural diary products and avoid any sweetened milk products (flavored milk, desserts, sweetened yogurt, etc). Protein foods: foods made from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, dry beans and peas belong to this group. Protein foods are very important for your overall health and your eyesight. Many essential vision nutrients are only contained in protein foods. For instance omega-3 fatty assist are contained in sufficient quantities only in cold water fish; beef is one of the best sources of zinc; eggs are a great dietary source of lutein and zeaxanthin; nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E. Go for organic lean cuts of meat and poultry and avoid processed meats (hams, sausage, deli meats, etc.) as they have lots of added salt which is bad for your eyes.
Variety
A healthy and varied diet can help to maintain a healthy body weight, enhance general wellbeing and reduce the risk of a number of diseases including eyesight disorders, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis. Regardless of how beneficial certain food type is, eating only one type of foods may cause a decline in your general health and eyesight. For instance, by eating only vegetables and avoiding any meat or fish foods, you are depriving your eyes of various nutrients essential for your vision. In addition to balancing your meals by including foods of all four food groups, a healthy vision diet should include a variety of foods from each of these four food groups every day.
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Maintaining a varied vision diet may sound overwhelming. In fact, there is a simple way to achieve this effortlessly. All you need to do is to check how varied your current diet is and make some little adjustments to it. You can easily do so by using our simple Balance & Variety Diet Checklist included at the end of this chapter.
Moderation
No matter how balanced and varied your diet is, eating too much or too little is potentially dangerous for your vision health. Being overweight puts you at greater risk of various diseases. Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure are extremely dangerous to your eyesight. Being underweight weakens your immune system and leaves your body open to various diseases and infections. Moreover, insufficient food consumption directly impacts the intake and absorption of vital nutrients - essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, which leads to a large number of vision disorders and general health problems. It is very hard to generalize how much food per meal a person must consume; individual food requirements are very specific and vary according to age, gender, lifestyle and any ongoing health conditions. The easiest ways to achieve moderation are: Go for smaller portions. Avoid overeating by consciously serving smaller portions at home and ordering an entry rather than a main course or splitting your meal with a friend at a restaurant. Do not opt for super-sized meals regardless of the savings you have been offered. A good way to know when a food serving is sufficient is to measure the size of each food item visually. For instance, a serving of meat or fish should be approximately the size of deck of cars and a serving of bread the size of a CD. Fruits and vegetables are the foods
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you can go crazy about and eat as much as you wish. Do not eat if you are not hungry. Eating just because it is time to eat or during some other activity, for example while watching a movie or reading a book, is the worst thing you can do to your body and to your eyes. The only exception allowed is if you are eating fruits or vegetables. Do not overeat. Regular overeating may lead to obesity which is dangerous for your general health and your vision. Think how often you eat more than you actually need and why. Identifying the reasons of excessive eating will definitely help you avoid it. Keep in mind that it takes a few minutes for your brain to process the signals from your stomach, so eat slowly and make regular pauses. This is how you will figure out when you need to stop eating.
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Fruits Beneficial for Eye Health

Many fruits can have a tremendous impact on your vision. Adding fruits to your daily menu will not only make it much tastier but will help you improve your vision naturally. A research published in the Archives of Opthamology indicated that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%. Here are some of the main fruits beneficial for eye health. Blueberries. Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin C which makes them greatly beneficial for your eyesight. A cup of blueberries contain around 25% of your daily vitamin C requirement. In addition, blueberries help maintaining healthy cholesterol levels which is not only good for your heart but for your eyes. A less known fact about blueberries is that they contain substances with antioxidant properties. According to the USDA database of the antioxidant activity of selected foods (ORAC values), blueberries rank among the highest on a per serving basis. Antioxidants neutralize the negative impact of free radicals and lower the risk of various age- related diseases, including age-related eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration. Bilberries. Bilberries have been used for various medicinal purposes for centuries. They are probably one of the most beneficial fruits for eyesight. Bilberries are used for promoting eye health and improving night vision. They are an effective natural alternative when it comes to treating problems with the retina caused by diabetes or high blood pressure.
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Kiwis. Kiwis are an excellent source of vitamin C - one average sized kiwi will satisfy 95% of your daily vitamin C requirement! Kiwis are also a natural dietary source of Zinc - another nutrient essential for eye health. Lemons. Lemons are a great source of vitamin C and various phytonutrients with antioxidant effect. Antioxidants are very good for retaining good vision and lowering the risks of various eye conditions because they neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals on the eye cells. Apricots. Fresh or dried, apricots are one of the best vision fruits. They are an excellent source of Vitamin A - an important eye vitamin promoting good vision. Vitamin A reduces the degenerative effect of free radicals on the lens of the eye and thus lowers the risk of cataract or delays its progression. Apricots are also a good source of vitamin C and dietary fibers - both important to cardiovascular health and eyesight. Apples. One of the most common fruits, the apple, has a vast array of health benefits, including vision health benefits. Apples are a good natural source of vitamin A and vitamin C and they are beneficial for prevention of age-related health problems, including macular degeneration of the eye. Avocados. The avocado is surely not the only fruit rich in various essential vitamins and microelements but it is definitely one of the few fruits so rich in antioxidants. What makes avocados unique is the combination of antioxidants and fat-soluble phytonutrients required for their absorption. Avocados contain two of the most important antioxidants for eye health - lutein and zeaxanthin. These are carotenoids that filter the harmful UV rays from the sunlight, protect eye cells and specifically the eye lens, from the negative effects of free radicals. Incorporating avocados in your daily diet will lower the risk of cataract and age- related macular degeneration.
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Vegetables Beneficial for Eye Health

When it comes to preserving our natural eyesight, nothing can substitute fresh fruits and vegetables. Most of the vitamins, minerals and microelements essential for vision health can only be found in products of plant origin. That is why one of the first things you should do to improve your eyesight naturally is to incorporate as much vegetables as you can in your vision diet. Virtually all vegetables are good for eyesight since vegetables contain many essential nutrients. As a general rule, the more saturated the color of the vegetable is, the higher its content of nutrients is. So, if you are not sure whether a certain vegetable is good for your eyes, look at its color. We have listed those that have the greatest positive effect on your vision and that can prevent the development or the progression of various common eye disorders. Broccoli. Broccolis contain a powerful mix of nutrients essential to vision health. One cup of broccoli will provide you with over 50% of the daily requirement of vitamin C and over 45% of the daily requirement of vitamin A. Moreover, broccolis contain omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and vitamin E, all of which are important for your eye health. Due to the high concentration of two special carotenoids in broccoli lutein and zeaxanthin, adding this tasty vegetable to your vision diet will lower the risk of diseases involving the macula of the eye and the lens of the eye. Carrots. Carrots have a long-standing reputation when it comes to preserving and improving eye health naturally. The high amounts of vitamin A contained in carrots support your vision system and are particularly beneficial for night vision.
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Kale. Kale is not only one of the tastier vegetables around but is also one of the most beneficial vegetables for eye health you can find. It contains a unique combination of nutrients great for your overall health and for your eyesight. Kale can help you improve eyesight naturally because it is an excellent dietary source of vitamin C and A, lutein and zeaxanthin. It has cholesterol-lowering ability, which is not only great for your heart but has positive impact on eye health. Tomatoes. Tomatoes are a great natural source of vitamin C and A as well as of one less known antioxidant - lycopene. This nutrient has tremendous effect on lowering the oxidation stress in your body and preventing cells from oxygen damage. Additionally, tomatoes are a good source of dietary fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels and thus prevents blood sugar from reaching dangerously high levels. Quick rises of blood sugar have detrimental effect on your eyes and especially to the retina of the eye. A cup of fresh tomatoes will provide you with 57.3% of the daily value for vitamin C, 22.4% of the daily value for vitamin A, and 7.9% of the daily value for fiber.
Other vegetables beneficial for eye health are corn, beans, Brussels sprouts, celery, leaks, peppers, lettuce, mustard greens, peas, squash and sweet potatoes. All of these vegetables will provide you with the most important eye nutrients and will help you improve your eyesight naturally.
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Vegetable and Fruit Juices for Better Eyesight

Maintaining a healthy and varied diet is in the core of protecting your natural eyesight and reducing the risk of various eye disorders. A healthy diet should not only provide you with the basic nutrients essential for your body, but with sufficient quantities of some essential eyesight nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are the best natural sources of some of the micronutrients important for your vision health. Some studies suggest that consuming at least 3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day can protect your eyes from cataracts and age- related macular degeneration two of the most common eye disorders leading to severe vision impairment and blindness. Fruit and vegetable juices are probably the best way to fuel your eyes and body those vitamins and minerals. Since you can make a fruit or vegetable juice from various ingredients, it is good to know which vegetable and fruits are most beneficial for your eyes: Blackcurrant: because of its great Vitamin C content. Kiwi: a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and two of the most important antioxidants for eyesight Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Strawberry: a cup of juice will give you all the Vitamin C you need for the day. Oranges, Grapefruits, Lemons: a cup of juice will revitalize you and give your eyes Vitamin C. Carrots: an excellent natural source of Vitamin A and essential beta-caretonoids. Mango: it contains two very important vision vitamins vitamin E and A. Papaya, peach: a good dietary source of vitamin A.
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There are also some vegetables essential for your vision. Since pure vegetables juices are not that tasty, it is recommended to mix them with any of the above juices. So which vegetables to add to your fruit juice? Parsley: because it is an excellent vitamin C dietary source. Broccoli: because it contains vitamin C, vitamin E, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. Spinach: because it will provide your eyes and body with tons of healthy nutrients (vitamin C, E, A, iron, zinc, Lutein and Zeaxanthin). Kale: it is one of the best plant sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin.
It is important to remember that many vitamins and minerals are destroyed when exposed to heat, cold or air. For that reason it is good to drink the juice right after you make it. You may also consider using a juicer that doesnt generate too much heat. Make sure you buy and use only fresh organic fruits and vegetables; this way you will ensure they contain all the beneficial vision nutrients.
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Meat and Fish Beneficial for Eye Health

Meat and fish are two of the main food groups rich in some of the most beneficial nutrients for your vision. Consuming inadequate amounts of meat and fish food products puts you at high risk of developing various eye disorders and can speed up the progression of some of the most common eye conditions. We have compiled a list of some of the most important meat and fish food products you need to have in your menu if you are looking to improve your eyesight naturally. Beef. Beef and other dark-red lean meats are of utmost importance for your overall health and your vision health in particular. The main reason why beef is so good for your eyes is that it is a great source of zinc a microelement vital for the proper development of vision and retinal function. Zinc is a molecule that also helps the utilization of vitamin A; it brings it from the liver to the retina of the eye. There is a direct link between zinc deficiency and the development of cataract, loss of night vision, age-related macular degeneration. Moreover, adequate daily intake of zinc may significantly slow down the progression of macular degeneration. Salmon and Tuna. Salmon and tuna are two of the main sources of the omega-3 essential fatty acids needed by your vision system. According to the American Optometric Association Two omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be important for proper visual development and retinal function Docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid. Sufficient intake of those fatty acids is essential for optimal visual development in children and prevention of visual impairment
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and retinal degradation in adults. One of the most common eye disorders, Dry Eye is also directly linked to the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids we consume. Low dietary intake of Docosahexaenoic acid and Eicosapentaenoic acid is also associated with eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and retinopathy of prematurity. Poultry. Poultry meats, chicken and turkey meat in particular, are a great natural source of selenium, a trace mineral essential to eye health. Selenium is an important nutrient in the prevention of cataracts and macular degeneration. It works together with vitamin E and reduces the negative effects of oxygen in eye tissues. Eggs. Eggs have a great impact on your eyesight, as they are excellent source of a variety of vitamins, minerals and other eye nutrients. Eggs contain huge amounts of lutein, a carotenoid considered to prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataract. Not only its content in eggs is higher than its content in vegetables, but the lutein found in eggs is much easily absorbed by the human body. Those who are concerned that eggs cause an increase of cholesterol levels may be relaxed more and more clinical trials show that an egg a day boosts blood levels of both lutein and zeaxanthin without increasing cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
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Herbs Beneficial for Eye Health

The number of people complaining from some kind of eye problem is rapidly increasing. Nearly everyone over the age of 40 suffers from an eye disorder and has impaired vision. Many experts believe that vision exercises, well-balanced diet and some herbal remedies are the keys to improving eyesight naturally and fighting back the unpleasant symptoms of many of the most common eyesight disorders. The beneficial effects of herbs have been known since centuries. People have been using herbs for medicinal purposes since the dawn of civilization. Today, there is strong scientific evidence that clearly shows why certain herbs can have extremely positive effect on our overall health and eye health in particular. Here are some of the main herbs beneficial for eye health. Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus). Bilberry is probably the herb with the greatest impact on human vision. Bilberry fruits or extracts contain chemical compounds with strong antioxidant functions. They minimize the harmful effects of free radicals in eye cells and tissues, and are particularly important for retinal health. It is commonly believed that bilberry can improve night vision however there is no scientific evidence to support that claims. Nevertheless, bilberry is great for protecting your eyesight against macular- degeneration, one of the leading eye disorders causing irreversible blindness in the US. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). Ginkgo biloba is a very well studied herb. It has hugely positive effect on various bodily systems, including the vision system. Ginkgo biloba minimizes the damage done by free radicals and significantly improves the blood flow to all parts of the eye and especially to the retina of the eye. Due to its antioxidant and blood-circulation improvement functions, Ginkgo biloba can lower the risks of retinal deterioration.
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Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata). Passionflower is a herb that can release the tension of your eye muscles and thats why it is a great herb for those suffering from frequent eye strain. Aspalathus (Aspalathus linearis). Asphalatus is the main ingredient of the well-known Rooibos tea. Aspalathus can help you improve your eyesight naturally as it contains huge amounts of powerful antioxidants. Mahonia Grape (Mahonia aquifolium). Extracts from the seeds of Mahonia grape will protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays and will strengthen the small blood vessels in your eyes. Mahonia extract slows down the aging processes in eye cells and is beneficial for the overall health of your vision system. Common Rue (Ruta graveolens). Rue, also known as Herb-of-Grace, contains the flavonoid rutin that improves blood circulation, strengthens the small blood vessels, and has antioxidant effect. This makes Rue one of the best herbs for general vision improvement and prevention.
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Natural Herbal Vision Remedies

