Facebuilding: exercises for the eye area

Author: Kristina Bondareva - facebuilding coach.
2016-05-17

In this article, I will discuss exercises for the eye area, as well as the age-related and mimetic features of this area.

The most common problem in the eye area is "crow's feet." Essentially, this is a spasm caused by the intense and frequent contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle. It’s a mimetic problem! The skin around the eyes is quite thin, so any changes in the muscles are very noticeable. Protect your eyes from the sun, and if you have vision impairments, use glasses or lenses; of course, also monitor your mimicry.

The cause of drooping upper eyelids and lower lids (especially noticeable in older individuals) is primarily muscle weakening, known as gravitational ptosis.

Don’t despair; everything can be corrected with exercises. The eye area recovers the slowest, taking approximately 2 to 5 months. This depends on the condition of the muscles, the regularity of the training process, and, of course, the physiological characteristics of each individual.

First, let’s look into the structure of the muscles in this area.

The orbicularis oculi muscle (m.orbicularis oculi) is flat and occupies the periphery of the eye socket, lying within the eyelids and partially extending into the temple area. The lower bundles of the muscle continue into the cheek area. The muscle consists of three parts: the palpebral, orbital, and lacrimal.

Function: The orbicularis oculi muscle acts as a sphincter of the eye slit. The palpebral part closes the eyelids. When the orbital part contracts, folds form in the skin around the eye socket. The greatest number of fan-shaped wrinkles appears at the outer corner of the eye. This part of the muscle also pulls the brow down. The lacrimal part expands the lacrimal sac, thereby regulating the drainage of tear fluid through the nasolacrimal duct.

Note that the upper area of the orbital part (pars orbitalis) interlaces with the bundles of the frontal belly of the occipitofrontal muscle and the muscle that wrinkles the brow. Therefore, when training the eye area, it is also essential to work the forehead area. By strengthening the muscles of the frontal part, you can prevent drooping eyelids. You can read about how to train the forehead area here.

Let’s move on to the exercises.

Warm-up:

1. Blink your eyes rapidly for 30 seconds.
2. Trace a circle with your eyes in both directions 3-4 times, trying to direct your gaze to the extreme points.
3. After each exercise, blink your eyes to relieve muscle tension. Make sure to place your fingers firmly so as not to pull or crumple the skin. All exercises for the eye area should be performed at a calm pace.

All exercises described below are shown in this video.

1. Exercise for strengthening the orbital part of the orbicularis oculi muscle.

Fix the orbicularis oculi muscle along its perimeter. Place the fingers of one hand along the brow ridge and the fingers of the other hand on the cheekbone. Press the skin firmly, then squint your eye with all your strength, and open your eye. The skin around the eye should not wrinkle. Repeat 20 times.

2. Exercise for strengthening the upper eyelid.

Place your index and middle fingers at the corners of your eyes. With effort, close your eyes, pressing the upper eyelid down against the lower one, then open your eyes. Repeat 20 times.

3. Exercise for strengthening the lower eyelid.

Place your index and middle fingers at the corners of your eyes, look up while keeping your forehead relaxed (try not to wrinkle your forehead or tense your eyebrows). Pull the lower eyelids upward. You should feel the muscle working under your fingers. Repeat 20 times.

4. Exercise to eliminate "bags" and swelling under the eyes.

I recommend doing this exercise in the morning. Close your eyes tightly, place your fingers along the cheekbone so that you can feel the movement of the eyeballs, and lift only your pupils upwards. Try to look up with your eyes closed. The upper eyelid should remain closed and pressed tightly against the lower one. Start with 10-15 repetitions. You may experience some discomfort in your eyes while doing this exercise, but that will pass over time.

Cool down

After completing all the exercises, it is important to relax and stretch the eye muscles. Place your palm on your forehead so that your brows do not rise. Open your eyes wide and bulge them out, then relax. Repeat 20 times.

P.S. I develop individual programs for face-building training and conduct classes via Skype. If you are interested – click here.