| The lens of your eye is a transparent convex | | | | your pen, and so on. |
| structure that focuses the light entering through | | | | Keep your eyes moving, focusing alternately on |
| the pupil to form an image on the retina. The | | | | different distances, and your focusing muscles will |
| ciliary muscle governs the focusing of the eye by | | | | become flexible and fit. |
| changing the shape of the lens. | | | | The Retina and the Fovea |
| This "focusing" muscle is considered an involuntary | | | | The retina is the light-sensitive membrane lining |
| muscle, that is, a muscle which you cannot | | | | the back of the eye. Light energy striking the |
| consciously control. This means that if you over | | | | retina is converted into chemical signals that carry |
| focus, your ciliary muscle can become cramped | | | | information to the brain via the optic nerve. The |
| and sluggish, which may cause your vision to | | | | retina serves to detect movement in one's |
| appear blurry. You may also notice that it takes | | | | peripheral (side) vision and to permit night vision. |
| longer than usual to focus. | | | | The most acute visual perception takes place at a |
| Stimulation of the ciliary muscle produces more | | | | small area near the center of the retina called the |
| power in the focusing ability of the lens, which | | | | fovea centralis. When the entering rays of light all |
| enables you to focus on small details at closer | | | | focus clearly on the fovea, you see 20/20. |
| distances, as when reading, sewing, crocheting, | | | | You must be careful not to strain your eyes as a |
| doing computer work, finding numbers in the | | | | result of trying to see clearly. Avoid staring at |
| phone book, and so on. | | | | one place (like your computer screen for |
| There are several things you can do to help | | | | example) for an extended period. Let your eyes |
| maintain focusing fitness: | | | | dance and move. Staring leads to an |
| - Glance up at a far object and bring it quickly into | | | | over-stimulation of the fovea and to possible |
| focus every few minutes. | | | | cramping of the focusing muscle, which, in turn, |
| - Hold your thumb about six inches from your | | | | can result in less effective functioning of the |
| eyes. Focus on your thumbnail, then look off into | | | | retina, which means you'll miss some objects in |
| the distance, and then focus back onto your | | | | your peripheral vision. |
| thumb. | | | | When you are too foveal (focused), your |
| - Remember to breathe regularly when you are | | | | vision-fitness percentage decreases. Simply put, |
| doing near-distance tasks. | | | | you notice less in your environment. It's almost |
| - When you drive, "zoom" your focus to different | | | | like being too self-focused. |
| objects - for example, the rear-view mirror, | | | | The solution is to emulate the way indigenous |
| dashboard, license plate of the car in front of you, | | | | people vigilantly scan their environment. Keep the |
| window, and then side mirror. | | | | eyes moving so that the fovea is constantly |
| - While on the phone, focus on the receiver, | | | | receiving new stimulation. Blink and breathe. |
| objects on your desk, out the window, back to | | | | |