Yoga for the Blind Helps Stroke Survivors Coping with Sudden Vision Loss

Having taught yoga for just over a year, Tamas has specifically designed the classes to include a range of movements such as exercises for the shoulders, arms, neck, back and legs, as well as eye exercises to reduce tension and improve peripheral vision.

Before starting yoga for the blind, he had never heard of the practice, which he says strengthens the connection between the eyes and the nervous system.

The movements experiment with light and dark and different levels of concentration.

In his research, Tamas found that as vision impairment becomes more severe, people exercise their eyes less and start looking at everything up close and on larger screens.

He says, “When you have excellent vision, you are naturally drawn to things around you—people, a tree, a plane in the sky, a bird—so your focus and peripheral vision are constantly changing.

“People with visual impairments sometimes see very narrow parts of the area or not at all, which makes it difficult for the eye muscles to move.

“It is very important for people with visual impairments to make a conscious effort to strengthen their eye muscles and keep their eyes as healthy as possible.”

The charity’s aim is to bring classes to more locations and continue to work to help visually impaired people regain independence and bring the community together.