Vision Loss

These days, Tantric gurus and suburban housewives alike are singing the praises of yoga and its many health benefits. From the intensive rituals of yoga purists to the MTV-inspired pop-fusions such as “hip hop yoga” and “yogalates,” the ancient practice is often touted as a panacea for the many ailments brought on by a fast-paced society.

Now, a recent study suggests that regular yoga practice may also relieve the symptoms of computer vision syndrome, or CVS. Oft the scourge of programmers, web designers, writers, and anyone else whose profession requires a good portion of their day to be spent behind a computer screen, CVS is comprised of a number of painful and irritating symptoms, including dry eyes, burning, redness, and blurred or double vision.

In the study, conducted by the journal Head and Face Medicine, 291 professional computer users were divided at random into two sample groups: those who would practice yoga for the duration of the 60-day experiment, and those who would make no change in their daily habits. The yoga routine used in the study included 10 minutes of trataka visual exercises, which involve controlled eye tracking movements and sustained focus on a specific object, such as a lighter flame. At the end of the study, the group practicing yoga reported a significant decrease in their symptoms, while the control group exhibited little change and in fact some increase in discomfort.

So if neck pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, and work-related stress aren’t enough reason to get us computer geeks out of our swivel chairs and into the yoga studio, we may become duly motivated the next time our meta tags spontaneously duplicate before our eyes. And hey, if nothing else, the trataka exercises will give you an opportunity to show off that wicked Turbo Bright LED lighter you just ordered on eBay.