Defective Vision

Sun gazing : Sit on a bench facing the sun with your eyes closed and gently sway sideways several times for 18 minutes. Open the eyes and blink about ten times at the sun and look at some greenery. This helps short sight and is good for inflamed eyes.

Splashing : Splash plain, cold water several times on closed eyes. Rub the closed lids briskly for a minute with a clean towel. This cools the eyes and boosts blood supply.

Palming : Sit comfortably in an armchair or on a settee and relax with your eyes closed. Cover your eyes with your palm, right palm over the right eye and left over the left eye. Do not, however, press down on the eyes. With your eyes completely covered in this manner, allow your elbows to drop to your knees, which should be fairly close together. With your eyes closed thus, try to imagine blackness, which grows blacker and blacker. Palming reduces strain and relaxes the eyes and its surrounding tissues.

Swinging : Stand with your feet 12 inches apart, hands held loosely at the sides, the whole body and mind relaxed. Gently sway your body from side to side, slowly, steadily, with the heels rising alternatively but not the rest of the foot. Imagine you are the pendulum of the clock, and move just as slowly. Swinging should be done in front of a window or a picture. You will see the object moving in the opposite direction of your swing. This must be noted and encouraged. When you face one end of the window or object, blink once. This exercise has a very beneficial effect upon the eyes and nervous system.

Diet

Natural, uncooked foods are the best diet. These include fresh fruits, such as oranges, apples, grapes,peaches, plums, cherries ; green vegetable like lettuce, cabbage, spinach, turnip tops ; root vegetables like potatoes, turnips, carrot, onions and beetroot's ; nuts, dried fruits and dairy products.

Cereals are also necessary , but they should only be consumed sparingly. Genuine wholemeal bread is the best and most suitable. Nan's, cakes, pastries, white sugar, white bread, confectionary, tea, coffee, etc., together with meat, fish, or eggs, soon play havoc with the digestion and the body.

The value of vitamin A for improving vision must be stressed. The intake of sufficient quantities of this vitamin is essential as a safeguard against or treatment of defective vision or eye disease of any kind. The best sources of this vitamin are cod liver oil, raw spinach, turnip tops, cream, cheese, butter, egg yolk, tomatoes, lettuce, carrot, cabbage, soya beans, green peas, wheat germ,fresh milk, oranges and dates.

Yogic exercises :

The four yogic exercises prescribed for strengthening the optic nerve known as ‘trataka’ as explained in chapter 7 on yoga therapy should be practiced daily. Certain yogasanas such as bhujangasana, shalabhasana, yogamudra, paschimottan asana and kriyas like jalneti are also beneficial for the eyes.