A great variety of herbs can be extremely beneficial for protecting and preserving your eyesight but dont have sufficient curative power. Luckily, there are also many herbs that offer a natural alternative for the treatment of some of the most common eye diseases. Some of these herbs can fully substitute conventional medications while others can be used in conjunction with prescription medications. Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as Maypop, Purple passionflower, True passionflower, Wild apricot, and Wild passion vine is used to treat hyperactivity, insomnia, Parkinsons disease, nervous tension. It is very useful to relive eye strain - one of the most common eye conditions that often remains undiagnosed and untreated. Black tea (Camellia sinensis) is a herbal remedy known for its anti- inflammatory and anti-bacterial actions. It is greatly helpful in cases of Pink Eye or other eye irritations. It works wonders in perfectly healthy eyes too as it contains many chemicals with powerful antioxidant effect. Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is not only a delicious and nutritious edible plant but a herb beneficial for eyesight. It has anti- inflammatory properties and is excellent for calming itchy or irritated eyes. It can be used for eye rinse or eye compress to sooth tired eyes. Indian Coleus (Plectranthus barbatus) is a plant useful for treating the underlying cause for glaucoma one of the leading causes for severe vision impairment and irreversible blindness in the world. The medicinal effect of the plant is due to a chemical forskolin it contains. Forskolin decreases the intraocular pressure by supporting the function of the enzymes required for eye fluid drainage.
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Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is quite helpful in cases of Conjunctivitis. A cold fusion of its flowers applied externally on the eyes or used as an eyewash provides natural alternative to conventional conjunctivitis treatments. Eyebright (Euphasia) is used as a poultice for reducing redness, swelling, and visual disturbances caused by Blepharitis and Conjunctivitis. Eyebright is great for treating eyestrain and improving eyesight clarity.
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Foods Bad for Your Vision

One of the keys to improving eyesight naturally is maintaining well-balanced diet. Essentially, this means that you need to eat a variety of products from all food categories in order to supply your eyes with all the nutrients they need. However, there are many food products that may have negative impact on your vision or speed up the progression of some common eye disorders. Furthermore, sometimes cooking methods and eating habits can turn an otherwise healthy food into food bad for vision. Which foods you need to avoid like poison if you want to preserve, protect and improve vision naturally? Junk food. Candies, chips, cookies, even some nuts can have a detrimental effect on eyes. According to Good Morning America recent news, a new study suggests Vegetable, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, along with linoleic acid are the type of fats that put junk food enthusiasts at a higher risk for the eye disease. Not only the fats contained in junk food are bad for your eyes, but the abundant amounts of sugar or salt many snacks contain. Salt and sugar are notorious for their negative impact on vision. Margarine. Many consider margarine a healthier choice to butter because of its plant origin. The truth is that margarine, along with other commonly used hydrogenated oils such as peanut butter and soybean oil, is potentially bad for your eyes. Hydrogenation is an industrial method for turning liquid vegetable oils into solid ones. During the process of hydrogenation vegetable fat molecules not only lose almost all of their beneficial vitamins and minerals but are transformed into trans-fats. Trans-fats are extremely dangerous for your overall health and for your eye health in particular.
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Deep fried foods. If you want to enjoy 20/20 vision for longer, forget about deep-fried foods. Not only prolonged heating of the oil changes its structure and makes it bad for your eyes but most of the foods simply loose their nutritional value when deep-fried. By eating too much deep fried foods, you increase the amounts of free radicals in your body (they damage the eye cells and lead to various eye disorders plus speed up the natural processes of aging) and decrease the amounts of the nutrients that can fight those free radicals. For instance, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C a well-known free radical scavenger. By frying them though, you destroy nearly all of their vitamin C content and saturate them with harmful trans-fats from the frying oils. High sugary foods. Eating lots of sugary, starchy foods may make eyes more vulnerable to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Americas top cause of vision loss. reports WebMD. Any food item that causes your blood sugar to rise rapidly, for instance chocolate, puts the most important part of your eye the retina, at risk. You can still indulge a sweet bite from time to time but chose carbohydrates that dont make your blood sugar spike quickly.
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5 Steps For A Successful Vision Diet

Planning and maintaining a diet beneficial for your eyesight will not happen overnight and it shouldnt. The easiest way to switch from your current eating habits to new, healthier ones is to gradually change the types of foods you are eating.
5 Steps for a Healthy Vision Diet Enjoy your food. Eat a varied diet, rather than any one particular food or group of foods. Eat the right amount and do not overeat. Eat fruit and vegetables at least three times a day. Avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar and salt.
Enjoy your food. Its a common misconception that healthy food isnt tasty. But if you think for a second, youll quickly realize that those vision- friendly foods you need to include in your diet are delicious as well. Moreover, you can prepare numerous healthy dishes that are not only good for your eye health but tasty as well.
Here is a tip that will help you get started: instead of getting obsessed with devising and following a healthy vision diet, take a second to think what you are about to eat every time you buy or to prepare food; think how you can improve your meal by adding a vision-friendly ingredient or substituting an unhealthy cooking method with a healthier one. This way you will change your diet gradually and you will not feel the pressure of being on a diet. Eat a varied diet. So, you have decided to make some healthy changes to your diet and that is great. But dont eliminate foods from your menu in favor of several food products youve learned are good for your eyes. In fact, a vision friendly diet must be as varied as possible remember that providing your body with foods from each of the food groups discussed previously is essential to maintaining healthy weight and good overall health, both of which are important for your eyes.
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The easiest way to evaluate your current diet and see what changes you need to make in order to make it varied is to use the Healthy Vision Diet Checklist (p. 133). Eat the right amount of food. Even the healthiest menu is potentially dangerous if you eat too much. Maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy, balanced and varied diet is of utmost importance for your general health and eye health. How much do you need to eat? The right amount of food a person should eat depends on their age, sex, physical activity level and specific health conditions. In general, a healthy adult need to provide their body with approximately 2000 calories per day. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, for 2000 calorie diet you need a daily menu consisting of 6 oz grain foods, 2 cups vegetables, 2 cups fruits, 3 cups of milk, 5 oz meats per day. We will discuss how to make the most of such menu in the Vision Menu Planning Tips chapter (p. 135). Eat at least three cups of fruits and vegetables per day. Recent studies have shown that people who eat at least three cups of fruits and vegetables per day are less likely to develop age-related eye disorders. You can opt for any type of fresh, dried, cooked or canned fruits and vegetables and fruit and/or vegetable juices. Avoid foods bad for eye health and vision. Opt for foods and beverages low in added sugars and salt. However, try to be realistic and take things one step at a time. Although many foods are dangerous for your eyesight, do not think of these foods as forbidden. Doing so will only make you crave them more. Instead, reduce their portion sizes or eat them less often and eventually you will notice that you dont want them anymore.
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Healthy Vision Diet Checklist

This simple checklist will help you monitor your menu daily and will show you how balanced and varied your diet is in terms of your consumption of foods from different food groups and different foods within the same food group. 1. Print it. 2. After every meal, circle the foods you have eaten on the form and place a tick mark on the right side of each of the food items. 3. Do it for about a week To check your score, count the number of circles. They will show you how varied your diet is. Next, examine closely the food items next to which you have placed tick marks. The number of tick marks you have next to a certain food item shows how this food is dominating your diet. Obviously, you should have less tick marks next to a large number of different food items, rather than many tick marks next to just a few foods.
Less than 10 inadequate food variety; Less than 20 borderline food variety; 20 - 24 fair food variety; 25 30 good food variety; Over 30 excellent food variety;
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Fruits apples apricots avocados bananas blueberries cantaloupe cherries clementines cranberries dates figs guava honeydew jams kiwit kumquats lemons/limes melons nectarines oranges papaya passion peaches pears pineapples plantains prunes/plums raisins/grapes raspberries strawberries tangelos Vegetables asparagus bell peppers beets broccoli Brussel sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower celery collard greens cucumber eggplant beans green onions jalapeno chili kale lettuce mustard greens parsnips peppers potatoes pumpkin radishes salads sauerkraut spinach squash tomatoes turnip greens yams/sweet potatoes Nuts & Spices almonds Brazil nuts cashews chestnuts filberts/hazelnuts pecans pistachios walnuts other Nuts allspice black pepper clove cinnamon cumin garlic ginger onion powder oregano rosemary paprika saffron sage turmeric other Spices Grains barley buckwheat corn flaxseed oats rice rye wheat other Grains Meat & Fish beef ham lamb pork veal liver chicken duck goose turkey ground chicken and turkey chicken eggs duck eggs Diary Foods fat-free milk low fat milk reduced fat milk whole milk flavored milks Puddings made with milk ice milk frozen yogurt ice cream Cheddar cheese Mozzarella cheese Swiss cheese Parmesan cheese Soft cheeses Ricotta cheese Cottage cheese Fat-free yogurt low fat yogurt reduced fat
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tangerines watermelon other fruits
zucchini peas lentils other vegetables
yogurt whole milk yogurt
Vision Menu Planning Tips

Now you have all the information you need to start planning your vision friendly diet. Before you do so, here are some tips that will make the process easier. Plan ahead. Planning a week of meals ahead will help you create a well-balanced and varied diet. Moreover, it will help you plan your food budget and cut down the time you need for shopping and even food preparation. It is absolutely normal to find planning a 7 day menu a bit challenging at the beginning. To make things simpler, you can either use our Sample Vision-Friendly 7-Day Manu (p. 137) or the Healthy Vision Diet Checklist (p. 133). Here is what you have to do, if you decide to use the checklist: 1. Circle 1 or 2 food products from each food group; 2. Look for cooking recipes incorporating these products; 3. Do this for every day of the week; 4. Avoid repeating foods too often. Make vision friendly food choices. As discussed above, a balanced menu is one that contains adequate amounts of foods from each food group. Yet again, you will need to opt for the healthiest foods possible: a. Go for whole grain cereals, breads, rice or pasta; b. Eat dark-green vegetables and fruits of red, orange and blue colors; c. Choose low-fat milk and milk products; d. Opt for lean meats and poultry instead of cured or otherwise processed meat products. Choose foods your family likes. No matter how healthy certain food is, it will be useless if your family doesnt like it. Instead of making your partner or kids eat something they loathe, go for the healthy foods that they actually love. If some of the vision-friendly foods discussed in this book are not among your favorite food choices or out of your budget, substitute them with other foods of similar
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nutritional qualities. Learn to cook healthy. You can prepare a healthy meal without compromising its taste even if you stick to a healthier cooking style. Opt for baked, grilled or broiled cooking methods, limit fats like butter, margarine, lard or shortening, choose cooking recipes including fresh fruits and vegetables. As you can see, such cooking style is not only healthier but is less time consuming. Make it easy. You dont need to measure every ingredient in order to prepare a healthy, well-balanced and varied meal. All you have to do is remember several ground rules that will help you devise and prepare vision-friendly meals: 1. One ounce whole grain food equals to 1 slice of bread or cup cooked rice, cooked pasta or cooked cereal. 2. One cup of vegetables is a cup of fresh or cooked vegetables, a cup of vegetable juice or 2 cups of raw leafy vegetables. 3. One cup of fruits is a cup of fresh or cooked fruits or 1 cup of fruit juice or cup dried fruits. 4. One cup of milk is a cup of milk or yogurt or 1 oz fresh cheese or 2 oz processed cheese. 5. One ounce from the meat food group is 1 ounce lean meat, poultry or fish, or cup cooked dry beans or 1 egg or 1 tablespoon peanut butter or ounce nuts.
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Sample Vision-Friendly 7 Day Menu

You can find all the recipes featured in the sample vision-friendly menu in the Food & Diet Guide that you received along with this book. Breakfast Lunch Snack Dinner
Monday Fruit & Nut Oatmeal 1 cup low-fat milk Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad with Baked Cheese 1 medium apple Beef Stake Sweet Potatoes with Herbs Baby Carrots with Dill 1 cup Citrus Ice Tea Turkey Tacos Avocado Salad Honey Fruit Salad Spinach Cream Soup Mini Beef Meatloaf Brussels Sprouts With Mushrooms Fish Tacos Tomatoes & Green Pepper Salad 1 cup Citrus Ice Tea 1 cup apricot nectar Baked Salmon Fillets Tossed Green Salad Berry Cheesecake Parfait Trout With Almonds Classic Broccoli Salad Melon with Raspberry Sauce Chicken Pasta with Pesto Broccoli Garden Salad Apple & Pumpkin Desert Grilled Cod Sandwich Spinach & Cranberries Salad Fruit Bake Chicken Liver With Green Peppers Broccoli-Rice Cucumber & Avocado Salad Blackberry Sorbet Vegetable Beef Stew Garlic Kale Pumpkin Rice Pudding Salmon Mini Pizzas Italian Green Salad Sunday Fruit Salad
Tuesday
Good Morning Muffins 1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup red grapefruit juice
Wednesday
Tuna Sandwich 1 cup Yogurt Breakfast Drink
1 cup low-fat milk
Thursday
French Toast 1 cup low-fat milk 1 cup assorted fruits
1 cup plain yogurt 1 medium apple
Friday
Rice Pudding 1 cup low-fat milk
1 cup-low fat milk Wholegrain Cookies
Saturday
Almond French Toast 1 cup low-fat milk Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes 1 cup orange juice
Sunday
Eggplant Rolls Berry Compote Asian Broiled Mackerel Brown Rice Salad Mango Mousse Roasted Lamb leg 1 cup low-fat milk Peas & Celery Sweet Carrots Baked French Fries Raspberry Peach Crumble
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Vegetarian Diets and Vision Concerns

Millions of people follow strict vegetarian diets cutting out meat, eggs, dairy products, fish and all other sources of animal protein. What impact such diet has on your eyesight? Everybody knows that vegetables and fruits are the main sources of vitamins and minerals important to good health. When it comes to vision, many believe that a vegetarian diet will do them good by providing their eyes with huge amounts of all those nutrients essential for eye health. What they are missing out however is that foods of plant origin do not contain other nutrients, equally vital for maintaining the health of our vision system. Mans blindness due to vegan diet reported the BBC several years ago. Doctors found he is suffering from severe deficiencies of some of the most important eyesight nutrients the vitamins A, C, D and E, and the minerals zinc and selenium. In addition, he had extremely low levels of vitamin B1 and B12, both responsible for good vision. So, is this a single unfortunate event or you are really putting yourself at risk by leaving out all food sources of animal proteins? Indeed, fruits and vegetables are the primal sources of most of the nutrients necessary for good vision. However, sufficient amounts of many essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and microelements can be obtained from animal food sources or products meats, fish, eggs, milk and diary products. For instance, omega-3 fatty acids have a very important role in proper vision development and retinal function. While small amounts of these fatty acids are found is some vegetables, their primary dietary source remains fish-based foods (salmon, tuna, mackerel, scallops, anchovy, snapper, trout, etc).
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Zinc is another nutrient of extreme importance to maintaining good eyesight, lowering the risks of various eye diseases and slowing the progression of some of the most common eye disorders. According to the American Optometric Association Impaired vision has been linked to zinc deficiency. A deficiency of zinc can result in poor night vision and cloudy cataracts. While zinc is contained in some fruits and vegetables, its main dietary sources are oysters, beef, pork, milk and eggs. As you can see, an imbalanced diet can put your eyesight to great risk. Good vision can only be maintained through proper vision diet, rich in all the nutrients your body and your eyes need. Vitamin supplementation is essential in persons who adhere to a strict vegetarian diet.
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VISION AND MEDICATIONS
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Medications Harmful for Your Eyesight

