Eye conditioning prepares your eyes for the upcoming learning, gives them a little boost of energy, gets them engaged. Think of it as a tune up or a warm up; a minute or two to send a signal to your eyes that action is required.

Outside of your eyesight development practice, incorporate eye conditioning into your pre-game routine. Quick, easy, and highly effective. 

 

EYE CONDITIONING TECHNIQUES AND DRILLS

 

EC02

BUTTERFLY BLINKING

This technique relaxes and moisturizes the eyes.

  • Stand very tall with your legs shoulder width apart and your shoulders relaxed (down). Face away from the sun. Close your eyes

  • With your eyes closed, let your head drop loosely towards your chest and wait for a few seconds, letting gravity stretch the back of your neck. Then, lift your head up slowly all the way until you face the sky and all the way back down while blinking quickly and very gently 

  • When your head is down, close your eyes, rest for a few seconds, then repeat

  • As you blink, imagine your eyelids being light and the blinking effortless, as a flap of butterfly wings

  • Enjoy the playfulness of this movement to enhance the relaxation effect, smile if you would like

Practice time: at least 3 sets

Remember to breathe deeply and regularly, do not hold your breath.

Practice Lenses: No lenses needed.

Watchouts

  • Face away from the sun

  • If the sky is too bright, wait for a cloudy day, or find a shady spot (side of a building, under a tree), or practice indoors first

 

RS02

HEAD CIRCLES WITH BUTTERFLY BLINKING

This technique relaxes and moisturizes the eyes, and stretches your neck muscles.

  • Stand very tall with your legs shoulder width apart and your shoulders relaxed (down). Face away from the sun. Close your eyes

  • Let your head drop loosely with your chin to your chest and wait for a few seconds, letting gravity stretch the back of your neck.

  • Then, with your arms pulling down towards the ground and without moving your shoulders in any way, slowly move your head up while blinking quickly and lightly.

  • Once you face the sky, move your head in a circular motion to the left, down, to the right back, left and down again to perform a total of 1 and half circle.

  • Notice your neck muscles stretching gently when rotating your head. 

  • Repeat, and this time start your head rotation to the right.

Practice time: 2-3 sets

Remember to breathe deeply and regularly, do not hold your breath.

Practice Lenses: No lenses needed.

Tips and Watchouts

  • Face away from the sun

  • You may close your eyes during the head circles

  • If the sky is too bright, wait for a cloudy day, or find a shady spot (side of a building, under a tree), or practice indoors first

 

PV01

HAND WAVING

  • With your Trainer on, look forward into the shield, your head high. DO NOT PEEK THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE LENS!

  • Wave or rotate your hands to create movement around your face

  • Move your hands close to your face and then away from your face, to the front and to the back, above your eyes and below your chin

  • Notice the movement your hands are creating   

Practice time: 1 minute

Remember to breathe deeply and regularly, do not hold your breath.

This video shows hand waving on the side of the athlete’s face.

Practice Lenses: #2 and #3

Tips

If you have trouble seeing movement

  • Use lens #1 first to keep your mid-periphery open

  • Move your hands very close to your face

  • Make big movement

  • Practice in daylight or strong indoor light

 

PV02

ROCKER TWISTER

  • With your Trainer on, look forward into the shield, your head high. DO NOT PEEK THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE LENS!

  • Move your body to the right and to the left by shifting your weight from one leg to the other or by twisting your body.

  • For a more pronounced movement, bend at your waist forward and back or side to side.

  • Notice the objects to your left, right, above and below move in the direction opposite to the direction of your body movement.  

  • Wave your hands for extra stimulation

Practice time: 1 minute

Remember to breathe deeply and regularly, do not hold your breath.

Practice Lenses: #2 and #3

Tips:

  • Combine this practice with hand waving

 

PV03

WALKING

  • With your Trainer on, look forward into the lens, your head high. DO NOT PEEK THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE LENS!

  • Walk around the field at a safe distance from other teammates, or in a safe area with no traffic (to prevent collision)

  • Notice your surroundings through the corners of your eyes (your periphery) 

  • Notice the movement in your lower periphery (around your feet) and upper periphery (above your head)

  • Notice the direction of movement of objects in your periphery to be opposite to the direction of your own movement    

Practice time: 1 minute

As you progress:

  • Increase the speed of your movement

Remember to breathe deeply and regularly, do not hold your breath.

Practice Lenses: #2 or #3

You may start with lens #1 to get accustomed to this practice, and to having your central vision obstructed

 

DECIDING WHICH TECHNIQUE TO CHOOSE

 

Choose eye conditioning techniques complementary to the STEP 3 training of your choice. If you plan to train your peripheral vision, use techniques marked with letters RS or EC. If you plan to train acuity or 3D vision, choose some of the peripheral engagement drills (PV).

The code for each technique or drill can be found in the top right corner of their description.