A basic principle of medicine is that if you don’t use a muscle it becomes weaker. Just like any other muscle, you need to train the muscles of your eyes and keep them in good working order.

Bright Side have put together a selection of nine proven ways to do this.

1. Avoid overstraining your eyes during the day. Close your eyes for a few minutes, and enjoy the peace once every 2-3 hours.

2. Here are 16 basic well-known exercises you can use to give your eyes a workout. Do them each day in the order indicated.

3. If you wear glasses, reduce the time that you have them on if you can. Take them off more often.

4. Give your eyes a massage with the help of gentle circular motions. Move through points 1 to 6 as shown in the image below.

Use your middle and index fingers to press on your eyes. You should feel slight pressure, but definitely not pain, when you perform the actions.

5. When you are out for a walk in the open air, try to look into the distance more often rather than focusing on your own legs or immediately in front of you.

6. Drink carrot juice as often as possible (preferably every day).

If you want to achieve the maximum benefit from this practice, add one or two drops of olive oil to it. It won’t spoil the taste, but it will help you absorb the healthy elements in the carrot juice more effectively.

7. When your eyes feel tired, wash them with warm water.

8. Try not to stare at the screen of a computer, TV, or smartphone for at least two hours before going to bed.

9. Try out the Indian Trataka exercise for the eyes. It will help your eyes and your mind to stay focused.

Sit facing a small stationary object placed in an open space (a candle, for example). Focus your eyes and all of your attention on it. Try not to blink. You should aim to have a firm, detailed image of the object in your mind and memory.

Then close your eyes, and focus your attention on the space between your eyebrows, trying to keep the image of the object in your head for as long as you can. Do this for around 10 minutes.

The aim of the exercise is to achieve a clear image of something before your eyes become tired.