Although medications are made to help you fight various diseases, some of them can put your vision health and eyesight to risk. Obviously, there is no way to list all medications that may have adverse side effects on your eyes. That is why we have listed some of the most commonly used medications and how they can be harmful for your vision. Medications that may cause retinal damage: some of the most commonly prescribed drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (Plaquenil (hydroxchloriquine sulfate)), medications for high blood pressure (Clonidine), all NSAIDS medications (non- steroid anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen sodium). Medications that can cause glaucoma: all NSAIDS medications, some steroids, Simvastatin (for high cholesterol), Fenfluramine (for weight loss), some gastric antispasmodics and antidepressant medications. Medications that may cause cataract and/or macular damage: all medications that increase your light sensitivity such as antihistamines, birth control pills, tranquilizers, sulfa drugs, oral anti-diabetic drugs, antidepressants, NSAIDS medications, glucocorticoids (Prednisone), Fluroquinone, terbinafine, mefloquine type antibiotics. Medications that may cause Dry Eye symptoms: antibiotic, blood pressure medications, antidepressants, antihistamines, birth control pills, appetite suppressants. Medications that may cause eye hemorrhage: NSAIDS medications including over-the-counter pain relievers, Venlafaxine (an antidepressant), Amphotericin B (an antibiotic), Pentoxifylline, Heparin, coumadin, anisindione, and other oral anti-coagulants, prescribed to prevent blood clotting.
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There are many other medications that can have direct impact on your vision especially if used long-term. Moreover, certain drugs dont have any vision threatening side effects but reduce the amounts of some of the most important vision vitamins (vitamin C, A and E) which is also potentially harmful for your eyesight. To avoid unnecessary damage to your eyes, always make sure you know what side effects an over-the-counter or prescription medication might have. Ask your physician about the possible adverse reactions you may experience and check if there is a substitute of the medication you are prescribed which will cause less or no damage to your eyes.
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LIFESTYLE AND VISION
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Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Eyesight Naturally

The majority of people take eyesight for granted. They assume their vision will remain the same until their sixties, when probably it will inevitably get worse because of age. Well, this is all wrong. Your eyes health, just like the health of any other organ in your body, depends not only on some genetic predispositions your might have but on your lifestyle. Various lifestyle factors can impact quality of vision; there are some that can even cause the onset of some dangerous eyesight conditions leading to severe vision impairment and blindness. Luckily, you can take everything under control with some easy yet significant lifestyle changes that will help you preserve, protect and even improve your eyesight naturally. Your diet is important to your eyesight. What, when and how you eat directly impacts your eye health and thus your eyesight. The link between diet and vision has been discovered long time ago but recently there has been even more research in this area. Today, it is a well-known fact that certain foods and eating habits are potentially dangerous for eyesight while others have positive effect on vision. Moreover, certain foods can postpone the onset, relieve the symptoms or slow down the progression of many common eyesight disorders leading to serious vision loss and blindness. If you want to preserve, protect and improve your eyesight naturally, make sure you follow a healthy, well-balanced and varied vision diet. Being active protects your vision. Lack of regular physical activity can be dangerous for your eyesight. For instance, inactive people have higher risk for developing age related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of
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severe vision loss and irreversible blindness. Moreover, insufficient physical activity greatly increases the risk of other general health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, cardio vascular problems which all have negative impact on eyesight. Doing exercises or other type of physical activities at least three times a week can greatly improve your general health and has tremendously positive impact on eyesight. Nevertheless, it will keep your body weight under control and greatly improve your overall appearance and wellbeing. Get rid of bad habits. Bad habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are not only extremely dangerous for your general health but particularly hazardous for your eyesight. The risk of developing various vision diseases and conditions leading to poor eyesight can be greatly increased if you smoke and/or drink. For instance, smokers are at 4 to 5 times higher risk of developing AMD and doubled risk of developing cataracts. In addition, non- smokers living with a smoker are also at higher risk of eyesight problems.
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10 Habits for Better Vision

Preserving, protecting and enhancing vision should be a conscious effort. Making sure you do the most for your eyesight will help you enjoy great vision quality for longer. The following 10 habits for better vision are designed to help you achieve just that. 1. Balance work and relaxation. Creating balance between work and relaxation is essential for your mind, your body and your eyes. However busy you may be, make a conscious effort to dedicate some time to eye relaxation. If you dont know how to properly relax your eyes, read the chapter Vision Relaxation Techniques (p. 22) and you will discover that eye relaxation is quite simple and has numerous benefits. 2. Be active. Being active is extremely important for your overall health and wellbeing and for your vision. Many serious vision conditions leading to severe vision loss and blindness may be caused by lack of regular physical activity. The type of exercises you will be doing doesnt really matter you can do something as simple as taking a long walk, go swimming or get a subscription for the local sport club. Try to exercise a minimum of 30 minutes per day. 3. Mind your diet. It is not only what you eat but when and how you eat. A healthy, well-balanced and varied diet is not only good for your general health but extremely important for your eyesight. Including some vision friendly foods in your daily menu can protect you eyes from various eyesight disorders and slow down the progression of those you might already have. The easiest way to find out which foods are good for your eyes and how they can help you improve your eyesight naturally is to read the Vision and Diet section of this book (p. 92).
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4. Create a vision friendly working environment. Working in healthy conditions is very important for variety of reasons, including protecting and preserving your eyesight. Regardless of the exact type of work you are doing, make sure the air in your working area is humid and clean and that the room is well lit. If you are working at a computer or doing some other close eye work, make sure you are sitting at the correct distance from your computer screen or reading material. Last but not least, remember to take regular breaks and relax your eyes. 5. Blink regularly. Blinking is an unconscious action and probably thats why we are often unaware when we stop blinking as often as we should. Normally, a person blinks 10-12 times per minute. When we read, watch TV or stare at the computer screen however, we blink up to 60% less. Infrequent blinking may cause eyestrain, general feeling of eye fatigue and even some unpleasant dry eye symptoms. If you want to promote your eye health, make blinking a habit. You can also try the Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40). 6. Give up smoking. If you are a smoker, do your best to quit. Smoking is extremely dangerous for your general health and for your eyes. The risk of developing various vision conditions is much higher for smokers and those who live with smokers compared to non- smokers. For example, people who smoke are exposed to 4-5 times bigger risk of macular degeneration, a serious eye disease leading to severe vision loss and irreversible blindness, than those who dont smoke. 7. Check your eyes regularly. A full medical eye examination is the only way to discover if you have an eye problem. Even if you enjoy perfect eyesight and dont have any vision
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related complains, visit your eye doctor at least once a year. Those with family history of eye disorders such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, astigmatism, cataract and myopia should opt in for medical eye examinations as often as once every 6 months. 8. Wear correct eye prescription. If you are already visually impaired due to some eye disorder, make sure you have the correct prescription on your eyeglasses or contact lenses. Wearing too low or too high prescription will not only multiply your vision difficulties but is potentially dangerous for your eyesight. 9. Limit the use of contact lenses. Unless specifically advised from your ophthalmologist, try to limit the use of contacts. Wearing contact lenses for long periods of time increases the risk of dry eye and various eye infections with severe complications. 10. Think positive. Turn positive thinking into a habit. Your mind and your body are more connected and dependent on each other than you might think. Those with vision problems often think My eyes are bad or There is nothing I can do, I just inherited poor vision. Instead, be optimistic and repeat to yourself My eyes are beautiful or I feel great even if my vision is not perfect.
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How to Save Your Eyesight at the Computer?

In the past, it was believed that eyesight could get worse due to radiation from television or computer screens. Today, we know that vision problems due to close up eye work related to computer use are caused by a number of different reasons. The most common vision related complains among people working at a computer include: eye strain, dry eyes, blurred vision or a general feeling of eye discomfort. These might be caused by a number of factors such as screen resolution and contrast, image refresh rate and flicker and working distance and angles. Here are a few suggestions how to save your eyesight at the computer by addressing each of these problems. Screen resolution and contrast. Set your computer monitor at the highest resolution possible. Better resolution provides clearer image and thus poses less strain on your vision system. If screen texts appear too small, simply increase the font size. Adjust the contrast and the brightness of your monitor to a level comfortable for your eyes. Make sure texts are easily readable while avoiding adding too much contrast and/or brightness. Computer screen refresh rate. Adjust the refresh rate of your computer screen to the highest possible rate. Working distances and angles. Maintaining correct working distances and angles is very important for your eyesight. Your computer screen should be placed straight ahead, 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes and its upper edge should be slightly below your horizontal eye level. If you have difficulties seeing clearly from such distances, you need to get your eyes checked and possibly get prescription correction glasses or contact lenses. The centre of your computer
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screen should be 10 to 20 degrees below your eyes (approximately 4 9 inches at 24 distance). Make sure your screen is dust free and there arent any fingerprints or other stains on its surface. Saving your eyesight at the computer is not only related to the way you will adjust your computer screen and where and how you will situate it. There are a number of other things you can do to protect your vision. Blink regularly. People working at a computer or doing other close up eye work blink 60% less than normal. Infrequent blinking is a major factor for onset and development of dry eye and contributes to a general feeling of eyestrain. Make a conscious effort to blink regularly or try the Blinking Vision Exercise (page). Improve the quality of air in your working place. Air-conditioned air is usually very dry. This makes it bad for your eyes and may impact the quality of your vision. Use an air humidifier at your work place and even at your home, especially if you have air condition and/or live in area with dry climate. Relax your eyes. If you are unable to reduce the time you spend in front a computer screen, provide your eyes with sufficient time for full relaxation. I strongly recommend you to check out the Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Computer Vision Syndrome on page 89.
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Should I Wear Computer Glasses?

If you are one of the people spending day in and day out in front of a computer screen, you may have considered using computer glasses. Computer glasses are special prescription glasses designed to provide clear vision in the so-called intermediate vision zone. This is closer than driving (distance) vision, but farther away than reading (near) vision. For most computer users, this intermediate zone of vision is somewhere between 20 and 26 as this is where a computer screen usually is. Most people wear either eyeglasses for distance vision (those with myopia) or glasses for near vision (those who are farsighted). Additionally, people over 40 often wear reading glasses or bifocals due to presbyopia. While the glasses for each condition provide clear distant or near vision, none of them is actually designed to meet the vision requirements for that intermediate zone of vision. Even bifocal and multifocal lenses (used for correction of near and distant vision at the same time) have only a small portion of the lens dedicated to this area, not nearly large enough for comfortable computer work. Computer glasses are specifically designed to help the eye see better at intermediate distance. Since vision acuity and vision requirements are very specific for each person, any computer glasses should be made individually. In other words, there is no such thing as universal computer glasses. So, if you want to enjoy the maximum benefits of a pair of computer eyeglasses, you should get your prescription from a qualified eye doctor. Computer glasses can significantly reduce the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS): eye strain, blurred vision, loss of focus, headaches. Yet again, if you want to
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protect and preserve eyesight, you need must dedicate enough time to eye relaxation too.
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3 Easy Tips for Creating Vision Friendly Working Environment

Working in a healthy working environment is of utmost importance for our safety and wellbeing. What about our vision though? Are the standard healthy working environment practices enough for providing sufficient safety for our eyesight? The following three easy tips are specifically useful for those doing some close eye work that requires long hours of uninterrupted eye work and frequent focus shifts. 1. Vision friendly working station. Close eye work puts additional vision stress on your vision system due to increased visual demand. Whether you are working at a computer or doing some other type of close eye work, you need to make sure your working station is positioned in a way beneficial for your eyes. Make sure your computer screen is straight in front of you and that it is 20-26 away from your eyes. 2. Light your working area appropriately. Make sure you have good overhead, background and foreground lighting. Also, make sure any additional reading materials you are using are well lit. You can use a combination of ceiling and desk lamps or any other lighting appliances; just make sure no light is coming directly into your eyes. 3. Be ware of air quality. Most work areas are air-conditioned. While air conditioning provides comfort, it is also potentially bad for your eyes. Conditioned air is typically very dry and full of dust and other harmful particles. Frequent exposure to dry air often causes eye irritations and may even lead to dry eye - an unpleasant eye condition with potentially dangerous complications. If you are worried that the air in your work place is too dry or if you are working in a dry and/or warm climate region, get an air humidifier.
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3 Vision Exercises to Help Your Eyesight at the Computer

People spending long hours staring at a computer screen at exposed to a higher risk of various eyesight disorders such as eyestrain, nearsightedness (myopia), dry eye and blurry vision. These vision problems as well as many other uncomfortable symptoms such as headaches, neck and back strain can be avoided by creating a healthy working environment and by doing some simple yet very effective eye exercises. Before we take a look at the top 3 vision exercises that can help your eyesight at the computer, lets explore the reasons why our eyes are exposed to higher vision stress while staring at a computer screen. Computer use requires a number of specific vision skills, which pose greater demand on your vision system. While working at a computer you need to move your eyes in various directions more often, to maintain uninterrupted near focus for long periods of time and to frequently change the focus between different distances. Moreover, your blinking rate is greatly decreased which is potentially bad for your eyesight. The following vision exercises are aimed at training your eye muscles and improving your eyes focusing abilities at various distances, reducing eye strain as well as providing your eyes with much needed relaxation. Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise (p. 51) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40)
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All of these vision exercises are extremely easy and can be done virtually anywhere and at any time of the day. For best results, perform them every day and even several times a day. It is highly recommended that you combine the vision exercises above with some of our Eye Relaxation Techniques. You can also try some of our self-massage techniques for better vision as they are very helpful not only for your eyes but for your body. Alternatively, you can try any of the exercises included in the Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Computer Vision Syndrome (p. 89)
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VISION AND POSTURE
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There are various ways in which your body and your eyes depend on each other and your posture is just another example between these dynamic interactions. In other words, your vision affects your posture and your posture affects your vision.
How Posture Affects Eyesight?

