Exploring the Impact of Yoga Practices on Myopia and Ocular Health

Abstract

Myopia (near-sightedness) has become one of the most prevalent vision disorders in the world. The conventional treatments only rectify the vision impairment, without treating the root cause of myopia, such as excessive accommodation, screen addiction, and unhealthy lifestyles. Therefore, non-pharmacological approaches such as yoga have been proposed for treatment in addition to other methods. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of yoga practices for myopia by analyzing 22 articles, including RCTs, clinical trials, and observational studies, published between 2020 and 2025. Data was sourced from the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases. Yoga techniques analyzed include ocular exercises, pranayama, meditation, Trataka, and Jal neti. The effects of these yoga practices were categorized into objective outcomes and subjective outcomes. Evidence suggested that the performance of yoga exercises is effective in alleviating visual discomfort, eye strain, and digital eye strain. RCTs have reported slight but statistically significant reductions in refractive errors ranging from 0.25 to 0.75 diopters within 6 to 12 weeks, especially for low to moderate myopia cases. There have been some improvements in visual acuity of 1 to 2 Snellen lines and decreased intraocular pressure by 1 to 2mm Hg. In a large RCT conducted among computer users, there was a significant decrease in discomfort after 60 days of yoga exercises. Yoga may positively affect eye health by relaxing the ciliary muscle, improving circulation, stimulating parasympathetic tone, and stabilizing the tear film layer.