Author: Rosemary Gaddum Gordon

Originally appeared in
EARTH STAR MAGAZINE February/March 2005
Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

Dazzle and glare are often problems for those of us who spend long hours indoors. We leave the office, it’s dark and on the drive home the headlights feel uncomfortably bright, or in the summertime, we go from the relative shade of a building into the sunshine and it can feel overwhelming. However, natural unfiltered sunlight is necessary for our general health as well as for our eye health. Humans evolved in sunlight.

There has been much discussion over the past decade about the harmful effects of sunlight on the eyes. We’ve been told to protect our eyes against the light all the time. It is sadly true that particularly here in the Northeast, the ozone, which is the earth’s natural protective layer, has been eroded. This means that we are more exposed to the harmful rays than we used to be. However, our eyes love light. Without light they don’t see.

There’s a story about an ophthalmologist who went spelunking and found some fish in an underground lake. He found that he could pick them up and noticed that the fish had anatomically correct eyes, but they could not see. He took a couple of them back to his pond. About six months later an ophthalmologist friend was visiting and they went out to see the fish. As the doctor reached down to show his friend how he could pick them up, the fish swam swiftly away. During the six months in the sunlight the fish had developed sight.

Bright indoor lighting can be used as a partial substitute, but outdoor light is much brighter than even a well-lit room. One of the things that happens when we spend hours indoors is that our pupils, (the black hole in the eye through which the light passes), no longer become small enough in response to bright light. This can result in the eyes receiving much more light when it’s bright, than we are either used to or comfortable with. The eyes may water excessively and even feel painful. We will tend to squint or close one eye as a way to shield them and stop so much light from entering. A usual response is to go out and get sunglasses. These can actually make matters worse. The iris, a sphincter muscle, which like most muscles becomes weaker if we don’t use it, controls the size of the pupil. When we wear dark glasses the brightness of the light is diminished so the iris is not stimulated to contract as much. If we get in the habit of wearing sun glasses much of the time the muscle is not exercised and loses some of its capability. So, if we lose our shades we’re in worse trouble than we were to begin with.

Sunlight is essential for our health but we mustn’t get too much of the wrong kind. So we need to find a middle way between too much and too little. One approach is to spend about 20 minutes everyday outside without dark glasses, and if possible without any glasses on at all. If your eye doctor specifically tells you not to do this, then, at least get some light on your skin. (Skin cancer is more prevalent among office workers than among people who work outdoors. It has to do with burning.) If the weather is overcast, it’s still worth going outside because it will be brighter outside than in.

There are some considerations to keep in mind as you find your Middle Way. When the sun is lower in the sky there is more atmosphere through which the light rays travel, so fewer of them reach us. Consequently, early and late on a summer day is safest, as is the wintertime. However, when there is snow on the ground there is a high degree of reflected light, so on bright, sunny, snowy days we need to be more conservative. As you use the technique described below and begin to wean yourself from your frequent sunglass-wearing, remember it is muscles you are working with. At first they may be slow to respond, so if you walk outside and the light feels too bright take a few deep breaths, blink and look at the shadows and the darker, non-reflecting surfaces like trees and bushes, while your eyes adapt.

The simple technique you can use to help your eyes to be more adaptive to changes in light is called Sunning.

SUNNING:

Stand with your eyes closed in the sunshine or in front of a 150 watt flood bulb. Gently swing your body from side to side, with a slight turn at each end. Let your closed eyes pass through the warmth and light into a little shade at the ends. Find a rhythm that feels comfortable and continue for 5 minutes or more, being aware of the comfort of the warmth (don’t do it where it’s hot) and the restfulness of the movement. It’s supposed to feel good so that you relax. This allows your pupils to practice constricting and dilating. Avoid doing this when the sun is high because you don’t want to strain your neck. Afterwards palm your eyes: close and cover them with you hands letting the warmth soak in even more deeply.

If you prefer to sit when you sun, just rotate your head gently from shade through brightness to shade again. Making sure you are breathing fully.

Remember, if you have any medical reason for being extra careful in sunshine, the light bulb is a wonderful substitute, as it is for dreary, gray days.

Avoid buying sunglasses that are very dark. You want your pupil to be active. And, be sure to get the ones that block all UV light, because your pupil will be more dilated behind the lenses, allowing in more harmful rays than if you were not wearing any sunglasses at all.

