The School for Perfect Eyesight, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, is a ray of hope to those suffering from visual defects. The patients have to undergo treatment for a week and follow it up through simple exercises taught in the School. Although the treatment is free, one may contribute according to his will.
    The beneficiaries are in the age group 7-40. Strain seems to be the chief cause for refractive errors. The School intends to popularize relaxation as an important and vital part of preventing visual defects.
    Misuse of the eyes while reading, sewing, watching films, has been the cause of the strain in the eyes and headaches. Relaxing exercises might reduce the need for glasses. While glasses help to correct eye defects to some extent and offer relief from headaches and watering of eyes, they do not check deterioration. The power of glasses continues to increase.
    There are a number of relaxing exercises, taught here to improve the sight. One has to come here to learn them under proper supervision to get the maximum benefit. A few of the important exercises are as follows :

1.SUN TREATMENT

• This exercise is very important and everybody should practice it. The right way to do this exercise is to sit or stand facing the sun with the eyes closed and then swings the body gently from side to side like a pendulum for two to five minutes. Morning and evening are the best times for sun treatment.
  This treatment becomes more effective if honey is applied with a glass rod. This gives better results and relieves strain and pain more quickly.

2. WASHING

• After the sun treatment, go into the shade and wash the eyes with ordinary or saline water. To wash the eyes, take an eyecup, fill it with water, dip your right eye inside and blink gently ten times. This should then be repeated for the left eye. After washing, the eyes should be gently wiped.
  

3. PALMING

• Palming is the most important exercise and all should practice it to get relief from pain and fatigue. Palming is done by covering the closed eyes with the palms of the hands so that no light passes through. Children should be advised to palm regularly, so that they can work better. If it is done often it is one of the best methods for relieving strain and discomfort and gives relaxation.

4. READING FINE PRINT IN CANDLE-LIGHT AND IN GOOD LIGHT

• Reading fine print or photographically reduced print is a very good exercise for myopia and causes no discomfort. The fine print booklet must be placed below the chin and should be read at the distance from which it is seen best. This distance will vary for every individual. Blink twice in each line and shift the head along the line. This is to be done for two to five minutes. It should be done in candlelight and then in good light. If any pain or discomfort is felt, the reading may be avoided.

5. SWING

• This exercise is done before a window with vertical iron bars. Stand with the feet apart and sway gently from side to side like a pendulum. In doing so one should look beyond and through the bars, and blink at each end. It should be done for five to ten minutes.

6. GAME OF BALL

• This exercise improves the accommodating ability of the eyes. It helps to form the blinking habit. It is done by throwing the ball from one hand to the other. One should follow the ball's movements and blink after each catch. This should be done for ten minutes.
  Children like to play for a longer period and should be allowed to do so.
  After practicing for several days the vision improves, giving full relaxation. It is to be noted that all can practice this exercise.

7. DISTANT CHART READING

• This is where memory becomes a help to the eyes. Two identical charts are used. One of them is hung on the wall and the patient holds the other.
  The patient reads with blinking the distant chart. When he is unable to do so, he looks at the chart in his hand and then keeps his eyes closed for half a minute. Then with gentle blinking, he looks at the distant chart and tries to make out the letter without straining or squinting. After some time the patient is, with the help of the memory, able to visualize the letter and the distant objects, which he previously was unable to see.

8. VAPOUR AND COLD PACK

• A bowl of water is heated to form steam and a few drops of eucalyptus oil are dropped in. Lean over the bowl and blink in the rising vapour for a minute or two. Then take two clean handkerchiefs, dip them in ordinary cold water and place them over your closed eyes. Leave them like that for ten minutes.
  Those suffering from sinus troubles should avoid taking the cold pack.

All these exercises take about 35 to 40 minutes to complete. One may find some complain of headache or eye pain during these exercises. In this case the experts are to be consulted.