Not everyone is born legally blind. Some of us are blessed with twenty-twenty vision until we begin to age. It is only in our later years that we begin to suffer loss of vision. Since glasses and contacts only repair the symptoms of loss of vision, and actually make sight worse, then many just continue with glasses forever, constantly changing their prescription as their eye sight worsens. With yoga, that is not necessarily the only option.
Our vision is what allows us to digest light. When light reflects off an object, it enters the lens of the cornea, the transparent covering of the eye. The cornea is responsible for refracting the rays of light that pass through the pupil. The iris acts as a shutter on a camera, becoming smaller or bigger as needed to let more or less light pass through. Once the light passes through the lens, it changes shape again so that it can reach a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye, called the retina. Within the retina are thousands of light-sensing nerves (called rods and cones) which translate that light into electrical signals that the brain can understand. Those electrical signals are finally translated as an image, and so we ‘see.’
In order for the rods and cones, and the other parts of the eye to work, they must have plenty of blood flow. As we age, our circulation usually worsens, unless we do something to change that. There are specific exercises that keep all the working parts of the eye working at their optimum.
The first exercise is called palming. This exercise relaxes and refreshes the eyeball, and increases its strength. It also stimulates the flow of the aqueous fluid that runs between the cornea and the lens of the eye, aiding faulty vision. To practice this exercise, begin in a meditative posture such as padmasana or sukhasana. Massage the palms of the hands together until they become warm with friction. This not only increases heat in the hands which will be applied to the eyes, but increases Prana (life force) flowing to the hands also. Once the hands are warm, set the palms lightly over the eyes, without too much force. There should be a sensation of gently pressure only. Allow the Prana from the hands to sink into the eyes. Let every muscles in the eyes relax, in the darkness offered by your hands, and begin to breathe deeply, increasing prana exponentially with every breath. Once the eyes have completely absorbed the heat from the hands, you can repeat by rubbing the hands together again, but keep the eyes closed while you do so, and then replace them, repeating the cycle as many times as you can comfortably complete in one sitting. A minimum of three times is recommended. IN order to take advantage of the energy of the sun, practice with your face to the sun in early morning or late evening prior to the sun being at its highest strength. Stay aware of the warmth of the sun on the lids of the eyes as you take your hands away, and never look directly into the sun, until it is close to setting for only a few moments. This is called sun-gazing and is another beneficial practice for the eyes.
