Eyes

[freeform]

I work in front of the computer for a good 8 hrs a day - my eyes invariably get really tired. I sometimes massage around the eye socket and then cover the eyes with my palms (warmed up by rubbing) to relax them... (Also, I try to gaze into the distance when on breaks - this relaxes them a bit...)

 

I tend to have quite bloodshot eyes, whether I'm using the computer or not... As well as that I have these visible dark purple circles right under the eyes - and although they can get better or worse they always tend to be there to some extent (or at least they have been since my early teens)...

 

Can you guys help out? Any tips for initially healing and then maintaining their health would be greatly appreciated...

 

(I once came across an interesting machine that acted like a biofeedback device for the eyes - not sure how it worked, but it analysed how you're focusing, and when you're doing it optimally it makes a noise - the idea is to train yourself to keep the noise constant, in different ranges of focus - apparently they used this on snipers and pilots... I completely lost any reference to this, so if anyone knows anything about it, I'd be interested...)

[doc benway]

I've done two related exercises for quite some time on a regular basis - can't say how much it helps but I've had two independent teachers recommend them

1. Full, slow rotation of the eyes in in full circles in both directions (I usually do 7 circles in each direction - doubt if the number matters)

2. Repeat same thing but this time only using yi - no actual movement, just intention.

I usually keep my eyes closed but I don't think that is essential.

[mwight]

I work in front of the computer for a good 8 hrs a day - my eyes invariably get really tired. I sometimes massage around the eye socket and then cover the eyes with my palms (warmed up by rubbing) to relax them... (Also, I try to gaze into the distance when on breaks - this relaxes them a bit...)

 

I tend to have quite bloodshot eyes, whether I'm using the computer or not... As well as that I have these visible dark purple circles right under the eyes - and although they can get better or worse they always tend to be there to some extent (or at least they have been since my early teens)...

 

Can you guys help out? Any tips for initially healing and then maintaining their health would be greatly appreciated...

 

(I once came across an interesting machine that acted like a biofeedback device for the eyes - not sure how it worked, but it analysed how you're focusing, and when you're doing it optimally it makes a noise - the idea is to train yourself to keep the noise constant, in different ranges of focus - apparently they used this on snipers and pilots... I completely lost any reference to this, so if anyone knows anything about it, I'd be interested...)

 

 

I get eyestrain also, I flush my eyes frequently with a weak saline (salt water) solution, and that seems to revitalize them for 20-30 minutes or so. I recommend taking bathroom breaks every 30 minutes to flush your eyes out if they are getting strained. Too much salt, or too little salt will cause your eyes to feel burnt or dried out.

 

 

If you can get one of those older eye wash bottles that go over your eyes to flush them out, refill it with saline solution. If you can't find one of these any container which would make a good seal around your eye will also work. You can also use a water bottle that has a sport top, to spray saline solution into your eyes but you will make a mess unless over a sink or shower.

 

Make sure you change your water a few times a day, preferably each time if your using it alot and wash it out with soap and warm water when your done at work. This is to make sure you don't get any bacteria build up in your container that could be very bad.

Edited January 28, 2008 by mwight

[wudangspirit]

Freeform,

 

According to thw Wuxing (5-Element) Theory of Classical Chinese Medicine, you may want to look into promoting your Liver. The Liver will manifest in the eyes if there is a problem. You can also improve eyesight by also promoting the Liver.

 

What you're doing is good to rest the eye muscles for sure. You may want to try making tea from Gou Qi Zi (pronounced Go Jee). Steep a handful of these great fruit in boiling cup of water and drink it on down. You'll be amazed at how quickly this will clear your eyes. I do this myself as I too work in front of a computer all day.

 

Hope this helps! Tao Bless!

 

Wudangspirit

 

I work in front of the computer for a good 8 hrs a day - my eyes invariably get really tired. I sometimes massage around the eye socket and then cover the eyes with my palms (warmed up by rubbing) to relax them... (Also, I try to gaze into the distance when on breaks - this relaxes them a bit...)

 

I tend to have quite bloodshot eyes, whether I'm using the computer or not... As well as that I have these visible dark purple circles right under the eyes - and although they can get better or worse they always tend to be there to some extent (or at least they have been since my early teens)...

 

Can you guys help out? Any tips for initially healing and then maintaining their health would be greatly appreciated...

 

(I once came across an interesting machine that acted like a biofeedback device for the eyes - not sure how it worked, but it analysed how you're focusing, and when you're doing it optimally it makes a noise - the idea is to train yourself to keep the noise constant, in different ranges of focus - apparently they used this on snipers and pilots... I completely lost any reference to this, so if anyone knows anything about it, I'd be interested...)

[freeform]

Thanks for the suggestions! I might give the saline solution idea a go, but I can see it being a little impractical (I'd be wrried about infecting my eyes or getting the salt concentration wrong etc)

 

When do you tend to do your eye circles (in the morning with no tiredeness or to relieve tiredness?) I tend to do the eye circles when cupping - have not heard of continuing the circles with yi - sounds like a fantastic idea!

