APU Careers & Learning Editor's Pick Online Learning

Feeling the Strain? Your Eyes Need Exercise Too

There is that point in the middle of a paper, or reading for class, when your eyes are so fuzzy you think you’re losing your vision. Eye strain is not a joy to have, but it is remedied with a little rest.

Instead of giving yourself free reign to goof off because your eyes are sore, try a few exercises to move them back into focus.

  1. Close your eyes tightly for three to five seconds; complete 7 more reps of this.
  2. Give your eyelids a massage, or  a hot compress.
  3. Focus on a distant object for about a minute; my dog is a great distraction when it chases its tail.
  4. Rotate your head clockwise, and then counter clockwise. This is a warm-up also used in yoga classes.
  5. Blink more. The more you blink, the more hydrated your eyes feel.

If you wear contacts like I do, take them out and give your peepers a rest. Sometimes I’m able to focus better after a long day by looking through my glasses, instead of a day-worn pair of contacts. After your break you should feel refreshed and ready to add new vigor to your class tasks. Just remember to give your eyes a little R&R whenever they start feeling worn out.

By J. Mason
Online Learning Tips Editor

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