Yes, You Can Actually Strengthen Your Eyes

You already know that you can strengthen certain parts of your body. Your muscles are an obvious candidate there. You can even strengthen your bones and muscular organs, such as your heart. 

Don’t stop there, though. You can also take steps to strengthen your eyes. 

Here at Edwin Y. Endo, OD & Associates in Aiea, Hawaii, we’re here to help. As an expert in eye health, Dr. Endo has specific suggestions you can implement to help your eyes function their best. 

Here are a few eye-strengthening tips from Dr. Endo and our team: 

#1: Do the right eye exercises

It’s a myth that eye exercises can correct vision issues like nearsightedness by strengthening your eyes. There are, however, some exercises you can do to keep your eyes functioning as well as possible.

For example, Dr. Endo recommends applying the 20-20-20 rule to minimize the toll of digital eye strain. This rule recommends that whenever you’re looking at a screen for an extended period of time:

• Every 20 minutes
• Take a 20-second break
• And look at something 20 feet away

Focusing on something at a distance allows your eye muscles to relax. Any physical therapist or personal trainer will tell you that rest days are important when you’re trying to build muscle. The same goes for your eyes. Exercises that allow them to rest can help mitigate some of the strain associated with living in our digital age. 

#2: Eat an eye-healthy diet

What you eat has a direct impact on your eye health. The foods you consume provide nutrients that help your eyes function their best — provided you’re making good choices here. 

Dr. Endo can help. Because diet is such an important part of strengthening your eyes, we offer nutritional counseling here at our office.

#3: Protect your overall health

To keep your eyes as strong as possible, be proactive about your overall health. 

Some chronic conditions can affect your eyes, contributing to various eye diseases. If you develop type 2 diabetes, for example, you have the chance of developing diabetic retinopathy. Similarly, uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) can affect your eyes and the way they function. 

You can strengthen your eyes by protecting them from strain, eating a nutritious diet, and being proactive about your overall wellness. 

For support in protecting your vision through the years, visit Dr. Endo on a regular basis. He can tell you how frequently you should get eye exams to support your eye health (for most people, that’s every one to two years). Call our office at 808-774-3838 to schedule your appointment today.