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Vision Tips August/September 2005
By Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

When we are in danger we look around to find out about the possible threat and how we might respond. This is normal and healthy. If this process is interrupted and we are overwhelmed, we freeze. If this happens repeatedly, the unfinished stress becomes stored in the eye muscles. Chronically stressed eyes tend to be wide open and staring, with large pupils.

When we stare we don’t see well for two major reasons. One reason is because the visual system, like the other senses, only responds to change. For instance, with touch, if we are holding hands with someone in the movies and our hands have been completely still for a while, we really can’t tell where one hand ends and the other begins. We’ve lost the sense of exactly where our hand is. If we then move our hand even very slightly, both people feel that motion very clearly. So too, if you keep your eyes completely still they will stop sending information to the brain. It is extremely hard to hold the eyes absolutely stationary, but laboratory experiments have been performed that show this to be true. The eyes see by moving. When we stare, the natural motion of our eyes is slowed down and the brain does not receive the information it needs.

The other major reason staring interferes with good vision is that the mind is not attending to what we are seeing. If you remember staring out of a window, it’s as if you’ve fixed your eyes somewhere while going someplace else in your mind. One student described it as “parking her eyes while she went to Hawaii”. We often stare like that when we’re tired or when we’d rather be elsewhere. This is not a problem unless it becomes a habitual way of dealing with stress.

If you notice yourself staring, there are several things that you can do. In any order that fits the situation, blink your eyes and bring your mind and the world back into focus, let your eyes move around to find out about the possible threat and to see how you might respond. Our staring habit may have developed in childhood, being bored in school or uncomfortable in situations we were powerless to change; it’s a way of escaping from the sensations of stress and was probably a good resource at the time. Now as an adult, we have more options in these situations.

If you don’t see well it may be that you are chronically staring, that the habit has become a way of life, a way to disengage a little from the stresses of reality. If you want to undo that pattern you can practice a technique we call “nose painting”. Imagine you have an invisible paintbrush on the end of your nose that can lengthen and shorten as needed. Now move your head so you are moving the paintbrush around the edges of things, as if you were painting them. You can make broad-brush strokes or detailed ones. Let your mind attend to the point at the end of this brush. Your eyes will naturally follow your mind so there’s no need to think about them. You can use this to improve your vision at any distance. If you are doing it with print, brush across the line you want to read a few times. It will help you to see it more clearly.

Undoing the staring habit can take time; you are undoing your response to stress. Remember to take plenty of rest breaks and practice good seeing habits.

HOLISTIC VISION IMPROVEMENT
Cambridge, MA: 617 354 8360
Eliot, ME: 207 439 9821
www.cambridgehealthassociates.com/rosemary.html

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Vision Tips June/July 2005
By Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

Stress causes an automatic cycle to occur in the body; adrenaline is released into the blood stream and among other responses, the heart rate increases, breathing becomes shallower, blood flows away from the skin and digestive organs to the muscles of action. In the eyes, the pupils dilate, the lens focuses for distance seeing and the eyelids retract. We are preparing to fight or flee. Ideally, when the stress passes, our system resets to its original “ordinary state”.

However, if we are overwhelmed, our system doesn’t reset; it moves into another stage. It freezes. Freezing is a survival tactic, which allows us to appear unthreatening to a predator. It also allows us to dissociate so that if we are harmed, we won’t feel it. The degree to which this happens depends on the situation and the individual. When we freeze, all the natural stress responses are stored within our bodies. The muscles, which would otherwise help us to fight or flee, can’t discharge. They, and we, become chronically more tense as this pattern is repeated over time. We are coping but parts of us are compromised.

Visually, the muscles around the eyes, which under stress would be opening the lids wide and actively searching for where to aim or for routes of escape, may also become more tense and frozen. We all know the expression of someone who is in shock; they are wide-eyed and staring fixedly ahead. This is the expression of someone whose visual system is overwhelmed.

There are many ways vision can be overwhelmed. It may happen if we see something very frightening, like our car about to crash into a tree. It may be caused by something emotional or chronic and repetitive, like watching our parents fight night after night, or working under constant deadlines with the fear of losing our job. Whatever it is, for some people it is the eyes that are unable to fully discharge the stress.

