Vision, focus and perspective.

Our sight is an important sense – it aids our daily life and enables us to see, do and experience so many incredible things. It is not without reason that the eyes are seen as the windows to the Soul, they indeed can reflect how we are feeling – physically, mentally and emotionally. If we had a bad night’s sleep, had a stressful day/ experience or spend too much time on devices and in front of computer screens, it is likely that our eyes are feeling the effects – they might get tired, itchy and dry, look dull and we might feel the need to rub them frequently. Sound familiar?

Interestingly, we don’t always have to have known challenges with our eyes and vision to benefit from having the eye system balanced. In fact, we may have compensation patterns going on we are unaware of, thus making day to day activities more stressful and draining than they should be - such as reading, driving, concentrating, learning, focusing and comprehending.

When an imbalance and stress is showing for a client in relation to their eyes, and there are not necessarily obvious symptoms, I usually ask the following questions:

• Do you find reading or looking at a screen generally strenuous and tiring?
• Does your head feel cloudy, foggy and unclear?
• Do you find it difficult to focus and concentrate?
• How attentive and present are you?
• Are you able to block things out so you can get done what you need to do?
• If there is a lot going on around you (or in your life), do you easily lose focus to the point of feeling compressed or even paralysed and, subsequently, you can’t achieve what you set out to do or seem to get nothing done at all?

The above is often linked to a loss of brain integration meaning you may not be able or struggle to integrate your focus and peripheral vision. Understanding the physiological aspects is fascinating and so are the metaphysical associations and relevance. Of course, there can be many contributing factors and underlying patterns that may influence vision.

Metaphysical connections & insights

Some of the underlying energetic, mental or emotional causes and meanings of physical symptoms with the eyes can be insightful and empowering. While I am able to specifically identify these for each client, generally I like to highlight the following:

• How do you look at yourself and others?
• What do you see (and feel) when looking at your life, environment, relationships, work...?
• Do you struggle to find a solution or feel blocked i.e. what are you not able to see or recognise?
• Do you want things to be different and/or do you feel stuck?
• Do you focus too much on one thing or limit your perspective in any way?
• How do you feel about managing details vs. seeing the bigger picture and the alignment of the two?
• How could you widen your view or or arrive at a different point of view?
• What is your outlook on life, is it positive or is there a tendency towards the negative?
• How do you feel about your future?
• How could you look at yourself, others or a situation differently?

If this resonates, the above questions and points are fantastic thinking or journal prompts to help gain more clarity and perspective.

Did you know?

The Lacrimal Glands of the eyes are positioned in the top right corner of each eye - they produce a fluid (tears) that flows over and cleanses the eyes – it is anti-bacterial, protects the eyes and keeps them moist & lubricated. The little, tiny holes at the inside corner of each eye (top/bottom) are the ducts that drain the fluid into the nasal passage. The glands can become blocked which can cause e.g. dry eyes.

Blinking is a vital mechanism, enabling the fluid to wash over the eyes - if we don’t blink, e.g. when staring at a PC screen for too long, it can trigger eye irritation and strain.

Simple tips to reduce eye stress and fatigue

• Every 15-20 minutes, look up and away from the screen: focus your vision into the distance, then close up to the bridge of your nose – repeat several times
• Stay conscious of blinking i.e., blink frequently to ensure your eyes stay lubricated
• Take regular breaks and step away from the screen
• Close your eyes and allow them to rest for a moment
• To release tension in your eye muscles, gently look up, down, left and right; then up & down to the left and up & down to the right (as if you would follow the letter X)
• Reduce glare as much as possible
• Consider a blue light filter for all your screens - PC, laptop, mobile or tablet. Set it to come on as soon as daylight ceases - this will also be very beneficial for your sleep quality: blue light rays can prevent the production of the sleep hormone Melatonin for up to 4 hours!

I’ve completed specific brain integration training as part of LEAP (Learning Enhancement Advanced Program), covering the core concepts of the visual (as well as auditory) systems, including all components involved in seeing (and hearing) – in short, this course was focused on the detailed function of the eyes (and ears). 

If you have eye problems, can’t see clearly or feel unfocused, Kinesiology can be a wonderful and insightful support mechanism. Feel free to contact me for a chat, Lexi.