Different posture patterns are specific for some vision problems. For instance, nearsighted people tend to lean their heads forward in attempt to see distant objects clearly; farsighted people do just the opposite - since they have reduced near vision such people tend to lean back; people with astigmatism often tilt their head to the left or to the right. While these imbalanced posture patterns often provide temporary vision help, they cause a variety of other problems back pain, tension in the shoulders, neck and face. On the other hand, bad posture habits put the eyesight of people without vision problems at risk. Unbalanced posture results in tension and increases the strain on your visual system. Various studies have shown that incorrect posture may impacts binocular and side vision and result in myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism and fusion (binocular vision) difficulties. Why correct posture is important for your vision? 1. Correct posture facilitates good blood supply to your eyes and this is of utmost importance for general eye health. 2. Correct posture reduces the stress on your vision system. Unbalanced posture puts enormous strain on your eyes, as they have to work harder to focus and maintain clear vision. 3. Correct posture is important for good binocular vision.
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Maintaining good body posture is vital for maintaining good eyesight. Moreover, it is of great importance for people already suffering from an eyesight disorder such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism or lazy eye.
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5 Rules for Vision Friendly Body Posture While Standing

Body balance and coordination would be quite difficult without vision. On the other hand, vision is greatly influenced by body posture and can be negatively impacted by various posture imbalances. Anyone interested in preserving their natural vision or improving their eyesight naturally should learn how to maintain proper body posture while standing, sitting or lying down. The first step to learning how to maintain a healthy posture is learning how to stand up straight correctly. Standing up straight requires our skeletal and muscle systems to work together. Since our balance while standing is supported by the muscles of the neck, upper and lower back, legs and feet, the way we stand depends on the position of the neck, pelvis and feet. The key to establishing correct posture while standing is to align the three balance points mentioned above correctly. This will allow your body weight to distribute evenly around your spine and thus will prevent buildup of tension or strain in any of the parts of your body. The easiest way to achieve proper posture while standing is to do the following: 1. Relax all the muscles in your body. If you should not feel tension in any areas. 2. Look straight ahead. Make sure your head is not tilted to the left or to the right and that your chin is not pointing up or down. 3. Straighten your shoulders and upper back. Try to achieve this while keeping your muscles relaxed.
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4. Center your pelvis. Imagine your spine is a column and your pelvis should be exactly in its lower center. For many people maintaining good position is quite hard at the beginning as they are used to pushing their pelvis to the front - resulting in hollow back, or to the back - resulting in the so called flat pelvis and causing the whole upper body to lean forward. 5. Your legs should be hip width apart and parallel to each other. Make sure your weight is distributed evenly between both legs. An excellent way to find out if you have any posture imbalances is to use a full height mirror. Looking at your posture from the front and side positions will help you see if there are any problems with your posture and will allow you to correct them easily. Last but not least, remember to be consistent and correct your posture every time you catch yourself that you are standing improperly. Soon, you will discover that maintaining a healthy and vision friendly posture while standing has turned into a habit and you dont need to consciously control it anymore.
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Vision and Posture When Sitting and Lying Down

Most of us spend almost the entire day sitting in front of a desk. Moreover, the most common way to relax is to lye down on the sofa or in bed and watch a TV show or read a book. Both sitting and lying down affect your eyesight. That is why being aware how to sit and lye down correctly is of utmost importance for preserving your eyesight. How to sit correctly for better vision? Since almost all jobs that require us to remain seated for long periods of time involve some kind of close eye work or long periods of eye concentration, correct posture while sitting is very important for vision health. Close eye work such as reading or working at a computer poses increased visual demands by itself; when our posture is imbalanced or in any other way improper, the demands on our vision system become even higher. Exposing our vision to constant vision stress leads to various eyesight disorders as well as to some unpleasant symptoms such as headaches, neck strain, back pain and wrist pain. Here are the basic rules for correct, vision friendly-seated posture setting. 1. Sit with your pelvis pushed back in the seat to the point where it touches the back of the chair. 2. Keep your back straight yet relaxed let your body weight rest on your pelvis. Ideally, your back and your pelvis should form a 90 degrees angle. 3. Your knees should be bended in 90-degree angle and your feet must touch the floor. 4. You may place your arms at your desk or at the arms of the chair but you should never use them to support the weight of your upper body.
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To easier achieve healthy seated posture, get a chair with adjustable height. If your feet cannot reach the ground while you are maintaining correct pelvis position, use a firm pillow or other support underneath them but never leave them hanging in the air. How to lie down correctly for better vision? Most people prefer to lie down while watching their favorite TV shows or reading. While lying down seems pretty straightforward, many people do not have correct lying posture and thus put their vision and other body parts at risk of problems. The most important rule for correct body posture while lying down is to always make sure you have adequate neck support. People with vision problems should avoid watching TV or reading while lying down as this puts extra stress on their visual system regardless of their posture.
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3 Balance and Coordination Exercises for Better Eyesight

Your vision is not only important for seeing the world around you but for helping your body to maintain proper balance and coordination. Many eyesight disorders lead to poor eye- hand coordination and even to balance problems. The following three balance and coordination exercises are designed to help you improve your eye-hand coordination and your overall balance skills. The Stork Exercise 1. Stand with your legs hip width apart and your hands on your hips. 2. Slowly lift your right leg up and bend it in the knee. Your upper leg should be parallel to the ground and form 90-degree angle with your hips and there should be 90 degree bend in the knee. 3. Remain in this position for about 5 seconds and slowly put back your leg on the ground. 4. Repeat with the other leg. Hand to Ankle Exercise 1. Stand with your legs hip width apart. Your hands should rest on both sides of your body. 2. Bend your right leg backwards until your lower leg is parallel to the ground. At the same time reach back with your left hand and grab your ankle. 3. Hold the position for 10 seconds and return in initial standing position. 4. Repeat with the other leg and hand.
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Leg Slide Exercise 1. Stand directly behind a chair or a table with your legs hip width apart. 2. Holding the table for extra balance, slowly slide your right leg sideward until it is 10 inches away from your body. Hold the position for 5 seconds and return in initial position. 3. Repeat with the other leg. The above balance and coordination exercises are not only great for improving your eye-hand coordination and your balance skills, but are a great way to relax after a busy day. You can do all three exercises or a combination of those that you like the most. Regardless of the exercises you will chose to do on a regular basis, it is very important to do them slowly and to try to maintain correct body posture throughout each exercise. Remember to breathe deeply and regularly too.
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COMMON EYESIGHT DISORDERS
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Myopia
According to a survey of the National Eye Institute (NEI) the estimated prevalence of myopia among adults in the United States is over 33%. Many children and young adults also experience reduced distant visual acuity due to nearsightedness, which makes myopia probably, the most common eyesight disorders. Virtually anyone is at risk of myopia - it may occur in childhood or adolescence and may be caused by hereditary or environmental factors. Myopia, also known as nearsightedness is an eye condition, which affects your ability to see distant objects clearly. People with myopia have no problems seeing objects that are close by but object further away appear blurred. Learning more about the causes and the symptoms of the disease as well as what the available natural treatments are will help you preserve and protect your eyesight.
Why Are So Many People Nearsighted?

According to a recent study at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, nearly 33.1% of the Americans suffer from nearsightedness (myopia). If you look at other statistical data from their research, you will immediately notice that nearsightedness takes the top place among the most common eyesight disorders farsightedness, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
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Researchers also found that rates of myopia in people ages 12 to 54 raised from 25% in the early 70s to nearly 42% in 1999-2000. This data marks a nearly 70% increase of myopia prevalence for the past 20 years. Why are so many people nearsighted? Why the rates of myopia are so rapidly increasing? Although nearsightedness usually develops in childhood, it may as well develop later on in life. It occurs when the eyeball is too long or if the cornea has irregular shape. In any of these cases, light entering the eye doesnt focus on the retina but in front of it, which results in blurred distant vision. Traditionally, scientists believed that myopia is one of the hereditary eyesight disorders. However, newer studies suggest that nearsightedness may develop even in people with no family history of myopia and that some environmental factors increase the risk of myopia. It is now thought that any activity that involves long periods of uninterrupted close-up eye work may change the shape of the eye and thus lead to myopia. On the other hand, looking at objects in the distance actually relaxes the eyes and lowers the risk of nearsightedness. Some studies even suggest that not the time spent in close-up eye work but the time 3 Nearsightedness Myths Myth: Prescription glasses increase nearsightedness because the eyes become accustomed to them. Fact: Prescription glasses dont increase myopia. Wear your prescription glasses even if you are using a natural vision correction program until you dont need them anymore. Make sure that you have a correct prescription all the time. Myth: Wearing contact lenses is better than wearing glasses in case of myopia. Fact: Contacts dont help nearsightedness better than eyeglasses; they provide an alternative to people reluctant to wear glasses. Contact lens wearers are at higher risk of various eye health problems such as dry eye and infections. Myth: Using night light in infant rooms increases the risk of myopia.
Fact: Latest studies have found no connection between nighttime lighting and development of myopia. The results show that it doesnt matter if a child sleeps in a Copyrighted Material 177 www.NaturallyImproveEyesight.com dark room, with a night light or in a fully lit room.
spent using distance vision is what increases or decreases the risk of nearsightedness. Stress is also considered one of the risk factors for nearsightedness. With this data in mind we can consider that the drastic increase of myopia rate during the past 20 years is primarily due to social and lifestyle changes - modern children spend most of their free time in front of a computer screen and less time playing outdoors. Recent studies have shown that sunlight and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) strengthen the outside layer of the eye (the sclera). That is why children who spend more time outdoors are less prone to myopia. Although it seems that nearsightedness only causes visual discomfort that can easily be eliminated by wearing prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses or with a refractive eye surgery, myopia is a major cause of blindness. Myopic people are more prone to serious eye problems such as glaucoma and retinal detachment, serious conditions that may lead to permanent blindness. Regardless of the exact method a person will choose to manage their nearsightedness, prevention remains the best option. Here are several tips that will help you retain your good distant vision or relieve the symptoms of myopia in a natural way. Have your eyes checked at least once per year. Always wear correct eyeglasses or contact lenses prescription. If you are currently doing vision exercises, get your eyes checked the moment you notice an improvement of your vision and get a correct prescription.
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Learn which the symptoms of the most common myopia complications are. If you experience sudden loss of vision in one eye, sudden blurred vision, flashes of light or halos, rainbows, stars and/or black spots seek medical help immediately as these may all be signs of retinal damage or retinal detachment eye health emergencies that may lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated. Always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UV light. Get a pair of high quality sunglasses and wear them every time it is sunny outside. Create and stick to a healthy diet. Indeed, a healthy diet alone may not be enough to correct nearsightedness. But it is proven that certain foods are greatly beneficial for eyesight and can help myopia symptoms. Moreover, a healthy diet improves general health and lowers the risk of chronic illnesses that have detrimental impact on eye health and vision. Quit unhealthy habits such as smoking and/or chronic alcohol consumption - they may worsen nearsightedness and increase the risk of other serious eye diseases. Provide your eyes with enough time for relaxation and eye exercising. Dedicate a few minutes per day to vision exercising. Vision exercises and relaxation will keep your eyes fit, ease the symptoms of nearsightedness and even help improve eyesight naturally.
Causes of Myopia
People with myopia focus the light in front of the retina instead of
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precisely on it and that is the cause for poor distant vision. Obviously, the reason for the light to come on focus in front the retina is incorrect structure of the refractive elements of the eye. However, medical professionals still dont know for sure what causes these irregularities. There are two main hypotheses regarding the most common causes of this eye disorder: Many believe that myopia is a hereditary condition. Lots of medical evidence suggests that myopia is caused by increased visual stress and close eye work. It is clear that both hereditary factors and lifestyle habits can increase your risk of nearsightedness. People with parents with myopia are at greater risk of developing the disease, especially if they are involved in some type of close eye work. On the other hand, people with no hereditary tread may be at risk of nearsightedness if they put their eyes under constant visual stress - spending considerable time reading, working at a computer, or doing other intense close visual work. Apart from the two main myopia causes, general health conditions and environmental factors may also increase the risk of myopia. People with high blood sugar levels or diabetes often experience blurred distant vision. Myopia symptoms may also be signs for an early cataract. People who perform an excessive amount of close vision work may have the so called pseudo myopia their inability to see clearly in the distance is caused by overuse of the eye focusing mechanism rather than changes in the eye characteristic for nearsightedness. However, continuous close eye work may lead to permanent changes in the eye and cause myopia.
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Myopia may be congenital (present at birth) or develop during childhood (prior to age of 20) or adulthood (between the age of 20 and 40). In addition, there are many cases of late adult onset myopia that develops after the age of 40.
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Myopia Symptoms
The first symptoms of myopia are difficulties in focusing objects that are located away from the viewer. Many people may not realize they have an eye disorder as they have only slight problems seeing clearly distant objects. At this stage unconscious or
conscious squinting helps the person to focus distant objects. As nearsightedness progresses, people start to experience difficulties seeing clearly objects at closer proximity - for instance one may have troubles reading the scripts on the TV screen. In cases of high myopia (myopia of -6.00 D or more) near vision may be also affected and people may need their glasses for distance when reading or doing other close eye work. Luckily, myopia can be easily diagnosed by some simple eye examination methods. These methods include identifying letters or symbols on an eye chart (such as the Snellen eye chart) to estimate the visual acuity of the patient, assessing the refractive status of each eye with a retinoscope and making fine adjustments to them by placing different lens in front of each eye using a phoropter.
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Ophthalmologists may also choose to use automated devices that assess the focusing ability of the eyes automatically.
Natural Treatments for Myopia

There are various myopia natural treatment options you can consider if you are looking for a natural treatment for myopia. Vision therapy is often recommended to people with myopia caused by stress or environmental factors such as daily involvement in eye intensive work. Vision therapy treatments use various vision exercises to improve poor eye focusing ability and regain clear distant vision. In many people nearsightedness is caused by spasm of the muscles which control eye focusing. These are usually people doing close-up eye work or involved in other activities that require uninterrupted eye concentration. In these cases, vision exercises and some eye relaxation techniques can be used to relax the eye muscles and release their tension and thus to naturally improve eyesight. The most common eye exercises for myopia are those aimed at improving the focusing ability of the eye. Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise (p. 51) Tracing Vision Exercise (p. 42) Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Nearsightedness (Myopia) (p. 77)
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Anyone looking for a natural treatment for myopia should consider relaxing their eyes regularly. There are several easy eye relaxation techniques that are not only greatly beneficial for the eyes but provide overall relaxation and reduce stress. Many people suffer from hereditary nearsightedness. In these cases, distant visual acuity is decreased not due to tension of the eye muscles but due to irregularities in the shape of the cornea. Although it is controversial that eye exercises for myopia can provide permanent vision improvement in cases of hereditary myopia, performing eye exercises and relaxation techniques is still beneficial for improving the focusing abilities of the eyes and general vision relaxation.
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Hyperopia
Hyperopia, also known as hypermetropia or farsightedness, is an eye disorder that affects the ability of the eyes to focus on near objects. In the majority of cases people can see clearly distant objects but experience difficulties seeing clearly close objects. Depending on the degree of hyperopia and the age of the person, the overall focusing ability of the eye may be affected and objects at any distance may appear blurred. According to the National Eye Institute (NEI) nearly 12 million people of 40 years and older in the US suffer from farsightedness. Since farsightedness may occur in both adults and children, these numbers are likely to be much higher, and this makes hyperopia one of the most common eyesight disorders. The key to the successful management of farsightedness is in early detection, accurate diagnosis and correct treatment. Knowing what is hyperopia and what its causes and symptoms are will help you preserve and protect your eyesight.
Causes of Hyperopia
The main causes of hyperopia are considered to be hereditary factors and other than normal biological variations of the refractive components of the eye. In general, hyperopia occurs when the light entering the eye comes on focus behind the retina. The reasons why
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the light doesnt focus correctly at the center of the retina (where it needs to be so that clear image is produced) vary and may include one or several of the following: Short axial length of the eyeball; Too little curvature of the cornea; Insufficient focusing power of the lens; Increased thickness of the lens;
Hyperopia may be caused by maldevelopment of the eye structures during the prenatal and early postnatal period and inflammations of some eye structures.
Hyperopia Symptoms
Hyperopia symptoms vary and generally depend on the type of hyperopia, its degree and the age of the person. Generally, young people with low, mild and even high hyperopia may not experience any symptoms. This is largely due to the accommodation capabilities of the eyes. However, when the accommodation capability of the eye is not sufficient due to age or increased vision stress, or when the level of hyperopia is too great, hyperopia symptoms start to surface. Two of the most common hyperopia symptoms are constant or sporadic blurred vision and eye strain (asthenopia). Other common signs of hyperopia are red and/or tearing eyes, frequent blinking, squinting when reading or doing other close eye work, general feeling of eye fatigue and/or eye strain, general focusing problems, decreased eye-hand coordination, headaches after doing close eye work, burning eyes and a general feeling of irritability and nervousness. Early detection and treatment of hyperopia is of utmost importance especially for infants, children and young adults. Uncorrected mild or high hyperopia in children may lead to more serious eye disorders such as lazy eye (amblyopia) or strabismus.
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Moreover, uncorrected farsightedness in children may lead to poor motor development and/or learning problems.
Natural Treatments for Hyperopia