If, for instance, trying to read or write a report is stressful, we are likely to strain the system by making it focus at near. (Remember, our stressed eyes are looking for a place to run to.) When we strain a muscle it becomes weaker unless we give it enough rest. The eye muscles we tend to strain are the ones that move the eyes around and the ones inside that focus the lens. We would also be less likely to blink because our eyelids are pulled back under stress. When we blink less, our eyes become dry and tire more quickly.

When you feel stressed, give your eyes extra rest and remember to blink. For specific resting techniques see Vision Tips in the October/November 2004 Earth Star.

HOLISTIC VISION IMPROVEMENT
Cambridge, MA: 617 354 8360
Eliot, ME: 207 439 9821
www.cambridgehealthassociates.com/rosemary.html

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Originally appeared in
Earth Star magazine December 2005/January 2006
Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

Most people with vision issues have necks that feel tight or “out”. After a massage, a visit to the chiropractor or yoga class many of us notice we’re seeing better. When the neck is tight less blood and chi can flow up to the brain and eyes. If a vertebra in the neck becomes misaligned it can cause pain, which often reduces vision. When we are sitting for a long time at the computer, or speaking on a cell phone, or driving while talking to a passenger, it is easy to lose our good posture and strain our neck muscles. Bringing our awareness to the neck and developing its flexibility can help us both prevent problems and improve our vision.

There are three basic movements that the neck makes and here are three simple ways to stretch in each of the directions. You can do these stretches while sitting or standing. They do not need to be done in sequence or all at the same time. Feel the muscles stretching but do not push. If you feel pain, back off from the desired position, breathe and wait for your muscles to lengthen at their own pace.

Rotation: The Owl (adapted from Brain Gym)

Place your right hand on your left shoulder, near the neck. Push your fingers into the trapezius muscle _ it’s the one that generally feels tight or sore back there _ and relax both shoulders. Now, inhale as you look straight ahead and as you exhale, turn your head like an owl to the left, aiming your chin so it might be parallel with your shoulder. As you turn, move your eyes so they are looking over that shoulder. Notice, without straining, how much you can see behind you. As you inhale, turn your head to face forward again. Wait for the inhalation to finish and then, as you exhale, turn your head to look over the other shoulder. Look behind you as before. Repeat this sequence three times then on the final exhalation bring your chin towards your chest to end. Now repeat with your left hand on your right shoulder.

Extension and Flexion: The Yes

Make sure your shoulders are down and relaxed. Inhale as you look straight ahead. As you exhale, drop your chin to your chest. As you inhale, bring your chin up towards the sky, but not so far that your shoulders come up or that your nose goes past the zenith. Make sure there is no strain anywhere. As you exhale bring your chin back to your chest. Repeat three times or as needed.

Side Bends: The Ear to Shoulder

Keep the face forwards during this whole stretch. Inhale and as you exhale let your head tilt so your ear is directly above your shoulder. Do not turn your head. Your ear won’t ever touch your shoulder, so don’t push and keep them both down. Just let gravity do the pulling. Rest in that position as you complete a full inhalation and exhalation, relaxing into the gentle stretch. Straighten your head with the next inhalation and then let your head tilt so your other ear goes towards your other shoulder. Wait again for a full breath and then return to the center and repeat three times or more.

Enjoy your freer neck and notice how your shoulders and eyes feel better too.

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Originally appeared in
EARTH STAR MAGAZINE December 2004/January 2005
By Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

Last issue we discussed what foods to eat. This issue we’ll explore ways to get the food to the eyes.

The eye, like the rest of the body, is nourished by what is in the blood. The blood fills up with nutrients as it goes by the digestive system, and delivers those nutrients to the organs, muscles, bones and nerves. It then returns with the waste products and delivers them to the sorting and dumping stations. It’s a bit like our food trucking and waste management industries. Like them its effectiveness depends on clear highways and efficiency at all the places of transfer. The highways, of course, are the blood vessels, where the traffic flow may be slowed down by congestion within the vessels or restrictions from the outside. As we age, our food-delivery system tends to become less efficient. So, the older we are, the wiser we need to be about how and what we eat.

There was an interesting study done by Mayor Pharmaceutical Labs which showed that when a substance is given in a tablet form, only 10% of it gets into the blood stream. If it’s given in a capsule then 20% gets to the blood stream, from a gel cap 30%, from liquids 50%, from sublingual drops we get 95% and from an IV, obviously, we get 100%. When we consider this, it becomes clear that the form our food is in when we place it into our mouths has a huge impact on how much nourishment we get from it.

