2. The Problem: Shoddy Eyesight
The cause: Stress or fatigue can disrupt the way the muscles in your eyes focus the lenses.
The solution: Exercise to maintain eye health. Shift focus between your fingertip and something across the room five to 10 times. "This helps maintain flexibility of the muscle tissues that encircle your lenses and control your range of focus," says Leonard J. Press, O.D., an optometric physician in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
Another exercise: Look at a point straight ahead and, without moving your eyes, be conscious of as much peripheral information as possible. "This maximizes the visual information your brain can take in," says Dr. Press.
3. The Problem: Slow Reflexes
The cause: Your brain not your eye may be slacking.
The solution: Write inch-high numbers on tennis balls. Ask a buddy to toss them at varying speeds and distances as you quickly try to read the numbers. "This trains the brain to work with the sensory [seeing] aspect of vision," says Dr. Daum. "It's like teaching the fingers to play piano."
4. The Problem: Double Vision
The cause: Beer-goggled, but without the hooch? Tired eyes can point in slightly different directions and create a blurred or double image.
The solution: Pencil pushups. Hold a pencil vertically in front of you and focus on the writing on the side. Concentrate on keeping the words in focus as you slowly bring the pencil closer to your eyes. This exercise is used with nearsighted patients to keep the eye pointing correctly, says Dr. Daum. Do 10 reps once a day for 2 to 3 weeks.
5. The Problem: A Sty in Your Eye
The cause: Eyelids have tiny glands that secrete moistening liquid. If clogged, a gland creates a painful buildup and, eventually, a sty. "Lid hygiene is important. If someone gets a lot of sties, it's very helpful to keep the eyelids clean," says Marc Weinstein, O.D., an optometrist in New York City.
The solution: Clean gingerly using a warm washcloth and baby shampoo. This loosens the debris around the eye and the glands near the lashes to keep the glands from backing up.
6. The Problem: A Scratched Eye
The cause: A Wolverine wannabe was guarding you.
The solution: "When you damage the cornea, bacteria on your eyelid turn on you," Dr. Weinstein says. Wait 10 to 15 minutes with your eyes closed. "The eye is resilient," he says. If the pain, redness, or blurry vision doesn't subside, this could signal serious damage—and a doctor visit.