There is no universal approach to treating hyperopia. The type of hyperopia, the age of the person, accommodation power of the eyes, type and degree of symptoms determine the exact treatment. Vision therapy treatments for farsightedness involve eye exercises, vision relaxation techniques, modifications of the patients habits and environment. Vision therapy can ease the symptoms of farsightedness and even reduce the level of hyperopia. The eye exercises for farsightedness are generally aimed at improving the focusing abilities of the eye, enhancing its accommodation capabilities and reducing the vision stress. Regular eye exercise routines may decrease the risk of developing hyperopia, reduce the severity of its symptoms and lessen the need of wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses. Here are several vision exercises that may help people with farsightedness improve vision naturally: Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35) Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Shifting and Swinging Vision Exercise (p. 52) Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Farsightedness (Hyperopia) (p. 81)
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Long hours of uninterrupted close-up eye work may increase the severity of some of the symptoms of farsightedness. For that reason eye relaxation is of utmost importance for just about anybody suffering from hyperopia. There are many easy eye relaxation techniques that can be greatly beneficial for just about anyone suffering from farsightedness. Farsighted people who spend long hours daily in front of a computer screen should also consider practicing the eye exercises and relaxation techniques included in our Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Computer Vision Syndrome (p. 89)
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Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the flexibility of the lens is affected and it cannot re-adjust its shape for near focus and near vision is decreased. Clear near and distant vision is achieved because of the ability of the crystalline lens inside the eye to change its shape. When we look at distant objects, the lens in each eye becomes flatter. When we look at near objects, it becomes thicker and bulges from front to back. The degree to which the lens can change its shape largely depends on its flexibility as well on the flexibility and the power of the ciliary muscle. Presbyopia is often confused with farsightedness. Although some of the symptoms may seem alike, presbyopia causes are age-related and farsightedness is caused by irregular change of the eyeball or/and the cornea of the eye. Although presbyopia is considered an inevitable part of aging just like wrinkles and fading hair color and it cannot be prevented, being aware of presbyopia causes and symptoms, what the available presbyopia treatments are and how you can improve your vision naturally will help you delay its onset or slow down its progression.
Presbyopia Causes
Presbyopia happens to everyone, even to those who have never had any eye disorders or illnesses. It is considered to be an eye condition part of the normal aging process. Several theories exist about the exact presbyopia causes. It is largely believed that it is an age-related
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vision condition caused by the natural aging processes taking place in the tissues of the eye lens and the ciliary muscle. With age, certain proteins inside the crystalline lens change their structure and make the lens less elastic and flexible. Along with this process, the ciliary muscle that actually controls the shape of the lens and adjusts it for far or near vision becomes less flexible and looses its strength. Since much more effort on the part of the muscle is required to re-shape the lens and adjust it for near vision and much bigger change in the shape of the lens is needed to focus near objects, these changes cause difficulties in seeing clearly near objects. These changes dont occur overnight. They develop gradually and usually the first presbyopia symptoms start to surface around the age of 40. It is interesting that presbyopic people with myopia tend to retain their near vision even after the age of 40.
Presbyopia Symptoms
The first presbyopia symptoms typically appear between the ages of 40 and 50. At first people find it harder to read fine prints or to see clearly other small objects nearby. Tasks like treading a needle for instance might become difficult. Other initial presbyopia symptoms are eyestrain, difficulty seeing well in dim light, blurred vision when transitioning between viewing distances. To compensate the increasing inability of the eyes to maintain clear near vision, people with presbyopia often hold books, magazines, newspapers, menus and other reading materials further away until their hands are no longer long enough. Using additional light also seems to help them maintain relatively good near vision. It is interesting that people with myopia often do not experience any presbyopia symptoms. Such people manage to retain good near vision even after 40. However, the lack of symptoms doesnt necessarily mean that they are presbyopia free. Regular eye examinations are of utmost importance to detect presbyopia and determine if any
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presbyopia treatment is required. Moreover, early detection of presbyopia allows people to find presbyopia natural treatment options that will allow them to retain their good near vision for longer and delay the need of expensive medical treatments.
Natural Treatment for Presbyopia

Presbyopia is considered an age-related vision condition that occurs in everyone and even in people who have never had any eye disorders. Various presbyopia natural treatment options exist for people interested in preserving or enhancing their vision. Correct nutrition is the key to delaying the onset age- related vision difficulties and slowing down presbyopia progression. Foods rich in Vitamin A, C and E are beneficial for the crystaline lens of the eye and can maintain its health and delay aging. Some herbs, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption can also delay the development of age-related changes in the lens of the eye, preserve eye muscle power and flexibility and thus delay the onset and/or hold back the progression of presbyopia. Many eye care professionals believe that vision exercises can help people with presbyopia improve their eyesight naturally. Due to the fact that presbyopia is caused by reduced flexibility of the lens and/or insufficient power of the ciliary muscles, any eye exercise aimed at these eye structures can help people with presbyopia improve their near vision. Here are three of the best eye exercises for presbyopia: Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44) Figure Eights Vision Exercise (p. 33)
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Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Aging Vision (p. 85)
Eye relaxation is also of utmost importance for people with presbyopia. Since focusing on near objects requires much more efforts, people with presbyopia often feel eyestrain, headaches and general feeling of fatigue after doing close eye work. Whether you decide to try our Vision Exercise and Relaxation Routine for Aging Vision or to perform eye exercises that enhance the strength and flexibility of the eye muscles, make sure you provide your eyes with enough time for relaxation during the day. You can relax your eyes by doing any of the eye relaxation techniques featured in this book or the Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40).
Cataract
Cataract is a progressive painless eye disorder causing clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye. Our eyes work pretty much like a camera - there are several important eye structures that let light pass through the eye and focus light rays precisely on the retina. The crystalline lens of the eye is one of the eye structures making vision possible. The lens of the eye is composed of water and special proteins. In a healthy eye, it is clear and transparent. Age, some eye disorders and general health diseases cause proteins to start clustering in abnormal ways and this is when cataract starts to form. Gradually, portions of the lens become clouded and no longer pass light pass through. These cloudy areas may form in the back of the lens (subcapsular cataract), in its center (nuclear cataract) or on its surface (cortical cataract). If left untreated cataract progresses and leads to blindness. Although it is an eye disorder prevalent among older people, it may affect children and young adults as well.
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Causes of Cataract
Cataract is formed when the proteins normally found in the crystalline lens of the eye start to cluster in abnormal way. Scientists and medical professionals still dont know for sure why these proteins start to bind between each other in the wrong way or in other words what the exact cataracts causes are. Cataract is one of the most prevalent eye disorders and a lot of cataract research has been done to establish its causes. Researchers have managed to identify several factors that increase the risk of cataract and may speed up its progression. Sunlight and UV radiation. Frequent and/or long exposure to sunlight without sunglasses greatly increases the risk of cataract. Sunlight consists of ultraviolet (also known as UVA or UVB) rays. Many studies suggest that UVA and UVB light ray has damaging effect on the lens. UVA radiation is considered to be the main cause of cataract. It changes the structure of the cells of the lens and greatly increases the risk of cataract formation. UVB radiation increases the risk of cataract as it promotes the release of oxidants. Oxidants (free-radicals). Researches believe free-radicals are one of the major cataracts causes. Free-radicals or oxidants are molecules that form as a result of the normal chemical processes taking place in the human body. Certain habits such as smoking, some foods, infections and sunlight may increase the amounts of free-radicals and high amount of oxidants are very dangerous for all of the cells in the body and especially for the cells of the eyes. The negative effect of these oxidants can be reduced by certain nutrients and that is why many eye care practitioners believe that nutrition may be factor in cataract formation and development as well as a way of its prevention. Some vitamins, antioxidants and microelements have direct impact on the crystalline lens of the eye. A healthy diet rich in those nutrients may forestall cataract development.
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Medications. Many medications commonly prescribed for chronic illnesses greatly contribute to cataract formation. Long term use of steroids, certain antidepressant medications, some glaucoma medications is associated with formation and development of cataract. Some studies suggest that hormone replacement therapy is another of the cataracts causes. Although more research is needed in this direction, many eye care professionals and researchers think that hormone treatments as well as birth control pills may increase the risk of cataract and speed up its progression. Eye diseases. Certain glaucoma medications and glaucoma filtering surgeries increase the risk of cataract. Uveitis, a choric inflammation of the eye, is also among cataracts causes. Smoking and alcohol consumption. Smokers and chronic heavy drinkers are exposed to higher risk of cataract.
Being aware of the main cataracts causes can help you preserve and protect your eyesight by avoiding the dangerous risk factors that may contribute to the formation and development of cataracts.
Cataract Symptoms
Cataract has little effect on vision during its early stages. Moreover, many of the first cataract signs and symptoms are insignificant or may mimic symptoms you already have due to another eyesight disorder. Being aware of the nature of cataract signs and symptoms will help you recognize the condition in its early stages and take timely measures.
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Some of the signs and symptoms of early cataract mimic those of nearsightedness (myopia). You may experience difficulties focusing on distant objects or have brief moments of blurry vision. People who are nearsighted may not realize they have cataract and may attribute these symptoms to their existing vision condition. On the other hand, farsighted people may experience a significant improvement of their near vision. Many farsighted people with early cataract need lower reading glasses prescriptions or do not need reading glasses at all. This interaction between hyperopia and cataract is called second sight but the improvement of the near vision goes away once cataract progresses. Another distinct sign of cataract is glare. You may have poor vision and see halos when outside in a sunny day, when driving at night or at even home if the light in the room is too bright. Cataract signs and symptoms also include impaired color perception. Cataract affects color perception in various ways and at the beginning you may not even notice that the colors you see are not really the same as
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they used to be. Some people find colors are not that vivid anymore, others have particular difficulties making out blue and purple hues or their vision takes on a yellow or brown tinge. Double vision is another signs of early cataract that tends to disappear when the cataracts develop further. The type of cataract that is developing pretty much determines the exact type of the symptoms youd be experiencing and how soon you will experience them. For instance, if you are developing nuclear cataract and you are farsighted, you are likely to have second sight. Cortical cataracts dont present with any symptoms during their initial stages of development, as they form on the outer area of the lens. As they develop further, people usually suffer from increased light sensitivity and glare, difficulties with distant vision and reduced vision clarity. When cataract forms at the back of the lens (posterior subcapsular cataract) the vision deteriorates rapidly and people usually suffer from near vision problems and glare.
Natural Treatment for Cataract

Cataract is a progressive disorder however it doesnt have a constant rate of development. Moreover, cataract progression is very individual - the disease develops faster in some people and slower in others. There are also cases when cataract develops to a certain stage and than stops. Usually, people have plenty of time to delay cataract development naturally before cataract surgery is required. There are many things you can do to prevent cataract onset or slow down its progression. Vitamins work against cataract. Free radicals in the cells of the lens are a major factor for cataract formation. That is why Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin A are of utmost importance for eye health and can lower the risk of cataract or delay its progression. Vitamin C, E and A are powerful antioxidants that work against
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the harmful free-radical molecules. Providing your eyes with sufficient amounts of those vitamins will surely benefit your vision as well as your overall health. You can find detailed list of natural dietary sources of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin A in the Vision and Diet chapter of this book (p. 92). Lutein and Zeaxanthin protect from UV radiation damage. When it comes to natural cataract prevention, lutein and zeaxanthin are two of the most important nutrients. They are found in great amounts in the lens of the eye and protect it from the harmful UV radiation. The best natural sources of these antioxidants are dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, turnip greens. Holding back aging holds back cataract. Although cataract may occur in children and young adults, it is considered to be an age-related eye disorder. Slowing down the natural aging processes in the eye cells can delay the onset of cataract. Some herbs, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption can delay the development of certain age-related changes in the lens of the eye and thus prevent or hold back the progression of cataract. As you can see there isnt just one natural cataract treatment. Instead, there are various easy lifestyle changes you can make to prevent or delay the onset of cataract and many other eyesight disorders and preserve your natural eyesight for longer.
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Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease including several different eye disorders. It is associated with a dangerous increase of intraocular pressure (the pressure inside the eye) that, over time, damages the optic nerve. If left untreated, glaucoma leads to severe vision
impairment and irreversible blindness. There are two main types of glaucoma and several other variations of the disease. The two main types of glaucoma are: Open-angle glaucoma (or chronic glaucoma). Open-angle glaucoma is one of the most common types of the disease. It is often called the silent thief of sight because there arent any symptoms until vision is significantly impaired. Open- angle glaucoma occurs when the production of aqueous humor (the clear liquid inside the eye) and its drainage are not balanced. The imbalance may be due to overproduction of fluid or poor drainage of the interior chamber of the eye. Whatever the exact cause, the pressure inside the eye increases and pushes on the optic nerve. This constant pressure on the optic nerve damages it over time.
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A variation of open-angle glaucoma is the so called normal-tension glaucoma. It still leads to vision loss and blindness however it doesnt represent with increased intraocular pressure. Narrow-angle glaucoma (or acute glaucoma). Narrow-angle glaucoma often presents with sudden symptoms. It develops when the iris (the colored portion of the eye) is pushed or puller forward and blocks the drainage system of the front portion of the eye. The intraocular pressure spikes rapidly and damages the optic nerve. Narrow-angle glaucoma is a medical emergency as it can lead to significant vision loss and even blindness in a matter of hours. However, there are several variations of this eye disorder that progress slowly without obvious symptoms in their early stages. Other variations of glaucoma are pigmentary glaucoma (a rare form of the disease), secondary glaucoma (usually developed after an eye injury or may be triggered by eye inflammation, eye infection, cataract or eye tumor) and congenital glaucoma (inherited glaucoma present at birth). Glaucoma is one of the most common eyesight disorders; however it is very often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. Since the most common types of this eye disease have no symptoms in their initial stages, the only way to detect glaucoma early enough is to undergo regular eye examinations. Having sufficient information on glaucoma will help you to protect and preserve your eyesight by avoiding the risk factors of glaucoma, recognizing its symptoms and choosing the best glaucoma treatment before irreversible vision damage is done.
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Causes of Glaucoma
Although glaucoma is one of the most prevalent eyesight disorders worldwide, not much is known about what causes glaucoma. In any case, educating yourself for the most common cause of glaucoma and the risk factors that my lead to its onset will help you protect and preserve your vision. Glaucoma is an eye disease referring to group of different eye disorders all damaging the optic nerve and leading to significant vision loss and/or irreversible blindness. There are two main types of glaucoma and each type has a different cause of glaucoma onset and development. Open-angle glaucoma causes. This is one of the most prevalent types of glaucoma. Several factors such as age, abnormalities of the structure of the eye, general health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, cardiovascular disease and narrowed blood vessels may cause it. People with extreme nearsightedness (myopia) and those who have undergone some eye surgery are also at higher risk of open-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma may also be inherited people with parents with this type of glaucoma are 4-5 times more likely to develop it than people without glaucoma in their family medical history. Narrow-angle glaucoma causes. Narrow-angle glaucoma triggers when the iris is pulled or pushed forward from its normal position and blocks the drainage channels in the front portion of the eye. The iris may be pushed forward when the drainage channels between the back and front portions of the eye are blocked. In this case the liquid in the inside the eye builds up behind the iris and
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pushes it forward. In some people the iris is attached to close to the drainage system of the front part of the eye. When the pupil dilates (for example in dim light), it pushes the peripheral part of the iris over the drainage and blocks it. Other narrow-angle glaucoma causes are age, hyperopia (farsightedness) and some eye tumors. Moreover, Asians, Inuits and other northern native people are at higher risk of narrow-angle glaucoma because they have anatomically narrower anterior chambers. A rare form of glaucoma is pigmentary glaucoma. It is caused by disruption of the iris outer layer and deposition of pigment granules in the anterior chamber of the eye. These pigment deposits clog the drainage system of the eye and cause intraocular pressure to rise. People with myopia and particularly those with higher degrees of myopia are at higher risk of developing pigmentary glaucoma.
Are You at Risk for Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is often called the silent thief of sight because, in the majority of people, it develops subtly and announces itself only when irreversible eyesight damage has already been done. The only way to detect glaucoma early and start an appropriate treatment is to undergo eye exams regularly. Any qualified eye doctor will be able to determine whether or not you have glaucoma by checking your eye pressure and examining the optic nerves of your eyes. Regular eye check ups are very important for just about anybody and not only for people with higher risk of glaucoma. However, people of certain age groups, ethnicity and those who have a family history of glaucoma should be more aware of the distinct possibility of developing serious eye condition. An easy method to determine are you at risk for glaucoma provides the Glaucoma Service Foundation to Prevent Blindness.
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Answer the questions in the following table: Glaucoma Risk Factor How old are you? Younger than 50 50 through 64 65 through 74 75 or older What is your Caucasian ethnicity? Hispanic African-American Do you have glaucoma None if the family has glaucoma in your family? Distant relatives of mine have glaucoma One/both of my parents have glaucoma One/more of my siblings have glaucoma One/both parents and one/more of my siblings have glaucoma When was your last Within the past 2 years eye examination? Two or five years ago More than 5 years ago Score 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 0 0 2 3 3 0 1 2
Add up the score you have got in each section. Here is how to interpret it:

