DIY Eye-Exercises Tutorial

"The exercises were simple and manageable, and we got into a rhythm that game-ified it. His strabismus (eye misalignment) is completely healed (confirmed by an ophthalmologist)." - Jett

"I didn't understand why Damian was struggling so much to read when I knew he was highly intelligent. Damian started working with Dr. McMurray and had really significant growth within the first 3-4 months. This program was an answer to our prayers!! We had finally found a solution that worked!!" - Isabella

Below is a Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Eye-Exercises Tutorial

When a child struggles with reading, we often jump straight to phonics, comprehension strategies, or more practice. But there is another piece that is just as important, and often overlooked: how the eyes move and work together.

The exercises below are designed to strengthen eye coordination, reduce visual fatigue, and help children feel more comfortable and confident when they read. These are simple, gentle eye exercises you can do at home in just a few minutes per day.

Exercise 1: Follow a Pointer

This first exercise helps train smooth eye movement and alignment.

What to do

Using a pointer, pencil, or your finger, have your eyes track the tip of the point as you make the following motions.

1. Infinity Circles

• Make sideways figure-eight shapes in the air while your eyes follow the tip of the pointer.

• Do this 3 times to the right and 3 times to the left.

• Keep the pointer about 4 inches in front of the face.

  

2. Vertical Alignment

• Move the pointer from chin-level to forehead-level and have your eyes track the tip of the pointer.

• Repeat the up and down motion 3 times.

• Keep the pointer about 4 inches in front of the face.

  

3. Horizontal Alignment

• Move the pointer from ear to ear in an arching motion in front of the face while your eyes tract the tip of the pointer.

• Repeat 3 times.

• Keep the pointer about 4 inches in front of the face.

  

These movements help the eyes learn to track smoothly instead of jumping or losing their place while reading.

Exercise 2: Massage Eye-Muscle Connection Points

The muscles around the eyes and head play a big role in visual comfort while reading. Gentle pressure and massage can release tension and facilitate improved coordination.

Follow this sequence:

1. Above the Eyes

• On the forehead, midway between the eyebrows and hairline.

• Press two fingers firmly above each eye for 5 seconds.

  

2. Below the Eyes

• On the tops of the cheekbones.

• Use light tapping with the fingers for 5 seconds.

  

3. Base of the Nose

• Place one finger on each side of the nostrils.

• Push back and slightly upward, holding for 5 seconds.

• If this hurts at first, don't worry, it gets better over time.

  

  
  

4. Over the Ears

• Place two fingers just above where the ear connects to the head.

• Press firmly for 5 seconds.

  

5. Back of the Neck

• Massage small circles where the base of the skull meets the top of the neck (the suboccipital muscles).

• Use firm pressure for 5 seconds.

  

6. Cranial Massage

• Use all fingers to massage the scalp near the center line of the head.

• Start in the back and move forward to the forehead, gently wiggling the scalp with firm presses.

• Do this for 5 seconds.

  

This sequence relaxes tight muscles that can interfere with eye movement.

Exercise 3: Palming with Infinity Circles

This is a calming exercise that rests the eyes while still reinforcing coordination.

How to do it

1. Warm the hands by rubbing them together vigorously.

2. Gently place the bottoms of the palms over the closed eyes - no pressure on the eyeballs.

3. While the hands are in place, move your eyes in the same infinity symbol as in Exercise 1, doing it 3 times in each direction.

4. The eyes should be closed while doing this.

Before opening the eyes, you should only see solid black, purple, or indigo - no flashes or specks of light.

This helps the visual system reset and reduces eye strain.

Exercise 4: Beads for Focusing and Eye Teaming

This exercise build strong convergence, which means both eyes working together to focus on the same gaze point.

What you'll need

A string of beads, with colored beads spaced 12 beads apart (you'll receive one of these in your Training Kit at Eyes Up Reading). It is possible to make one of these on your own, using the image below.

Steps

1. Place the beads under the nose so that the farthest bead is a colored bead.

2. Angle the other end slightly downward or upward, like an extension of the nose.

3. Have someone call out the bead colors in a random order.

4. The child finds that bead with their eyes and holds focus for 3 seconds.

5. Continue for 10 color calls.

   

This game-like activity strengthens eye-teaming and strengthens focus (convergence).

Why These Exercises Matter

Reading isn't just about knowing the words, it's about how the eyes move across the page, stay aligned, and stay comfortable. When those systems are stressed, reading can feel exhausting, frustrating, or even painful.

These simple exercises help:

• Improve eye tracking

• Strengthen eye alignment

• Reduce visual fatigue

• Build confidence and comfort with reading

Just a few minutes a day can make a powerful difference.

These exercises address symptoms that often get mistaken for convergence insufficiency, amblyopia, strabismus, ADHD, and even dyslexia. Don't label your child until you know for sure.

It is best to do these at least once per day, and ideally up to 5 times per day, in order to really strengthen and retrain your eye muscles. Adults often report not needing reading glasses anymore, after several weeks of doing these exercises 5 times per day.

If you start to experience eye strain, soreness, dizziness, nausea, or a headache, scale back to just 1 time per day until your eye muscles adapt. After 6 months, the muscle memory for your eye movement should be so good that reading is fun and a joyful experience.

"I'm so glad I decided to start my son on [reading] vision [tutoring] early, and because of all the hard work, he really enjoys reading (and I even catch him reading big books "just for fun!!!")." - Jett

If you have not scheduled your Reading Vision Assessment, it would be a good time to do that now.