When we are sick, soups and liquids are both comforting and the easiest form of nourishment for our bodies to absorb. We feed babies mushy foods like squashed bananas and applesauce for the same reason. If your digestive system is not working well, or if you need lots of a particular nutrient, this is something to bear in mind. Juicing and cooking foods makes them more absorbable. We get more nourishment from a glass of fresh carrot juice than from munching a whole bag of carrots and on eating a slice of bread than from chewing on grains of wheat. It’s generally tastier too. Our digestive systems still need fiber and chewy foods to keep everything moving along. However, it has to work harder and longer in order to get the nutrients into an absorbable state.

Eating is an important event for the body. We must eat to live. When we attend to what we are eating, the tastes, the textures and how it feels going down, we also get more out of the food. When we are reading or watching TV our mind is elsewhere. If the object of our attention is stressful or exciting then our nervous system will become activated and our digestion may be shut down.

Once the nutrients are in the blood stream, they are delivered to your eyes where they are unloaded and used. Relax, enjoy nourishing food and your eyes will get the sustenance they need.

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Originally appeared in
EARTH STAR MAGAZINE April/May 2006
By Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

Think colors when you choose foods for your eyes: reds, oranges, dark greens and browns. The brighter, deeper colors are the ones that will nourish them the most.

Colorful fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, which are essential for the lens, as well as retinal, conjunctival and corneal health. When you choose what you will eat, picture what your plate will look like. If it is multicolored, then you are probably on the right track. Pick some reds, (like tomatoes, beets and red peppers,) and oranges, (like sweet potatoes, mangoes, cantaloupes, peaches and carrots,) and mix them with some dark greens, (like broccoli, kale, spinach, arugula, parsley and water cress.) These all nourish your eyes from the inside, and just the sight of them will nourish your soul from the outside.

When I think of whole grains and legumes, I think mostly of browns. These supply us with vitamins and minerals, which are essential for a healthy nervous system and circulation. Foods made from “white” flour and “white” rice may taste good, but they really don’t give us the nourishment we need. We can also get these vitamins and minerals from meats, but as with all foods, consider how it was raised and what may have been added along the way.

Oils vary in color and certain ones are essential for retinal and eyelid health. These are especially available in fish that swim in cold waters like salmon and cod. Nuts and seeds are also full of wonderful oils for the eyes. Flax seed oil is especially helpful for dry eyes and poor night vision.

Drinking plenty of pure, clear water is essential for the whole body to function well. In the eye it is specifically relevant for the production of tears and in maintaining a healthy vitreous.

There are also some foods that tend to deplete the eyes. Caffeine makes it harder for the eyes to focus at near. Sugars and alcohol effect the nervous system, making it harder to coordinate the eyes. Alcohol and caffeine are both dehydrators. If you still eat these foods remember what they do and compensate in some way. You could drink more water, take extra vitamins, or practice some eye coordination exercises. If you like caffeine, both green and black teas are also good sources of antioxidants and can substitute for coffee.

Changing our diet can be hard. Often it is easiest to add the good things first, to fill up on them. Then, as we listen to the body, it will tell us it doesn’t need the foods that are less beneficial. The eyes, as part of the body, need a varied diet. By including these colorful foods you will be nourishing your vision and caring for your eyes.

Meal preparation becomes so much fun. Start with dark greens in your salad then add as much glorious color as you can. Or, throw some red peppers in with your green beans, add herbs to your rice, and keep on innovating.

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Originally appeared in
Earth Star Magazine February/March 2006
Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

Walks are refreshing. We get outdoors, fresh air and exercise. We walk the dog. But are you walking your eyes?

Eyes need exercise and fresh air too. The trouble is that many people walk along looking at the ground, or look straight ahead at nothing in particular. This is hard on the eyes because what they love to do is move around and explore the world. Eye muscles need a variety of activities. They need to focus in the distance as well as at near. Even if you only have ten minutes between here and there, your eyes can feel wonderfully revitalized when you use these simple techniques:

Edge the horizon. Pretend you have an invisible pencil at the end of your nose and draw along the edge of the horizon by moving your head. This may be across a valley, at the end of the street or high above you along the roof tops. Be curious about the shape of that edge. Notice what you are seeing. When it’s cold and wintry outside, walk your eyes all over the view from as big a window as you can find. Encouraging the constant motion of your eyes helps them to see well and prevents them from staring.