If you have 0, 1 or 2 total score you are at low risk for glaucoma. If you score 3 points, you are at a moderate risk for glaucoma. If your score is 4 or more points, you are at high risk for glaucoma.
Remember, even if you are at low or moderate risk for glaucoma, regular eye examinations are still essential for preserving and protecting your eyesight.
Open-Angle Glaucoma Symptoms

Open-angle glaucoma is the most prevalent type of glaucoma. It is often called the silent thief of sight as open-angle glaucoma has no symptoms in its initial stages. What this means is that people usually dont feel any eye pain and there is no change in their
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vision. However, the elevated intraocular pressure caused by open-angle glaucoma slowly damages the optic nerve and peripheral vision is gradually reduced. Yet, during the early stage of open-angle glaucoma, many people do not notice these change in their visual field. Open-angle glaucoma symptoms start to surface when the disease has progressed far enough to cause significant peripheral vision loss. As open-angle glaucoma progresses, more and more of the peripheral vision is lost. People usually retain their central vision when they look straight ahead they see fine, but may have blind spots for images located outside the central visual field. However, many people suffer partial central vision loss even if the disease is still in its early stage. The usual open-angle glaucoma complaints are missing stairs, missing words or parts of words when reading and difficulties driving. Other open-angle glaucoma symptoms are redness in the eye, dim peripheral vision, blurred or foggy vision, difficulties adjusting to light, increased light sensitivity, halos and glare, mild eye pain. Tunnel vision is one of the most distinct symptoms of open-angle glaucoma. It occurs when the optic nerve is significantly damaged. Tunnel vision is characterized by constructed circular tunnel-like visual field. Since open-angle glaucoma symptoms surface when irreversible damage to the optic nerve has already been done, the only way to detect it early and start treatment is to undergo regular eye checks. Usually open-angle glaucoma symptoms include increased intraocular pressure; however in some cases the pressure inside the eye remains normal. This is why you should not only get your eye pressure measured but ask for a full eye examination that will include examination of the eye optic nerve and drainage system. Even if you dont experience any open-angle glaucoma symptoms, an
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experienced eye care professional will detect the symptoms of the disease by the appearance of your optic nerve.
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Narrow-Angle Glaucoma Symptoms

Unlike open-angle glaucoma, narrow-angle glaucoma symptoms are sudden and acute. Narrow-angle glaucoma occurs when the drainage of the front portion of the eye is blocked due to irregular position of the iris. Regardless of the reason why the iris is blocking the drain channels in the anterior chamber of the eye, the rapid build up of pressure inside the eye leads to severe eye pain and eye redness, colored halos around lights, decreased vision, dilated pupil and headache. Many people experience nausea and vomiting. Narrow-angle glaucoma symptoms usually last as long as the pressure inside the eye remains high. In many cases narrow-angle glaucoma symptoms are uncommon. The disease progresses slowly and similarly to open-angle glaucoma. In these cases, loss of peripheral vision is usually the first symptom people notice. Some people with chronic narrow-angle glaucoma may have red eyes, blurred vision or headache but these narrow-angle glaucoma symptoms usually subside with sleep. However, chronic narrow- angle glaucoma leaves distinct signs on the optic nerve appearance and can be picked up during a full eye examination.
Natural Treatments for Glaucoma

There has been a lot of research targeted at finding natural treatments for glaucoma and many other eyesight disorders. Although there isnt sufficient scientific evidence in support of a single, fully natural treatment for glaucoma, there are many things that you can do to preserve and protect your eyesight in case of glaucoma. Glaucoma and diet. The link between nutrition and vision has been in the spotlight for many years. With the steady increase of the number of people with eyesight problems, scientists are even more eager to find more about the connection between food and vision health. When it comes to finding a natural treatment for glaucoma some research suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may
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help people with this eye disease as they improve the fluid flow inside the eye and thus decrease intraocular pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids are mostly found in cold water fatty fish such as tuna and salmon. Some variations of glaucoma are not caused by high intraocular pressure but from poor blood supply to the optic nerve. That is why a healthy vision diet including lots of fruits and vegetables and leaving out sugary foods, salt, alcohol and smoking, is very beneficial. Eye exercises for glaucoma. Many people experience an improvement of their condition after performing certain vision exercises. The most popular vision exercises for glaucoma are: Eye massages and glaucoma. Special massages are typically prescribed after a glaucoma surgery. Additionally, people with glaucoma may try the following massages to improve the drainage of their eyes and thus to reduce the intraocular pressure. Eyelid Vision Self-Massage (p. 70) Eye and Face Vision Self-Massage (p. 71) Palming Eye Relaxation Technique (p. 24) Two Dots Vision Exercise (p. 34) Figure Eights Vision Exercise (p. 33) Contouring Vision Exercise (p. 54)
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Macular Degeneration
The innermost layer of the human eye is the retina. It is one of the most important structures of the eye as it is responsible for capturing the light rays that enter the eye, converting them into nerve impulses and sending these impulses to the brain through the optic nerve. Our central and peripheral (side) vision as well as our color perception depend on proper function of the retina. The central portion of the retina is the macula. The macula is responsible for our central vision, detection of fine details and color differentiation. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD) is a vision disorder affecting the macula of the eye. It leads to loss of central vision and severe vision impairment. Age-related macular degeneration is one of the top causes of vision loss and blindness among elderly Americans. Nearly 1, 75 million U.S. residents currently have advanced age-related macular degeneration with associated vision loss, with that number expected to grow to almost 3 million by 2020. There are two main types of macular degeneration: Dry macular degeneration (non-neovascular macular degeneration). Wet macular degeneration (neovascular macular degeneration).
Dry macular degeneration is the initial form of the disease. It starts to develop with aging and affects central vision. With dry macular degeneration, the tissue of the macula gradually becomes thin and stops functioning properly. Typically, dry macular degeneration progresses slowly and doesnt have immediate severe impact on vision.
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However, after many years of progression dry macular degeneration may lead to severe vision loss. Around 10% of dry macular degeneration progress to wet macular degeneration. Wet macular degeneration is less common but more damaging form of macular degeneration. It is characterized by abnormal growth of blood vessels underneath the retina. Blood and fluid leakage from these blood vessels cause direct irreversible damage to the cells of the retina. Instead of gradual decrease of central vision, people with wet macular degeneration suffer from rapid and severe vision loss. Macular degeneration often has no symptoms in its early stages. Most people realize they have a problem when their central vision worsens or when blind spots appear. Regular eye examinations are essential for early detection of both forms of macular degeneration.
Macular Degeneration Causes

Macular degeneration, and dry macular degeneration in particular, is considered to be an age-related eye disease. Age-related processes inside the eye contribute to the gradual thinning of the tissues of the retina and impairment of the functions of its cells. Scientific evidence also supports the theory that macular degeneration causes are also genetic. Researchers have determined several genes to be responsible for the onset and development of the disease. Apart from aging and gene predisposition, the risk of macular degeneration may be increase by several factors:
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Smoking. Smoking is considered a major factor in AMD development. Moreover, non-smokers living with a smoker have double the risk of developing the disease. A study published by the British Journal of Ophthalmology found that smoking is directly associated with 25% of AMD cases causing severe vision loss. Obesity. Some medical studies suggest that obese people with macular degeneration are more likely to develop more serious forms of the disease compared to people with normal body weight. Lack of physical activity. Inactive people are at a higher risk of developing macular degeneration than people doing some kind of physical activity at least three times a week. High blood pressure. A European study published by Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science showed that high blood pressure contributes to AMD development. Medication. Some medications may increase the risk of macular degeneration if used long term. For more information, read the chapter Medications Harmful for Your Eyesight.
Since macular degeneration occurs more often among Caucasian populations, and particularly in people with lighter skin and eye color, it was considered that light eye color and sun exposure may be risk factors for the disease. Recent research however cannot find conclusive evidence in support of this theory. With genetic predisposition put aside, it seems macular degeneration is pretty much connected to diet and lifestyle. Prevention through a healthy diet and lifestyle through life is the key to preserving eyesight as seniors.
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Macular Degeneration Symptoms
Both dry and wet age related macular degeneration have painless symptoms. Thats why many people, especially those with dry AMD are not aware of the presence of the condition until their vision deteriorates significantly. Dry Macular Degeneration Symptoms Dry macular degeneration is a slowly progressing eye disease that may not have definitive initial symptoms. Most people with dry macular degeneration have blurred vision or simply see fine details less clearly. Usually, during the initial stages of the disease reading or making out the features of a face may become harder. Sometimes, additional lighting improves vision and people often compensate with reading or doing other near vision work in well lit rooms. As dry macular degeneration develops further, central vision loss becomes greater and can no longer be compensated with extra light. Gradually a blind spot starts to appear in the center of the vision field.
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Wet Macular Degeneration Symptoms Wet macular degeneration symptoms are usually more sudden and severe. During the early stages of the disease straight lines start to appear curved and/or distorted. As wet macular degeneration progresses and blind spots start to appear in the central vision field. If left untreated, wet macular degeneration symptoms become even worse as the number and/or the size of these blind spots increases until central vision is completely lost. Although people with macular degeneration usually have hard time realizing there is something wrong with their vision until irreversible damage to the retina has been done, eye doctors can detect both dry and wet macular degeneration in their early stages and start appropriate treatment. A good way to test yourself for macular degeneration symptoms is the Amsler Grid. It is a tool used by eye care professionals to test central vision and detect problems resulting from damage of the retina and the macula. You can use the Amsler grid at the end of the book (p. 222) to test your vision at home. However, keep in mind that this self-test doesnt replace the need of professional eye care. Here is how to use the Amsler grid: Use your eyeglasses if you need them to see the grid properly. Keep it at the same distance from your eyes at which you usually keep other reading material. Cover one eye and focus at the dot in the center of the grid. Look for the following signs: Not all corners and sides of the grid are visible. Wavy, blurred or distorted lines. Dark or missing areas in the grid.
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Repeat the same with the other eye. If you notice any of the above signs, contact your eye care doctor right away.
Natural Treatment for Macular Degeneration

The results of several major studies showed a natural treatment for macular degeneration that may significantly slow down the progression of the disease. The National Eye Institutes Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) found that taking high-doses of antioxidants and zinc significantly reduces the risk of advanced AMD and its associated vision loss. The daily doses of AREDS formulation used during the study were: Vitamin C: 500 mg Vitamin E: 400 IU Beta-carotene: 15mg (considered equivalent to 25,000IU of Vitamin A) Zinc (as zinc oxide): 80 mg
As high daily doses of zinc are associated with copper deficiency anemia, 2 mg of copper (as cupric oxide) were also added to the AREDS formulation. The second phase of the study is evaluating the effect of omega-3 fatty acids and some carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) on the progress of AMD. The final results of the study will be known in 2012 but the predicted outcome suggests that omega-3 fatty acids and carotenoids can be a viable natural treatment for age related macular degeneration. Other studies also suggest that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, which are particularly abundant in cold-water fish, also had a protective effect against advanced macular degeneration. On the other hand, consumption of omega-6 fatty acids is associated with an increased risk of developing macular degeneration.
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Some studies also showed that people who eat plenty of green leafy vegetables have a lower risk of developing age related macular degeneration. You can find out more how to preserve and protect your eyesight naturally through a healthy vision diet by reading the Vision and Diet chapter of the book (p. 92).
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Dry Eye
To better understand what dry eye is, it is important to take a quick look at the basic structure of the outer surface of the eye and purpose of tears. Vision is possible if all structures of the eye are in good physical condition and function properly. An important part of the eye is the cornea. The cornea is the clear outer surface of the eye that covers the iris (the color disk in the center of the eye). It is of utmost importance for vision as it protects the eye from harmful material, screens out most of the damaging UV sunlight and refracts the light entering the eye. The refraction ability of the cornea accounts for the overall focusing power of the eye. Unlike other eye structures, the cornea doesnt have any blood vessels. It receives all important nutrients from the tears and the fluid (aqueous humor) that fills the chamber behind it. Tears are absolutely necessary for eye health and clear vision. They protect the eye from various harmful particles as well as from bacterial and other types of infections. Tears are composed of three main components and this unique combination is critical to maintain the health of the eye surface and the cornea. Dry eye is an eye disorder affecting the cornea of the eye. It occurs when the tear glands fail to produce enough tears or when tear quality is poor. Dry eye may occur as a result of another eye disorder or as part of the normal aging process of the eye. In addition, exposure to smoke, wind and/or dry climates, failure to blink regularly and long term use of contact lenses can be factors in the development of dry eye.
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Usually, people with dry eye have difficulties doing eye work that requires constant eye concentration (such as reading, staring at a computer screen) and feel uncomfortable in dry environments (such as air conditioned rooms, air planes or dry, windy climates). Although dry eye usually doesnt lead to vision loss, it may increase the risk of other serious eye disease. If untreated severe dry eye disease may lead to dehydration of the corneal surface, corneal ulcers and perforation of the cornea. Moreover, chronic untreated dry eye greatly increases the risk of eye infections. All of these conditions pose a distinct danger of serious visual impairment and blindness. For that reason knowing what is dry eye, what its causes and symptoms are is vital to seeking timely medical attention and treatment.
Causes of Dry Eye

