Eye Exercises for Exophoria

Exophoria is a muscle imbalance that causes the eyes to move outward, or diverge, according to the State University of New York Optometric Center. Eye exercises for exophoria can strengthen, condition, train and relax the eyes while also increasing your visual acuity. Do 30 minutes of eye exercises daily. Make certain to check with your doctor prior to starting a new exercise routine. Not all exercises may be suitable for you.

Exercise your eyes by focusing on different colors. Each day upon waking up, pick a color, according to the Seeing website. Make this your color for the day. Spend the entire day focusing on that one color. Throughout the day visually scan your surrounding for your chosen color. Either consciously search out the color or let the color come to you. Do not concentrate on form but rather on color. If your chosen color is blue, do not see a blue truck but rather a large amount of blue that happens to be on a truck. Choose a different color every day. Going for daily color walks can help improve your visual acuity.

Strengthen and train your eye muscles by doing an exercise known as a “push up” exercise, according to the American Academy of Optometry, British Chapter. Sit upright in a firm chair. Hold a pencil in your right hand. Straighten your arm, placing the pencil as far away as possible. Focus your eyes on the pencil. Slowly move the pencil toward your nose until you see two pencils. Close your eyes. Return your arm and pencil to the original position. Relax 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Relax your eyes and keep them in sync with your head by doing an exercise known as Praying Swing, according to Seeing from the Bates Method. Sit upright with your elbows resting on a table. Bring your hands six inches from your face, palms facing each other. Allow your hands to support each other. Adopt the praying position. Close your eyes and gently touch your hands to your face. Breathe normally, without hurrying. Slowly turn your head to your right. Do not move your hands. Do not move your eyes. Hold this position for four seconds. Slowly move your head to the left side, still not consciously moving your eyes or hands. Hold this position for four seconds. Return your head to the original, straight-ahead position. Relax for 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise for two minutes. If your eyes are moving or dancing around, do slower head turns. The purpose of this exercise is to calm your eyes while improving eye alignment.

Strengthen and condition your eye muscles by doing a jumping technique, according to the American Academy of Optometry, British Chapter. Sit upright in a firm chair. Hold onto a detailed, small target such as a printed page. Focus your eyes on the target. Extend your arm so the page is far away. Slowly move the page as close as possible to your eyes until the target becomes blurred. Hold the target stationary for five seconds while focusing on it. Shift your eyes to look at a distant object. Hold that position for five seconds. Repeat this exercise five times.