Take a dip in the sun. Healthy bodies need some sunlight. For a special treat take a Sun-dip. Sit or stand facing the sun, close your eyes and slowly rotate your head (as if you are saying No). Notice the sensations on your eyelids of brightness and warmth alternating with the cooler, partial shade. Sunning for a minute or so can really revive your eyes. You can even do this in the car through your open window as you wait for the lights to change. Varying your exposure to sun and shade exercises your iris muscles and allows you to adjust to these changes more quickly and easily.

Notice the apparent motion. As you walk, be aware that the stationary objects around you appear to move. The things nearer to you, like a parked car or a tree, seem to move past you while the objects further away, like a building or a hill, seem to move in the same direction as you. Let yourself notice this out of the corners of your eyes. It will remind your visual system to see the big picture and not to over-focus. If it feels unsettling at first, slow down and sense into your body. Notice the contact between your feet and the ground. Then see if you can open to the apparent motion again. People with good vision see this way all the time.

I hope you will now enjoy your walks in a whole new way. I know your eyes will be happier, and they’ll see better too.

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Originally appeared in
Earth Star Magazine
August/September 2006
By Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

In my office I often hear, “When I was beginning to notice my vision deteriorate, I was having trouble sleeping.”  Or, when a student’s vision has begun to improve, they mention, “I’m noticing that I don’t see as well when I don’t get enough sleep.”   

Sleep is essential for the body and the mind.  Many people have discussed various ways to help us prepare for sleep.  We are told to begin slowing down thirty minutes to an hour before our head touches the pillow.  We may stretch, drink a cup of relaxing tea, read something soothing and avoid the news and scary TV shows.  All these are good and, if we include our eyes in this routine, our vision will be sure to get the rest it needs.

It’s a matter of considering how we use our eyes before we go to bed.  Many people love to read in bed.  This is fine providing we don’t read ourselves to sleep.  Think about what is happening if we read until we can no longer keep our eyes open.  We are tired all over, but asking our eye muscles to stay coordinated and keep moving, and our mind to continue to take in more information.  If we manage to put the book away and turn off the light we may think we’re doing pretty well.  However, if our eyes are so tired the lids are closing, it’s like walking ‘til our legs buckle.  Even if they are not that exhausted, the eye muscles have been working all day and if we value our vision, we will want to help our eyes relax before we actually fall asleep.

As we’ve discussed before, when reading we want to look in the distance every ten minutes or so to allow the eye muscles to rest.  So when you close the book, look in the distance for a minute before you turn out the light, and feel your eye muscles stretching.  Once the lights are out, palm your eyes.  To palm, cover your closed eyes with the palms of your hands, without touching your eyes and think restful thoughts.  In this case it’s important to imagine scenes with distant views and sense your eye muscles stretching out to “look” at them.  Whether you are looking across the room or pretending you are at the beach, continue until you can feel your eye muscles becoming comfortable. 

When palming, supporting your elbows will allow your arms and shoulders to relax.  If you are lying on your back with your head on a pillow, you can either remove the pillow so you are flat and your elbows will be self-supporting, or you can put a big pillow under your upper arms.  If you are lying on your side, place a pillow between your elbows to support the arm that is not touching the bed.

Making sure your eyes are relaxed as you fall asleep will allow them to feel shiny and bright in the morning.  Ending the day with beautiful thoughts will also quiet your mind and assist you in sleeping peacefully. 

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Originally appeared in
Earth Star magazine
October/ November 2006
By Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

When we don’t see well, we try harder; we squint and strain.  If you know this experience, you know your eyes feel like they “bug” out, as if you are squeezing you entire head to grab onto what you are seeing.  The effect is that instead of seeing from the center of our head, we are seeing from out in front.  This puts us energetically out of balance.

Qigong, Tai Chi, dance, yoga and many other disciplines describe a line that travels from the top of the head to the soles of the feet.  I call this line the Core.  It is the Midline, the Central Channel, and is a way in which all the major centers are connected.  The Core is energetic and yet feels solid and strong.  The center for sight is in the center of the head, behind the eyes and between the ears.  When we see from here our seeing is much more comfortable and allows us to see more clearly and with greater depth perception.  For many people who come to see me, especially when their vision is just beginning to falter, returning to their Core does the trick.  They often say, “Oh yes, thank you, this is how I used to see”. 