 

wudangspirit - yes the liver connection makes sense - I have this underlying pattern of suppressing anger - Although I can get the energy moving and flowing, it soon goes back to 'normal' - which is a general stagnant state... (I also think the liver issue has a deeper supporting pattern based in the lungs...)

 

Gou Qi Zi - is that what's comonly reffered to as Goji berries? I should have some around (I like em in salads!)

 

 

I remember seeing this device on a respectable accupuncture site, although it looks more like torture device to me, it's meant to be quite effective (I suspect over-using it will over stimulate some meridians):

 

 

 

http://www.gizoo.co.uk/Products/HealthFitn...EyeMassager.htm

[rain]

.....................

Edited April 18, 2008 by rain

[mYTHmAKER]

Also to relax your eyes look in a relaxed manner peripherally and toward the back of your head.

The machine you are speaking about or one similiar is the Accomotrac designed by Dr Joe Trachtman

I can attest that it works.

http://www.accommotrac.com/referral.html

[doc benway]

When do you tend to do your eye circles (in the morning with no tiredeness or to relieve tiredness?) I tend to do the eye circles when cupping - have not heard of continuing the circles with yi - sounds like a fantastic idea!

 

After practicing the taiji form in the mornings, I go through a brief routine that includes the eye circles. One note of caution - don't overdo it. Since it's something you've not done on a regular basis before, overdoing it could cause some muscle strain and discomfort. I would start once a day in the morning and increase that to twice a day at most in a few weeks. Also, don't force the motion or strain with the circles. They should cover a full range of motion but without any strain or discomfort.

Good luck

[joeblast]

Thanks for the suggestions! I might give the saline solution idea a go, but I can see it being a little impractical (I'd be wrried about infecting my eyes or getting the salt concentration wrong etc)

 

When do you tend to do your eye circles (in the morning with no tiredeness or to relieve tiredness?) I tend to do the eye circles when cupping - have not heard of continuing the circles with yi - sounds like a fantastic idea!

 

wudangspirit - yes the liver connection makes sense - I have this underlying pattern of suppressing anger - Although I can get the energy moving and flowing, it soon goes back to 'normal' - which is a general stagnant state... (I also think the liver issue has a deeper supporting pattern based in the lungs...)

 

Gou Qi Zi - is that what's comonly reffered to as Goji berries? I should have some around (I like em in salads!)

I remember seeing this device on a respectable accupuncture site, although it looks more like torture device to me, it's meant to be quite effective (I suspect over-using it will over stimulate some meridians):

 

http://www.gizoo.co.uk/Products/HealthFitn...EyeMassager.htm

Those look cool...I've got a pair of monitors I stare at all damn day, too. Not to mention all the other monitors I have to look at on people's desks I am fixing. I've got some eyestrain right now. Dr Wu's head meassage book has a lot of good stuff in it, too.

Some good acu-points are TH23, UB 1 & 2 (2 has a combo with GB 20, ST 8, LI 4, and UB 60.) GB 1 is a good one as well. If its got some related headache pain, GB 4 is among my favs too.

[mat black]

Steep a handful of these great fruit in boiling cup of water and drink it on down. You'll be amazed at how quickly this will clear your eyes. I do this myself as I too work in front of a computer all day.

 

Yeah, it's nice isnt it? I add some ju hua to this to enhance it even more. It's really good for the eyes

 

http://tcm.health-info.org/Herbology.Mater...-properties.htm

 

immediately after doing any eyes exercises, you can stare at anything green - tress or grass is best. Green has the effect of drawing impurities out of the eyes, and is also beneficial for the liver.

 

You probably know this anyway, but anything that heats the liver can harm the eyes - anger obviously, but also foods that heat the liver as well - cinnamon for example.

 

oh yeah, one of the eye exercise that i was taught was to put your face into a basin of just slighty cold water. Close your eyes and do the rotations 18 or 36 times each way. It cools hot eyes and stimulates fresh circulation in the area.

 

Massage points that can help: yin tang GC 26 he gu LI 4 (back of the hand wher thumb and index finger meet)

 

Also any Daoyin which focuses on the neck.

Edited January 29, 2008 by mat black

[gendao]

Has anyone tried lemon juice?

Eye Habit Number Three - The Invigorating Lemon Juice Eye Bath

 

Dr. William Apt, a leading eye specialist in the mid-1900s, recommended the Lemon Juice Eye Bath. He stumbled upon this secret from a 105 year old man. He instructed Dr. Apt to "put three or four drops of lemon juice in an eye cup with purified water and wash the eyes with it daily for about 20-30 seconds with each eye." Dr. Apt says it is invigorating and strengthening. It removes toxic fatigue of the eye. This ancient oldster washes his eyes daily, eats natural foods, wears no glasses, and has perfect eyesight! The Lemon Juice Eye Bath is also recommended to cure cataracts, with osteopathic treatment, plus a strict seven-day elimination (vegetable and fruit) diet, once a month. The continuous practice of these eye improvement secrets will eventually help you to see clearly what you cannot see now.

