The industrialized world is faced with an epidemic of visual defects, which is rare in less developed countries. It appears that the number of cases of nearsightedness rises within a single generation if people are better educated and spend more time indoors. Staring many hours per day to your computer screen certainly doesn’t help.

The Chinese claim to have discovered a simple tool to combat the growing number of people suffering from myopia. There’s an official government policy that calls on Chinese students and factory workers to carry out certain visual exercises outlined on official posters for about ten minutes, twice a day.

General instructions:

1. Keep your eyes closed during these exercises.

2. Massage slowly and gently until the area surrounding your eyes becomes slightly tender.

3. Perform these exercises twice a day.

Exercise 1

Massage the insides of the eyebrows with your thumbs while resting your slightly curved fingers on your forehead (repeat 8 times).

Exercise 2

Massage the bridge of the nose using your thumb and index finger. Work down, then up (repeat 8 times).

Exercise 3

Place your thumbs on your lower jaw and place your index and middle fingers against the sides of your nose, where your nostrils are. Lower your middle fingers to massage your cheeks, keeping your index fingers in place (repeat 8 times).

Exercise 4

Curve your fingers inward and place your thumbs on the sides of your forehead. Make a rubbing motion with the side of your index fingers following the pattern 2-3-4-6-5 as outlined in the illustration (repeat 8 times).

This is a description of an article that appeared in the March 2003 issue of The Intelligent Optimist. Members can read the full article here. Non-members can become a member here.