In general, dry eye can occur from improper balance of tear production and tear drainage and/or from poor tear quality. Improper tear balance. Several glands in and around the eyelids produce tears. Usually, tear production decreases with age. Also, certain diseases and medications can cause decreased tear production. When the normal amount of tears lowers or tears evaporate from the eye too quickly, dry eye occurs. Poor tear quality. Tears consist of three main components: outer, oily lipid layer, middle, watery layer and inner, mucus layer. Each tear component serves a specific purpose for example the oily layer lubricates and protects the cornea and prevents evaporation of the watery tear component; the inner mucus layer helps tears spread evenly over the entire surface of the eye. Any imbalance between these three components may result into dry eye. The most common causes of dry eye are associated with age, gender, medications, certain medical conditions, environmental factors and lifestyle habits.
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Age. Dry eye is considered part of the natural aging process as tear production tend to diminish with age. However, many young people also develop dry eye. Usually, these are people spending long hours of uninterrupted eye work. Gender. Dry eye is most common among women due to hormonal imbalances and changes during pregnancies, menopause and contraception. Medications. Some medications inhibit tear production and their long term use may cause dry eye. These are antihistamine medications, blood pressure medications, some anti-depressants and birth control pills. Medical conditions. Having certain medical problems may increase the risk of dry eye. Skin diseases on or around the eye lids, allergies, immune system disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid gland disorders may result in dry eye. Environmental factors. Frequent exposure to smoke, wind and dry climates or conditioned air tends to increase the risk of dry eye.
Dry eye may be caused by insufficient vitamin intake or over intake of certain vitamins. That is why maintaining a healthy vision diet is of utmost importance for its prevention.
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Dry Eye Symptoms

Being aware of the most typical dry eye symptoms will help you recognize the condition early and seek medical help. Although dry eye is potentially dangerous eye disorder, it is easily manageable with medications, diet and lifestyle changes as long as it is treated in a timely manner. Dry eye symptoms can be very individual and change according to the stage of the condition. Dry eye symptoms typically affect both eyes and may include one or a combination of the following: Burning or stinging sensation in the eyes; A feeling that you have a foreign body or sand in your eyes; Periods with excessive tearing; Discharge from the eye; Eye pain; Redness in the eye; Feeling of heavy eyelids and general eye fatigue; Periods of blurred vision; Decreased tolerance to close eye work activities such as reading, working on a computer or any other activity that requires uninterrupted eye concentration; Inability to cry when emotionally stressed; Light sensitivity; Increased eye irritation from smoke, wind and hot temperature;
During the early stages of the disorder you may experience any of these dry eye symptoms infrequently and often but for short periods of time. However, it is a good
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idea to visit your ophthalmologist for a routine eye exam and find out whether or not you have dry eye. Dry eye can be diagnosed quite easily. Typically, the doctor will examine your external eye structure and blink frequency and evaluate the condition of your cornea. If they suspect you may have dry eye, they will use special eye drops to color the tears and the surface of the eye so that they can evaluate the quantity and quality of tears.
Natural Treatment for Dry Eye

Dry eye is very common eye disorders. Although it is primarily associated with aging, many young adults and especially women suffer from its unpleasant symptoms. Apart from traditional medical dry eye treatments, there are plenty of dry eye natural treatment options. Some of our suggestions below are aimed at preventing dry eye, others - at relieving its symptoms and improving your eyesight naturally. Various factors may increase the risk or trigger the onset of dry eye. Infrequent blinking is one such factor. Blinking is an unconscious process of closing and opening the eyelids. It is extremely important for eye health as regular blinking lubricates the surface of the eyes and removes any harmful foreign particles and bacteria. People doing eye work that requires long periods of uninterrupted eye concentration usually blink up to 60% less. Luckily, there is one easy vision exercise that can help you prevent or lessen the unpleasant symptoms of dry eye. Take a look at our Blinking Vision Exercise (p. 40). Dry eye and diet are also closely related. Some essential nutrient deficiencies may cause dry eye or worsen its symptoms. Several studies found a link between omega-3 fatty acids and dry eye. A study performed in 2005, found that by eating 5 servings of tuna weekly people reduced their dry eye symptoms by almost 70%. Of course, if you want to try this dry eye natural treatment, you dont need to eat only tuna fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in many other sea food products as well as in some nuts and oils. For a
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full list of omega-3 dietary sources and other healthy vision diet tips, read the chapter Vision and Diet (p. 92). Dry eye may be caused by Vitamin A deficiency. Although severe Vitamin A deficiency is rare in the developed countries, many people have inadequate daily intake of this essential eye vitamin. Vitamin A is important for one of the tear components the mucin tear layer, responsible for the even distribution of tears over the entire eye. Moreover, Vitamin A is powerful antioxidant and has numerous other vision benefits. Great natural dietary sources of Vitamin A are carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes and fish oil. Some simple yet significant lifestyle changes can also provide dry eye natural treatment. For instance, make sure the air in your home or office is humid, avoid exposing your eyes to dry and windy climate conditions, wear sunglasses every time you are out and avoid using contact lenses for too long.
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Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis, also referred to as pink eye, is an inflammation of the conjunctive of the eye the outer layer of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids. Although conjunctivitis produces a variety of unpleasant symptoms, it rarely leads to severe vision complications.
Conjunctivitis Causes
Conjunctivitis is typically caused by a viral or bacterial infection. In some cases it may be triggered by various allergies and other general health diseases. Some chemicals can also lead to onset of conjunctivitis. The way different types of conjunctivitis are usually classified depends on the cause of the inflammation: Allergic conjunctivitis, caused by different allergens such as dust, pollen, animal skin, perfumes, medications and so on. Bacterial conjunctivitis, caused by various bacteria. Viral conjunctivitis, caused by different viruses. Conjunctivitis caused by chemicals such as shampoos, dirt, pool chlorine, smoke and so on.
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Conjunctivitis Symptoms
Conjunctivitis presents with various unpleasant symptoms which may differ according to the type of the inflammation. Most often people experience the following conjunctivitis symptoms: Redness in the eye; Excessive tearing; Discharge from the eye; Burning and/or itchy sensation in the eyes; Increased sensitivity to light; Blurred vision; Viral conjunctivitis symptoms usually are mild and include watery discharge from the eye and itching. Bacterial conjunctivitis symptoms usually include green, yellow or grayish discharge from the eyes that makes the eyelids to stick together, especially after sleep. Most people with bacterial conjunctivitis have a feeling of a foreign body in the eye. Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis symptoms may affect only one of the eyes however they quickly spread to both eyes. Allergic conjunctivitis symptoms dont differ much from the general conjunctivitis symptoms. Typically people with allergic conjunctivitis experience an itchy and burning sensation in their eyes, have watery discharge and excessive tearing and their light sensitivity is increased. Although conjunctivitis rarely leads to severe complications it is recommended to seek medical advice as soon as you notice any symptoms.
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Natural Treatment for Conjunctivitis

There are many natural conjunctivitis treatment options. Most of them are aimed at relieving the symptoms rather than treating the cause of conjunctivitis and that is why it is recommended to try any natural conjunctivitis treatment only after your eye doctor has ruled out and treated the more serious causes of the inflammation. In general, conjunctivitis symptoms can be relieved with cold compresses and eye pain - with hot water compresses. Many people find contrast hydrotherapy to help reduce the intensity of their pink eye symptoms. Some natural herbal vision remedies can also provide natural conjunctivitis treatment. Chamomile and black tea can also be used to reduce the irritation. The easiest way to use these herbs is to moist tea bags of chamomile or black tea and to place them over your eyes for about 10 minutes. Some foods can also help your main conjunctivitis treatment. Fresh vegetables and fruits as well as fresh juices from carrots, spinach, mango, papaya and citrus fruits are quite helpful for people with conjunctivitis. On the other hand, sweet foods such as candies, pies, puddings, cakes and so on can increase the severity of symptoms.
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Blepharitis
Blepharitis is an eyelid inflammation. It may be caused by various factors such as general eye infection, bacterial infection, dry eye and skin diseases such as acne rosacea.
Blepharitis Causes
Most commonly blepharitis is caused by malfunction of oil glands located in the eyelids. The oil glands may produce too much, not enough or the wrong type of oils and thus to trigger the onset of blepharitis. In many cases, acne rosacea, a general oil gland disorder, may be the reason why eyelid oil glands fail to function properly. Blepharitis may also be caused by some allergies, especially allergies to eye cosmetics or contact lenses solutions. Blepharitis infections fall into two main categories according to their area of effect: Anterior blepharitis. Anterior blepharitis affects the outer edge of the eyelids (the area where the eye lashes are attached). Posterior blepharitis. Posterior blepharitis is inflammation of the meibomian glands of the eye (located inside the eyelid). Usually, people with blepharitis have both types at the same time but with different degrees of severity.
Blepharitis Symptoms
Blepharitis symptoms typically affect both eyes and both the upper and the lower eyelids. Blepharitis may appear at any age. The most common blepharitis symptoms include: Burning and/or itching sensation in the eyes.
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A feeling of a foreign body inside the eye. Sore and red eyelids. Swollen margins of the eyelids. Excessive tearing. Crusting, especially during sleep. Greasy and/or oily eyelashes. Increased sensitivity to light. Blurry vision. Loss of eyelashes or abnormal eyelash growth. Dandruff of the eyelashes and eyebrows.
The majority of people with blepharitis usually experience short periods with severe blepharitis symptoms, typically worse in the mornings, followed by long periods of time without any symptoms. The exact type of symptoms a person may have largely depends on the cause of the inflammation. For instance, when blepharitis is caused by dry eye, along with its symptoms a person may experience some dry eye symptoms as well. Although blepharitis rarely leads to severe vision complications, several serious eye conditions such as sty, chalazion and chronic pink eye, may be caused by untreated blepharitis.
Natural Treatment for Blepharitis

In most cases blepharitis can be treated with various natural remedies. However, keep in mind that bacterial blepharitis, severe eye inflammation due to blepharitis or blepharitis caused by another eye disease may require prescription antibiotic or steroid eye drops, ointments and/or pills. Good eye hygiene is in the core of any natural blepharitis treatment approach. Wash your face and eyes with warm water regularly and get used to a daily eyelid hygiene routine. A good eyelid hygiene routine usually includes the
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application of warm compresses over the eyes and mechanical removal of the debris from the eyelid margins. You can do that with a cotton applicator stick soaked in mixture of baby shampoo or other lid-cleansing product and water. Contrast Hydrotherapy. Some people find contrast hydrotherapy quite helpful for reducing the unpleasant blepharitis symptoms. Natural Herbal Remedies. Several natural herbal vision remedies also provide blepharitis natural treatment. A warm compress of goldseal, eyebright or mullein tea applied for 10-15 minutes two times a day provides significant symptom relief. Chamomile and black tea compresses may also help as these herbs contain lots of natural anti-septic compounds that help reduce eye inflammation and irritation. Diet. Recent studies have also shown that blepharitis symptoms may be reduced by a vision diet including increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Although it is controversial that a diet alone can provide the required quantities of omega-3 fatty acids, adding some foods rich in these essential nutrient into your daily menu may help you reduce blepharitis symptoms. Moreover, omega-3 fatty acids are of utmost importance for eyesight and eye health in general. Good natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids are old water fish such as salmon and tuna and some nuts. Regardless of the exact blepharitis natural treatment you may choose to try, it is recommended to minimize or completely avoid using eye make up and limit the use of your contact lenses during the treatment. Good eye hygiene and a healthy vision diet combined with some natural herbal vision remedies are a great way to manage the condition and prevent it from progression.
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Astigmatism
Astigmatism is one of the most common eyesight disorders. It may be caused by irregular shape of the cornea of the eye or irregular shape of the crystalline lens of the eye. Due to the two main causes of astigmatism, often eye professionals talk about corneal astigmatism or lenticular astigmatism. A person with corneal astigmatism may have oblong rather than spherical corneal shape, one side of the cornea may be flatter than the other or one area of the cornea to be steeper than it should be. When the light rays enter the eye, this irregular corneal shape will cause them to focus at two places on the retina rather than precisely at one spot. A person with lenticular astigmatism will have irregular shape of the lens of the eye (located behind the cornea and the iris). These shape irregularities of the lens cause light rays to focus badly on the retina of the eye. It is important to mention that many people with irregularly shaped lens have perfectly shaped cornea and vise versa. Astigmatism can affect both children and adults and typically accompanies nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia). Yet, some people may have astigmatism without having any other eyesight disorder. Since the main causes of astigmatism are related to irregular shape of some of the structures of the eye, it is considered a hereditary eye disorder. Many clinical studies show that children have higher risk of astigmatism if one or both parents have it. On the other hand, some eye care professionals believe that long hours of uninterrupted close- up eye work may lead to permanent changes of the shape of the cornea and thus to astigmatism. Astigmatism is usually present at birth however it may develop later in life due to an eye injury, eye surgery or another eye disease affecting the cornea. Lenticular astigmatism is
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more prevalent among people with diabetes as high blood sugar levels cause changes in the shape of the lens.
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Astigmatism Symptoms
Astigmatism symptoms vary according to the type of the disorder and its severity. Small degrees of astigmatism may not present with any symptoms or may only cause short periods of blurred vision, headaches, eye strain or a general unpleasant feeling of eye fatigue. Higher degrees of astigmatism cause serious vision problems. The most common symptoms of astigmatism are distorted and blurred vision at all distances, sensitivity to light, excessive squinting and often blinking. Astigmatism may only be detected through a medical eye examination and that is why regular eye check ups are greatly recommended to everybody and especially to those with family history of astigmatism.
Eye Exercises for Astigmatism

