Eye Exercises for Exophoria

Exophoria is a form of heterophoria, in which the eyes of an individual have a tendency to wander from the position where both eyes are looking together in the same direction, according to Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group. In exophoria eyes wander outward, toward the ears.

Bates Method

• Dr. William Horatio Bates, an instructor of ophthalmology, became increasingly dissatisfied with reliance on eyeglasses for corrected vision and began to research his own method of correcting vision, known as the Bates Method. Dr. Bates surmised that relying on eyeglasses to focus weakened the eye and that a series of eye exercises can strengthen the eye naturally, improving sight. The Bates Method involves working the eye much like working the biceps or any other muscle, strengthening and conditioning it through focused training.

Bates Method

• Go outdoors where you can see for a distance of about a mile or so. If you can't see that far, that's OK. The point is to focus on different points of varying distance from your eyes.

  Askdocweb.com says to begin the exercise by picking something that is within three feet, and focus on it as clearly as possible. Once the object becomes as clear as it can be, focus on an object 30 feet away and try to see that as clearly as your eyes will allow. From there, pick something roughly 500 feet away and again, focus as best you can. Immediately pick something far off in the distance and try focusing on it. Repeat these steps in a cycle 10 to 15 times, twice a day.

Bates Method Variation

• A variation of this focusing exercise is to imagine a cube or ball a couple feet in front you. Try to focus on this imaginary object and imagine it moving away from you, keeping your focus. Imagine and focus on the ball moving backward and shrinking, a mile off in the distance; imagine and focus on the ball slowly returning to a few feet in front of you. Repeat this 10 to 15 times, twice daily.

  Much like strengthening and conditioning your skeletal muscles in the gym, focusing your eyes in such a way strengthens and conditions the muscles of your eyes, according to Dr. Bates.

Color Day

• Another exercise to strengthen the eye is to pick out a particular color each day. Throughout the day, be on the lookout for this color and focus on it each time it crosses your path. Experience the color.

Palming

• Palming is an exercise to relax your eyes. Sit comfortably with your elbows resting on a table, palms covering your eyes. Imagine total blackness as your palms block out all light, and allow your eyes to rest without applying pressure. Do this for 10 minutes, twice daily.

Swinging

• Sway your body back and forth while focusing on an object roughly 10 feet away. Blink with each sway, lubricating your eyes, and complete a set of 100 sways left and right. Do this once a day.

Trombone

• Hold a small object in your hand right at the tip of your nose. Focus on this object and slowly extend your arm as far as you can reach. Never lose sight of the object in your hand and slowly bring the object back to the tip of your nose. Repeat this 10 times, twice a day.

Worth A Go

• While The Bates Method and additional eye-strengthening methods are widely debated about their effectiveness in comparison with glasses, the simple exercises may be worth trying for the few minutes a day to potentially strengthen the eyes.