Over the next several columns, I'm going to share with you a series of exercises for your eyes. Now you've heard everything! Right?

There are people who have faithfully followed these exercises and have been able to put away their glasses. I make no claim for this but you might want to give them a try and see what happens. However, some of these exercises are refreshing, and they may benefit you as they have me.

The ophthalmologist who recommended this series of exercises wrote of remarkable results among his patients who tried them. Dr. William H. Bates is the author of "The Bates Method For Better Eyes Without Glasses."

One reason I want to share these exercises with you is that we all need to maintain or increase our body flexibility. People spend so much time in a state of visual fixation from watching television, computer screens, and even with distance driving, that they tend to lose their ability to have agile eye movements.

If you want to give this a try, start by gently moving your eyes as far to the right as is comfortable, then to the left, and see if there is any feeling of strain. At the first hint of discomfort, allow the eye to return to the normal front and center.

Next, try moving them up toward your forehead without wrinkling your eyebrows. Follow that by looking down toward your chin. Always stop at the first sign of strain, and in both sets keep your head steady, facing forward.

Gradually increase the number of times you move your eyes in each direction until you are doing them about ten times once or twice a day. You can do this at odd moments such as stopping at a traffic light, waiting on the phone for someone to answer, or while taking a shower, etc.

If you practice these exercises, you will increase the blood supply to the area which has a cleansing and nourishing effect on the whole structure of the eye. It will also increase the amount of oxygen available to the cells of the eye which has its own benefit.

If you've been under the care of a physician or need to see one, please check with him or her prior to starting this series.

I'm not an expert at these exercises, but I have begun to do them. Like any new effort, you may need reminders until they become a habit. One reminder could be putting a picture of an eye up on your computer or the bathroom mirror or refrigerator.

When you see that eye looking at you, that can jumpstart the effort more quickly.

Learning To Be Healthy