Why you must roll your eyes like a Kathakali Dancer

A new book on the dance form says Kathakali's emphasis on eye exercises protects dancers from strain. iTALK brings you an effective DIY guide to sharpen your eyesight, and knock off eye strain

Why you must roll your eyes like a Kathakali Dancer

A new book on the dance form says Kathakali's emphasis on eye exercises protects dancers from strain. iTALK brings you an effective DIY guide to sharpen your eyesight, and knock off eye strain

The longer you stare at your computer screen, and vegetate in front of the television, the more likely it is that you will land up with optical problems. But that bit, you know. What you perhaps don't, is that it's possible to strengthen your vision through exercises, just like it's vital to keep the body fit by gymming.

What Bates said

In 1920, a seminal work published in New York by ophthalmologist Dr WH Bates, called Perfect Eyesight Without Glasses, drew data from treating patients with eye disorders and his personal battle with Presbyopia (long-sightedness), to discuss simple exercises that work the eye muscles and change the shape of the eyeball. He focused on the role of stress in aggravating optical problems and the need to re-educate the eyes to focusu00a0 manually. It created quite a stir, with some experts disagreeing with him.

Dr Vandana Jain, Head of Department-Cornea, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, says such exercises are effective for correcting muscle imbalances, rather than helping to knock off glasses. "But they prove helpful for those who squint, suffer from headaches and eye strain," she says.

What causes eye disorders?

Myopia or presbyopia are refractive problems where the curvature of the lens becomesu00a0 inflexible and causes short sightedness or long-sightedness. It is caused by heredity and prolonged near-ranging activities, such as working on the computer or reading.

Send eyes to the gym

Dr Viram Agrawal, Director of Sampoorn School for Perfect Eyesight, claims they've seen a 100% success rate in improving eyesight. At the school, they prescribe exercises based on the Chakshu (eye) Upanishad and from Bates' books, laying stress on calming the mind and protecting eye muscles that are likely to lose elasticity.

Quick tips
>>Read while sitting upright and in sufficient light.
>>Blink often to reduce irritability and dryness of the eyes.
>>Try and remain stress-free; the eye muscles get tense every each time you are under stress.u00a0
>>Eat foods rich in Vitamin A to help the retina (like eggs and fresh fruits).

Kathakali The Art of the Non-worldly

The book includes an interesting bit on how disciples wake up at Brahma muhurtam (3 am) to start eye training. Ghee is first applied to the eye, after its suspended particles are dissolved by rubbing it on the palm. Then the pupil of the eye is subjected to various movements, keeping the eye wide open by holding the lids apart with the fingers.

The training movements include moving of the pupil in circles, clockwise and anti-clockwise, downward and upward. This is followed by rapid short horizontal movement of the pupil, raising it to the top and rotating it to make a horizontal 8.

In each of these instances, the eyelids and eyebrows don't move, and each exercise is done forty times until tears begin to continuously stream from the eyes.

In the past, this training was done at night for as long as the moon remained in the sky. On full moon days, this training would continue till morning.

Buy the book at: Marg Publications, Army and Navy Building, MG Road.
For: Rs 2,750

Body ko chhodo. Here's Yoga for your eyes

Candle gazing (Trataka): Hold your body erect and spine straight. Keep eyes centrally focused on the tip of the candle flame to reduce the area of central fixation. The smaller the area, the better the fixation.

The nasal gaze (Nasikagra Trataka): Assume a relaxed posture with neck held erect, and fix the eyes on the tip of your nose. Continue to gaze for 2 minutes, then close your eyes. Repeat a few times before shutting eyes for rest.

The eyebrow gaze (Bhrumadhya Trataka): After resting for a minute, focus the eyes on the space between the eyebrows. Maintain for 2 minutes. Shut eyes for rest.

Right shoulder gaze (Daksinajatru Trataka): Keeping the body erect, neck straight and head steady, fix eyes on the end of your right shoulder. Maintain for a minute, then shut eyes for rest.u00a0

Eye Bath (Nethra Snana): The use of cold water for bathing the eyes is an essential stimulant. A few minutes after the Trataka exercises, splash your eyes with cold water.

At: The Yoga Institute, Shri Yogendra Road, Prabhat Colony, Santacruz (E).
Call: 26122185. Founded in 1918 by Shri Yogendraji, it's the oldest organised centre of yoga in the world.

Want to improve vision? Try these 4 DIY eye exercises

Snellan's chart reading: This chart is printed with 11 lines of block letters, and the font size reduces as you read on. Hang the chart on a wall, and sit at a comfortable distance. Read each letter and blink. Hold a smaller chart in your hand, read each letter and then spot that letter in the larger chart. That letter will seem darker to you.

Game of ball: This involves focusing on the ball's movements. Hold the ball in the right hand, bounce it off the floor and catch it with the left hand. Blink every time you catch the ball. Throw it up in the air with the right hand and grab it with the left hand.

Swinging: Also called sun treatment, this relaxes the spinal cord and improves eye-to-brain co-ordination. Stand in the morning sun, close your eyes, put your hands forward and swing from
side-to-side.

Eye-patch exercise: Put a patch on one eye to strengthen the other eye muscles. Hold a pen at a distance of 6 inches from the eye. Keep your focus on the tip and slowly move it from side-to-side. Wear patch on the other eye and repeat.

At: Sampoorn School for Perfect Eyesight, Kala Nagar, Bandra (E).
Call: 26592477.
Founded in 1993 by Dr Kunti Nagwekar, it aims to raise awareness about holistic eye care and help improve and protect vision from further deterioration.