Many eye professionals believe that vision exercises and eye relaxation techniques can be greatly beneficial for astigmatism. If you are eager to try eye exercises for astigmatism, you should look for vision exercises aimed at reducing eye strain and improving the focusing abilities of the eye. Here are some suggestions for eye exercises that can help reduce the overall vision stress, enhance focusing and relieve eye strain: Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38) Focusing Vision Exercise (p. 37) Tibetan Eye Chart Vision Exercise (p. 51) Two Dots Vision Exercise (p. 34) Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35)
Regardless of the exact vision exercises you will be doing, it is important to establish a good vision relaxation routine as well.
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Double Vision
Double vision (diplopia) is one of the most debilitating eyesight problems. The name is derived from two Greek words diplous (double) and ops (eye). As the name suggests, people with double vision see two images of a single object rather than one. Double vision is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object. The images may be displaced horizontally, vertically or diagonally (both horizontally and vertically). There are two main types of diplopia: monocular diplopia (double vision occurs only in one eye) and binocular diplopia (double vision occurs in both eyes at the same time). Currently, there are no figures about the prevalence of diplopia in the United States nor worldwide. Eye care professionals believe that there is no difference in the incidence of double vision with regards to race and gender. However, double vision is nearly exclusively found in adults. Children with diplopia rarely exhibit any symptoms even when they have the condition until more serious vision complications occur.
Causes of Double Vision

Double vision may be caused by a number of reasons eye fatigue due to prolonged eye work, improper function of the extraocular muscles, amblyopia (lazy eye), astigmatism, difference in the refractive power between the eyes, and others. In many cases, double
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vision is a symptom of another eye disorder, systemic diseases or neurological problem. Diplopia may result from contact lens use and complications from various eye surgeries. Some of the most common causes of double vision are: Problems with any part of the vision system such as: infections of the cornea, complications of LASIK and cataract surgeries, senile or traumatic cataract, keratoconus, strabismus, age-related macular degeneration. Muscle problems: weak eye muscles may lead to diplopia. An autoimmune disease called Myasthenia gravis often presents with double vision; Graves disease, a thyroid condition, also weakens the muscles of the eyes and causes vertical double vision. Nerve problems: Nerve damage due to trauma or systemic diseases (diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome) may lead to double vision. Brain problems: Trauma or any disorder affecting the visual center of the brain or the cranial nerves responsible for vision may result in double vision. Brain conditions that may present with double vision include brain tumors, aneurysms, migraine headaches, damage of the third, fourth or sixth cranial nerves, botulism. While diplopia in children frequently goes unnoticed until significant eye complications occur, double vision in adults require prompt medical attention as it may signify a serious underlying condition.
Double Vision Symptoms

Diplopia may occur suddenly or develop slowly; it may be sporadic or constant and may have no other symptoms.
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The most important symptoms of double vision concern: Whether there is a problem with just one eye (monocular diplopia) or with both eyes (binocular diplopia); How is the second image displaced horizontally (side-by-side images), vertically (images above each other) or diagonally (horizontally and vertically). Does double vision remains the same when looking at different directions or in different positions of the head. If double vision changes or disappears in a given direction of gaze or head position, there might be a problem with innervation. Depending on the cause, double vision may be accompanied with misalignment of one or both eyes, eye pain, pain around the eyes, weakness in the eyes or general weakness, droopy eyelids, headache and nausea.
Natural Treatments for Double Vision

Some eye care professionals suggest that certain vision exercises may be very helpful for alleviating the symptoms of double vision and even completely restoring clear eyesight. Of course, correcting double vision with eye exercises is only possible if the condition is caused by weak eye muscles or problems with the alignment of the eyes. Due to the fact that double vision, especially when occurs abruptly, may signify some serious health conditions, always seek medical attention prior to commencing any vision therapy program. Many eye exercises may help relieve the symptoms of double vision. Usually, these are eye exercises aimed at strengthening the eye muscles and improving their flexibility, eye exercises designed to train the ability of the eyes to shift their focus together and special eye exercises targeted at enhancing the ability of the eyes to see together.
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Here is what you can do if you suffer from double vision: Prior to trying vision exercises: Visit your ophthalmologist to rule out any serious underlying causes for the condition. In case diplopia is caused by a systemic disease or an eye disorder, make sure you follow the prescribed treatment even if you plan to use a natural vision correction approach. How to choose eye exercises for double vision: As mentioned above, you should look for vision work-outs that will enhance your eye muscles and promote their proper function as well as for special eye exercises for double vision. You can try these eye exercises: Near Far Focus Vision Exercise (p. 38), Zooming Vision Exercise (p. 44), Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise (p. 35), 3 Cups Vision Exercise (p. 56), Fusion Vision Exercise for Double Vision (p. 58), Near Far Focus Shifts Vision Exercise for Double Vision (p. 59). What if you already do vision exercises for nearsightedness, farsightedness or ageing vision: You can continue your current vision exercise routine and include eye exercises for double vision to it.
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Vision Glossary
Often, when we read vision related articles, we come across various medical terms we are unfamiliar with. The following Vision Glossary is designed to help you understand some of the most common vision related terms. ACCOMMODATION: the ability of the eyes to adjust their focus as the distance between the individual and the object changes. ACUITY: the ability to see clearly. ACUITY LOSS: loss in vision due to some kind of eyesight problem (cataract, retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, etc.) ASTHENOPIA: or eyestrain, an uncomfortable feeling in the eyes. ASTIGMATISM: an abnormal condition of the eye due to irregularities in the shape of the cornea. BINOCULAR FUSION (BINOCULAR VISION): the ability of the brain to get information from each eye separately and merge it into a single, unified image. If, for some reason, one of the eyes cannot deliver clear images, the brain suppresses it to avoid confusion. This may result into amblyopia (lazy eye). BLIND SPOT: a blank area in the visual field corresponding to the position of the optic nerve; or, an area of reduced sensitivity anywhere else in the visual field. BLINDNESS: severely reduced visual acuity or total inability to see. CATARACT: an eye condition characterized by changes in the opacity of the lens. CENTRAL VISION FIELD LOSS: an eye disorder characterized by poor or lack of central vision while side vision is retained.
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CILIARY MUSCLES: the muscles in the ciliary body controlling the shape of the lens. COLOR BLINDNESS (COLOR DEFICIENCY): the inability to differentiate between colors. CONJUNCTIVA: a membrane covering the front section of the eyeball and the eye lids. CONJUNCTIVITIS: an inflammation of the conjunctiva. CONVERGENCE: the ability of the eyes to turn toward each other to focus near objects. DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: an eye disorder caused by long-standing and/or poorly controlled diabetes; it is characterized by repeated hemorrhages of the eye blood vessels resulting in severe vision impairment or blindness. DIOPTER: a unit of measurement indicating how much light rays are refracted by the lens; used as a reference of the degree of vision loss. DIPLOPIA: double vision. FIELD OF VISION: the area over which vision is possible. FIXATION: the ability of the eyes to focus on an object and hold it. FUNDUS: the back of the eye, including the retina and the optic nerve. GLAUCOMA: an eye disorder characterized by increased intraocular pressure. HYPEROPIA (FARSIGHTEDNESS): an eye condition characterized by the inability to see near objects. KERATOMETRY: a measurement of the curvature of the cornea. LEGALLY BLIND: vision acuity 20/200 in the better eye with the best possible correction. LIGHT PERCEPTION: the ability of the eye to distinguish the presence or lack of light.
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MACULAR DEGENERATION: a vision disorder characterized by loss of central vision due to degeneration of the cells in the central area of the macula. MYOPIA (NEARSIGHTEDNESS): an eyesight disorder characterized by the inability of the eyes to focus clearly objects in the distance. NIGHT BLINDNESS: an eye disorder characterized by the inability of the person to see well in faint light or during night. NONPROGRESSIVE EYESIGHT CONDITION: an eyesight disorder that remains at the same stage of progression over a long period of time (doesnt get better and doesnt worsen). NYSTAGMUS: involuntary rapid movement of the eyes. OCCIPITAL LOBE: the main visual center of the brain, where nerve impulses from the retina are sent and transformed into images. OCULAR: relating to the eye. OCULOMOTOR PROBLEMS: problems moving the eyes. OPHTALMOLOGIST: a physician specializing in eye diseases. OPTITIAN: a professional who makes correctional glasses according to medical prescriptions. PERCEPTION: the overall process of reception of images and understanding of what is seen. POSTERIOR CHAMBER: the area of the eye behind the lens. PROGRESSIVE VISION CONDITION: an eyesight disorder that becomes worse over time.
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PUPIL: the opening in the middle of the iris. REFRACTION: the determination of refractive errors in the eye and their correction with lenses. REFRACTIVE ERROR: an eyesight condition that occurs when the light rays entering the eye are not brought to a sharp focus on the retina. SACCADIC MOVEMENTS: movements of both eyes in the same direction for viewing objects and fixation. SNELLEN CHART: a vision chart used to determine ones visual acuity. TONOMETRY: a medical test performed to measure the pressure inside the eye. VISION: the ability of the brain to process the information received from the eyes and produce images. VISION AIDS: various optical and non-optical devices helping people with eyesight impairment see (glasses, magnifiers, contact lens, pinhole glasses, etc.) VISUAL CORTEX: the part of the bran responsible for vision. VISION STIMULATION: various activities or eye exercises designed to enhance the visual capabilities of a person. VISUAL TRACKING: the ability of the eyes to follow the movement of an object in motion.
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Eye Charts
Amsler Grid

The Amsler grid above is approximately the same size as those used for diagnostic purposes. You can use it to check your eyesight for sings of age-related macular degeneration. Please note, that this self-test cannot be used as an alternative to full medical eye examination.
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Figure Eights Vision Exercise Chart

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Two Dots Vision Exercise Chart

Print the circle two times and pin the two circles to the wall, approximately 5 feet apart from each other.
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Tibetan Eye Chart

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3 Cups Vision Exercise Chart

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Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise Chart

1 6 11 16 21 26

2 7 12 17 22 27
3 8 13 18 23 28
4 9 14 19 24 29
5 10 15 20 25 30
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Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise Chart (5x5 inches)

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Diagonals Vision Exercise Chart

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References
The Truth About Pinhole Glasses, Cherril Hicks, http://www.independent.co.uk/lifestyle/health-and-families/health-news/the-truth-about-pinhole-glasses-1253113.html Cataracts, University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/cataracts-000032.htm 5th edition of the Statistics on Vision Impairment prepared by R. Leonard at the Arlene R. Gordon Research Institute Amsler Grid, National Eye Institute (NEI), http://www.nei.nih.gov/photo/charts/index.asp New Findings of Link Between Diet and Vision Loss, Rosalie Marion Bliss, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/060427.htm Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and health, World Health Organization (WHO), http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/diet/en/index.html Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), https://web.emmes.com/study/areds U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), http://www.fda.gov USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=8964 Micronutrient deficiencies, World Heath Organization (WHO), http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad/en/ Richer S (January 1999). "ARMDpilot (case series) environmental intervention data". J Am Optom Assoc 70 (1): 2436. PMID 10457679. Richer S, Stiles W, Statkute L, et al. (April 2004). "Double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of lutein and antioxidant supplementation in the intervention of atrophic age-related macular degeneration: the Veterans LAST study (Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial)". Optometry 75 (4): 21630. PMID 15117055. Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group (October 2001). "A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for age-related macular degeneration and vision loss: AREDS report no. 8". Arch. Ophthalmol. 119 (10): 141736. PMC 1462955. PMID 11594942. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1462955.
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Cho E, Seddon JM, Rosner B, Willett WC, Hankinson SE. Prospective study of intake of fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and carotenoids and risk of age-related maculopathy. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004 Jun;122(6):883-92. 2004. PMID:15197064. Sommerburg O, Keunen JE, Bird AC, van Kuijk FJ. Fruits and vegetables that are sources for lutein and zeaxanthin: the macular pigment in human eyes. Br J Ophthalmol 1998 Aug;82(8):907-10 1998. PMID:13370. Essential Fatty Acids, American Optometric Association (AOA), http://www.aoa.org/x11853.xml Wenzel AJ, Gerweck C, Barbato D, Nicolosi RJ, Handelman GJ, Curran-Celentano J. A 12- wk egg intervention increases serum zeaxanthin and macular pigment optical density in women. J Nutr. 2006 Oct;136(10):2568-73. 2006. PMID:16988128 Can Junk Food Harm Your Vision?, Good Morning America, ABC News, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126765&page=1 High-Sugar Foods May Affect Eyesight, Miranda Hitti, WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/macular-degeneration/news/20070713/high- sugar-foods-may-affect-eyesight Man's blindness 'due to vegan diet', BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/687996.stm Diet and Nutrition, American Optometric Association (AOA), http://www.aoa.org/x11848.xml Prevalence of Blindness Data Tables, National Eye Institute (NYI), http://www.nei.nih.gov/eyedata/pbd_tables.asp Glaucoma Service Foundation to Prevent Blindness, http://www.willsglaucoma.org The epidemiology of age-related macular degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology, April 2004. Biljana Miljanovi, Komal A Trivedi, M Reza Dana, Jeffery P Gilbard, Julie E Buring and Debra A Schaumberg , Relation between dietary n3 and n6 fatty acids and clinically diagnosed dry eye syndrome in women, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 82, No. 4, 887-893, October 2005
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Imbunatatirea Vederii in Mod Natural

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IMPROVE

YOUR VISION NATURALLY

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VISION EXERCISES .........................................................................27

SELF-MASSAGE TECHNIQUES FOR BETTER VISION ......................68

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VISION EXERCISE AND RELAXATION ROUTINES ..........................81

VISION AND DIET ........................................................................100

VISION AND MEDICATIONS ........................................................149

LIFESTYLE AND VISION ................................................................152

VISION AND POSTURE ................................................................166

COMMON EYESIGHT DISORDERS ...............................................175

VISION GLOSSARY .......................................................................234 EYE CHARTS .................................................................................238

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Causes of Poor Vision: Facts and Fiction

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Most Common Causes of Eyesight Problems

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How Your Eyes Work?

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How to Increase the Benefits of Wearing Glasses in a Natural Way?

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Pinhole Glasses: Do They Really Help Improve Eyesight Naturally?

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Vision Relaxation Techniques and Exercises

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VISION RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

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The Benefits of Eye Relaxation

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Easy Eye Relaxation Techniques

Palming Eye Relaxation Technique

Acupressure Eye Relaxation Technique

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What to Expect After Doing Vision Exercises?

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Before You Start Your Vision Exercise Routine

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The Candle Method Vision Exercise

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Figure Eights Vision Exercise

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Two Dots Vision Exercise

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Eyes Stretch Vision Exercise

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Focusing Vision Exercise

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Near-Far Focus Vision Exercise

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Blinking Vision Exercise

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Tracing Vision Exercise

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Zooming Vision Exercise:

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