[Mal]

http://www.gizoo.co.uk/Products/HealthFitn...EyeMassager.htm

 

Looks like a weird version of those pinhole glasses they you use to see about the place. If anyone who wears "glasses" ever gets a chance, have a look through some pinhole glasses. It weird that you can actually see (At least that's what D, who wears glasses, tell me.)

 

I might have a go with the Goji drink too. Same problem, stare at a computer all day. My right eye is as red as today.

 

The exercise I like is to find a green tree to look at and count the individual leaves it till you get to 50. Think that was in one of WONG KIEW KIT's books.

[Ian]

Erm, ahem. Bathe eyes using a shot glass of urine. Make sure you drink enough water, or it may sting a little!

[Gerard]

Healthy liver=healthy eyes.

[Ian]

Basic TCM liver kindness:

 

Stretching, walking, swimming, more stretching. Being creative, expressing love, getting intent mobilised in the limbs.

Not drinking too much, not eating too much fat, avoiding poisons. Being decisive. More stretching.

[cheya]

 

 

Basic TCM liver kindness:
getting intent mobilised in the limbs.

Hi Ian,
Could you expand a little on "getting intent mobilised in the limbs"?

Thanks

[freeform]

Erm, ahem. Bathe eyes using a shot glass of urine. Make sure you drink enough water, or it may sting a little!

 

 

come to the front of the class and explain yourself young man

 

 

re: intent mobilised in the limbs - means taking physical, bodily action to achieve your intent... I happen to be one of those people that tend to be very indecisive (why make decisions when one decision is as perfect as another ) I'm trying out a completely new way of 'being' or 'doing' - whereby instead of making decisions I become aware of the decisions to be made and let my body move me in a direction that it decides... at the moment it's not so smooth or easy - imagine completely re-learning how to walk after having walked the old way for the whole of your life...

 

I think I need to join a dance class or something... does dancing help the liver?

[Ian]

Hi Ian,

Could you expand a little on "getting intent mobilised in the limbs"?

 

Thanks,

Adeha

 

Just what Freeform has just said, really. Making sure to do stuff with your body, rather than harbouring intents which never happen.

[gendao]

Just what Freeform has just said, really. Making sure to do stuff with your body, rather than harbouring intents which never happen.

Ahh, very interesting!

 

What modality did this association come from?

[Mal]

What modality did this association come from?

 

I'm guessing something to do with Zivorad-Slavinski

 

Be easy and you are right

 

One more eye thing. I notice that when I'm not getting enough sleep my eyes seem to suffer most and go red and dry. If I am using the computer they just don't seem to be able to recover. A nice big sleep in seems to be the only thing that helps.

[turbo]

to improve your vision and eyes in general check out this book. i was told that it is the best by a holistic eye healer.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Days-Reading-Without...g/dp/0806520590

[rain]

..............

Edited April 18, 2008 by rain

[Yoda]

about darkness under the eyes. Doesn't that have something to do with capilaries breaking or something? I chanced upon that subject while googling one day and it seemed like an easy fix through either topical or supplements, but I forget the details but it sounded like an easy one for a google cure.

[karen]

Hi freeform,

 

As usual, you want to get to the cause of the symptom and not just get the outer symptom to go away. It's hard to know without looking at a whole case what's causing any particular symptom, since the same symptom can be caused by different things in different people - the homeopathic materia medica has many different remedies for dark circles under the eyes, meaning there are that many different energetic disturbances that could cause it.

 

Ledum might help for bloodshot eyes, as it helps the body reabsorb blood, but really only for acute cases.

 

At the spiritual/emotional level, you could look at the symptom as a manifestation of something you don't want to "see." With bloodshot eyes, it's often a situation of emotional overload, something that needs to be processed, often grief.

 

I love Meir Schneider's programs for Bates-type eye exercises - he has a CD that I've used, that has a bunch of exercises specifically for computer users in addition to the general exercises. Also his first book is an inspiration.

 

The connection with the liver is right-on. The liver is the main metabolic organ for functioning at the lower pole of our being, with the upper pole being the nerve-sense system including the eyes. When there is a weakness of the upper forces, the lower forces can "invade" where they don't belong, and that's when you see inflammatory symptoms in the upper body - eye symptoms, migraines, etc.

 

This is reflected in allergies, where you have the upper forces not being able to properly keep the lower forces in balance. The upper forces are responsible for breaking down foods and stripping away their foreign forces, so when that function is weak, you have foods being incompletely processed, and the body reacts with inflammation to try to dispel the foreign forces. Dark circles under the eyes have been called "allergic shiners."

 

So at the level of nutrition, you could look at food allergies. Instead of going through tedious and expensive food allergy testing, it's easier to look at where you fit in to certain diet typologies (body/glandular type and blood type in particular) to identify which foods are best for you and which aren't.

 

Sean is in the process of overhauling my website to be much spiffier and easier to find things (yay!), but the basic info on the customized eating guidelines designed with the Diet Therapy software is there, if anyone's interested.

 

Take care,

Karen