Preliminary study associated two eye health measurements with doing yoga eye stretches
Research Study At A Glance
The Research Question Asked
How does yoga affect our eyes and eye health?
Type of Study
Clinical pre-/post- design study
Study Participants (Sample)
Sample size: 27 total participants
- 27 female; 2 male
- Mean age 51 years old
- Participants had no ocular pathologies or ocular surgeries
Methods
Researchers measured markers of eye health (intraocular pressure, optical coherence tomography, and optical coherence tomography angiography of the macula) before and after a 10-minute yogic eye muscle stretching session.
Results
After yoga treatment, the intraocular pressure of the eye macula decreased and average retinal thickness of macula increased.
Conclusion
Yoga may positively affect our eyes and eye health.
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Background
We tend to think of a yoga asana practice as affecting things like muscle flexibility and strength. We might also be aware of some of the research describing the physiological benefits of yoga on immune system function or blood sugar regulation, metabolism, and type-2 diabetes. But, our body really is one interconnected complex ecosystem. So, a seemingly movement-based practice like yoga asana has the potential to affect all of our body systems and structures. That includes even structures we might not immediately consider, like our eyes.
Other physical exercise modalities have been reported to positively affect aspects of eye health. And preliminary research has also suggested that some yoga practices may affect aspects of eye health, like eye fatigue. The researchers who published the study we summarized here were interested in testing the effects of certain yoga practices on several aspects of eye health.
Research question
How does yoga affect our eyes and eye health?
Study Participants (Sample)
Sample size: 27 total participants
- 27 female; 2 male
- Mean age 51 years old
- Participants had no ocular pathologies or ocular surgeries
Research methods
In this study, 27 total people participated in the experiment. Researchers administered an eye exam for each participant before they completed the yoga treatment. During the eye exam, they took all measurements on the right eye of each person. They measured the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), autorefractory, and conducted a slit-lamp exam. Those are tests that examine someone’s ability to see at a distance and their general eye health. They also measured intraocular pressure (IOP), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of the macula. (The macula is part of the retina at the back of your eye.) Finally, the research team also measured the blood pressure of study participants before they started the yoga treatment.
After they completed the pre-treatment measurements, the research team hosted an experienced yoga teacher who guided study participants through a short relaxation exercise. The teacher then guided participants through a 10-minute yogic eye muscle stretching session, which included slow movements of the eyes in all directions followed by palming the eyes. Following the yoga treatment, the researchers measured participants’ IOP, OCT, and OCTA of the macula, and their blood pressure.
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Results
- After yoga treatment, intraocular pressure decreased.
- After yoga treatment, average retinal thickness of macula increased.
- Both of these markers are associated with improved eye health.
Why is this relevant to yoga practitioners?
Our yoga practice affects our whole body. That may sound obvious, but I am sometimes still surprised by the specific effects that are attributed to yoga practices. Because our bodies consist of complex interrelated systems, there are likely many benefits that we receive from our yoga practice that we’re not necessarily aware of. Before reading about this study, I probably wouldn’t have thought about yoga’s effects on our eyes.
The experiment in this study shows preliminary results. Researchers would need to replicate this study and follow the participants over the long term in order to really make conclusions about the effects the yoga exercises have on eyes. However, it’s encouraging that simple yoga eye stretches and breathing exercises had a measurable positive effect. I’ll be curious whether these researchers build on this study with future research projects.
Conclusion
The research study we summarize here looked at the effects of some simple yoga eye stretches and breathing on eye health. They found small beneficial effects of the yoga treatment. They found reduced intraocular pressure and increased average retinal thickness of the macula.