Fortunately, we can return to seeing from the Core.  To do this we have to be embodied.  This means having a felt-sense of the body as we look at something.  The expressions, “disappearing into a book” and “zoning out in front of the TV” illustrate how culturally normal it is to not be present as we use our eyes.  We must be present so we can receive what is coming through them.  If we are “miles away” thinking about something else, it is much harder to register what is going on around us.  Perhaps this is sometimes an advantage, but when it becomes a habit it can lead to poorer vision.

I’m not saying it is easy to always be centered at one’s Core, especially when we have developed other habits, but it is a rewarding practice to follow.  At first it is best to practice when closing and relaxing the eyes.  Find the felt-sense of the Core through the center of the body, from the crown of the head to the feet and back up again.  At the feet you can sense your connection with the earth and at your crown your connection with the sky.  If at first it seems impossible, pretend and keep exploring.  There is usually some place on the Core where each person can connect most easily.  For some people it’s in their bellies, others in their hearts or their heads.  Once you’ve found your easy place, you can experiment with expanding it up and down. 

When you open your eyes, remember to let what you are seeing come to you at your Core, to the space behind your eyes, or in your heart or belly and notice how you are seeing and how your eyes feel.  Enjoy!

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Originally appeared in
Earth Star Magazine
December 2006 / January 2007
By Rosemary Gaddum Gordon, D.B.O., M.A.

Good vision is much more than reading the small letters on an eye chart.  It allows us to connect with our environment and gain meaning and understanding.  It calls for the eyes to have full range of movement; to be able to follow or track something smoothly; to be able to work well together as a team and comfortably shift focus from distance to near and near to distance.  When all these skills come together we experience easy, clear vision with good depth perception.  When any of these skills is not working well we may suffer from blurry vision, headaches, eye strain or fatigue and our ability to connect to and comprehend the world is diminished.

We start developing visual skills the moment we open our eyes.  These skills build on each other in a progressive way.  If there is an interruption like an illness or stressor during our development, some of the skills may not fully mature.  As we grow we often manage to compensate in some way.  Later in life those visual compensations may break down resulting in some of the symptoms listed above.     

The first skill is full range of eye movement.  When we are born we connect with our caregiver and watch the activities around us.  We can’t sit up and move our head, so it is the eyes that move.  In this way the full range of the ocular muscles are developed.

The habit of looking around like a baby is often curtailed as we age.  We may be told to be less nosey or to look only at the teacher as he or she speaks.  If we wear glasses, we cannot see clearly unless we look through the center of the lenses, so we will turn our head rather than move our eyes.  If we spend hours in a cubicle working at the computer or studying, our peripheral vision is cut off.  The usual distractions that might prompt us to look around are reduced.  As the range of motion of our eye muscles shrinks, so does the circulation to them and they stiffen.  We will have healthier eyes if we maintain the full breadth of these natural movements.

Here is a simple practice which I call Yoga Eye Stretches.  Please go very carefully and slowly as you move your eyes.  If you go too far too fast you may strain and give yourself a headache.  First remove your glasses (and contacts if convenient.)  Sit with your spine erect or lie down flat on the floor.  Slowly look up towards the top of your head as far as you can without strain.  Breathe, relax and hold for ten seconds.  Notice what you can see.  If you feel some strain, back off and look a little lower.  Then look all the way down towards your feet and hold for ten seconds, remembering to breathe easily.  It’s OK to blink.  Then return to the straight ahead position, close your eyes and rest.  Notice which muscles you have just stretched and how they feel.  When rested, repeat these simple stretches with the same care in the other directions of gaze by looking from side to side, up-right and down-left and then up-left and down-right, resting between each pair.  Follow these movements by rotating your eyes slowly several times in each direction.  Notice what you see as you go around and let your eyes move as smoothly as you can.  Keep breathing and relaxing.  Conclude by palming.  (Cover your closed eyes with your cupped hands and resting.  Do not let your hands touch your eyes.)

These stretches stimulate your brain as well as your eyes.  I wonder what you’ll notice.

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