Can stretching your eyes help ease neck discomfort? An eye expert debunks the myth

According to Dr Ganesh, most eye exercises involve ocular or muscle imbalances in the eyes, and are known as orthoptic exercises.

Neck problems occur because of poor posture and ergonomics (Source: Freepik)

Long hours spent in front of electronic screens can be physically exhausting and can hurt your neck in more ways than one. While cracking your neck for relief is satisfying, the internet has helped us stumble upon a different way to heal neck discomfort.

Digital creator and holistic self-healing mentor Mai Li claimed that eye movements can directly impact neck mobility. In an Instagram post, she explained that as your eyes shift, your neck follows, and that the deep muscles in your neck move in sync with eye movements. In the caption of the post, she wrote, “When your eye control is off, it can cause tiny muscles in your neck to tighten. This might seem minor, but remember, your spine is all connected—when one part is out of alignment, the rest can follow.”

But, is this true? Indianexpress.com reached out to Dr Sri Ganesh, chairman and managing director of Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital, Bengaluru, to get clarity on this.

Story continues below this ad

“There’s no connection between eye movements and neck issues,” said Dr Ganesh. “Neck problems occur because of poor posture and ergonomics, which can be addressed through posture correction and neck and upper back stretching exercises,” he said.

Yoga practices like trataka, which involve focused eye movements, can promote relaxation and improve sleep quality (Source: Freepik)

Dr Ganesh then debunked the idea that eye exercises can relieve neck discomfort. According to him, most eye exercises, known as orthoptic exercises, are designed to address specific eye muscle imbalances, not neck problems.

ALSO READ | 5 superfoods for sharp eyesight

“Stretching of eyes and eye exercises need not be done on a regular basis and are recommended to treat some specific ocular problems like convergence insufficiency or to improve the balance between the eye muscles and the coordination between them. For this the medical practitioner needs to do a complete orthoptic evaluation and then prescribe specific exercises,” said Dr Ganesh.

As for general exercises, the doctor said that yoga practices like trataka, which involve focused eye movements, can promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. He clarified these are not intended to address neck pain.

📣 For more lifestyle news, click here to join our WhatsApp Channel and also follow us on Instagram