Making tired eyes smile

One easy way of bringing some moisture to dry eyes is to yawn widely or blink rapidly. This will spread a thin film of tears on the eyes and exercise the eye muscles. Repeat the process until enough liquid has gathered in your eyes.

Tip: Put a reminder note to yourself in a prominent place so you don’t forget to do the exercises.

Give your eyes a break now and again and close them when you’re thinking. Especially when you want to recall something specific, closing your eyes is a simple helpful trick. It will help prevent your eyes becoming dry or tired and at the same time improve your concentration.

While you’re working at the screen, allow your eyes to gaze into the distance at least every 15 minutes. This simple technique exercises the eye muscles and prevents the one-sided strain caused by constantly focusing on the monitor. From time to time you should also consciously shift your focus to objects that are far away. By doing so you move your eyes and increase their flexibility.

You can also prevent dry, burning eyes from the inside by making sure you drink enough water. And if all else fails, moisturising eye drops can help. Tip: The eye drops should not contain preservatives.

This exercise leads to particularly fast and noticeable relaxation of the eyes. Place your middle finger in the middle of your forehead and make circular movements. Using your fingers, slowly and gently stroke your temples sideways and down towards your ears.

Exercise stretches and relaxes the eye muscles and can help relieve strain. Try to do some of the following exercises several times a day:

• Move your gaze from the ceiling to the floor and back, then from side to side. Repeat a few times. Try to keep your head straight as you do the exercise.
• Lean back, close your eyes and move your eyeballs in figures of eight, first in one direction, then in the other. Repeat this a few times.
• With your eyes closed, imagine a clock and move your eyes around the clock face. For example, start at 6 o’clock and make a pause at 9 o’clock, 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock and back to 6 o’clock. After each circuit, move your eyes around the whole clock face without stopping and then repeat the initial exercise.
• Rub your hands together for about 15 seconds until they become noticeably warm and then place a hand over each closed eye. Do not apply any pressure. This gives your eyes a pleasant feeling of warmth and at the same time respite from bright light.