Convergence Exercises To Strengthen Your Eyes

Super close up of the tip of a pen

We all spend a lot of time scanning the computer screens or browsing text on paper as an unavoidable part of our life. Prolonged visual strain leads to weakness of eye muscles or convergence weakness and discomfort in eyes. The only remedy is to strengthen your eyes muscles by regular eye exercises.

Instructions for Convergence Exercises

Our eyes are parallel to each other while looking straight ahead at a distant object. When we look at a near object the two eyes move towards each other – converge. Usually, the eyes can converge to look at an object as close as 5 to 8 cm from the eyes. In convergence insufficiency, this point recedes more than 12 cm away. The weakness of convergence can occur in individuals involved with a lot of near or computer work or those who suffer from any systemic illness.

The exercise described below can help improve the convergence over a period of 4 to 8 weeks.

Exercise Steps

  1. Sit or stand straight and look at a far off small object.
  2. Hold out a pen at an arm’s length and look at its tip.
  3. Slowly bring the tip close to your eyes, keeping the tip at level with your eyes.
  4. Hold the tip for about 10 seconds at the point where you feel some strain or heaviness in the eyes. The tip should continue to appear clear and single – should not appear
  5. Then again take it back to an arm’s length and hold it there for 10 seconds.
  6. Again slowly bring the tip close to your eyes to the point where you feel some strain.
  7. Repeat this 10 times and then again look at the small remote Then again repeat the whole cycle.

Exercise Schedule

  1. To begin with, do this exercise for 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening at a time when you are relatively fresh.
  2. Gradually increase the duration of the exercise to 15 minutes over a period of next 2
  3. Carry it on religiously regularly for 2 months, after which once a day exercise for 5 minutes is sufficient to maintain good convergence of the eyes.

It is normal to feel slightly more strain, pain in the eyes and even headache for a few days when you begin convergence exercises. Rest assured that gradually you will recover and your symptoms due to convergence insufficiency will soon be better.