At the turn of the new year, millions of people made the resolution to get more physically fit and healthy. For many, this may involve getting into a sport. Doing so can make exercise a lot more fun. Depending on how well you want to do in your chosen sport, you know you need to practice. Often, practice focuses on improving certain skills. Well, just as your muscles need to learn how to work to your benefit, so do your eye. Here, we are going to point out some tips for training your eyes to maximize your physical performance.
Stretching for Visual Acuity
When you stretch your calves before a run, you minimize the risk of getting shin splints or muscle cramps. When you stretch your eyes, what you do is increase your ability to focus on objects quickly, regardless of their distance. Stretch the eyes? Really? Yes. It’s easy. Start by observing an object close in front of you, like your hands on your lap. Then move your eyes to an object a few feet in front of you. Finally, move your eyes to an object across the room, or outside. As you continue this stretching practice, your eyes should be able to focus more quickly and accurately at all distances. This can be great for sports enthusiasts as well as for individuals who just want to foster good vision as they age.
Don’t Forget the Sidelines
It is easy to take for granted the fact that you even have peripheral vision. Seeing what is beside you without having to turn your head may seem an unnecessary talent, but peripheral vision serves an important purpose. We cannot even know to turn our head and look for an object coming in our direction without that crucial sideline vision. To support it, you can work out your eyes by just noticing what is to the left of you and the right of you by observing through your periphery. Notice the details, the colors, objects that may be moving. This way, you are more apt to see what is necessary when it is most important. This could be on the field, on the court, or walking down the street.
Eye exercises can be beneficial, but they may not guarantee that you avoid every eye condition. To gain a clear picture of your eye health, schedule an eye exam with your Ocala ophthalmologist at (352) 237-8400.