10 Vision Habits for Menopause & Beyond

How to get your best vision ever with naturally clear vision habits, nervous system regulation and neuroscience-based approaches.

About the Author

Claudia Muehlenweg, founder of Holistic Vision and the creator of the Naturally Clear Vision Method, always hated her glasses that she started wearing at age 3. She has made it her mission to help others see clearly naturally, so they can live life with freedom and confidence, just as she has done

With her proven 5-step process and her highly regarded coaching program, Naturally Clear Vision, Claudia and her team of credentialed experts have successfully helped thousands of women across more than 20 countries improve their vision without the need for glasses, contacts, or surgery.

Her method addresses refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, as well as functional challenges like lazy eye It even offers potential benefits for eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.

As a sought-after international speaker and workshop leader, Claudia emphasizes the importance of identifying the root cause of her clients' blurry vision, instead of relying on symptomatic treatments like glasses, contacts, or surgery, which can potentially worsen eyesight in the long run.

Claudia holds certifications in The Bates Method, Yogaworks 200hr, Yoga Tune Up®, and Roll Model Method®. Her signature Roll & Relax myofascial tension release classes play a central role in her Naturally Clear Vision Method, aiding in the release of tension and promoting optimal eye health

Welcome!

As a woman going through menopause, you may experience changes in your body, including your eyesight. Menopause brings shifts in hormone levels that may impact your vision You might find yourself relying more on reading glasses or stronger prescriptions for near vision tasks.

However, by incorporating the ten naturally clear vision habits you'll learn about in this booklet, you can proactively support your visual health and potentially minimize the need for stronger glasses or readers, and maybe even completely avoid them!

Taking proactive steps now can help you maintain optimal eye health and navigate through menopause with clear vision, confidence and freedom.

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Making the ten naturally clear vision habits automatic will keep your eyes radiant, well-lubricated, and sparkly.

And you will keep your vision clear, sharp and in optimal shape for years and decades to come!

MuchClaudia

How to use this Guide

While this guide is organized by the most common vision challenges that happen around menopause, and the matching habits that are recommended for each of them, be aware that all the practices and habits are very helpful for any condition

Everything outlined in this guide is part of my Naturally Clear Vision Method, and I highly recommend that you try all of them.

However, don't get overwhelmed. Start with whatever eyesight problem is the most pressing for you, and start following the tips for that issue before doing more.

A little each day goes a long way!

That said, most of my recommendations like posture, diet, relaxation, eye movement and even tiny habits like blinking more are most powerful when they become part of your daily habits, versus doing a few minutes of " eye exercises "

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Connect with me here:

Common Menopause

Vision Problems

Dry, Irritated Eyes

It's common at this stage in life to experience dry eyes, itchiness, or a gritty sensation in the eyes. This is due to the decrease in estrogen levels which affects the production of tears and the quality of the tear film.

Habits 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10

Blurry Close Up Vision

All of a sudden small print seems impossible to read and your eyes feel strained after extended reading. This is called presbyopia. The most common approach is to get reading glasses. However that usually leads to a rapid decline in near and far vision. Good news: It doesn't have to be this way!

Habits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Cataracts

Cataracts are an eye disease that creates a clouding of the lens, leading to reduced visual acuity and halos around lights. Hormonal changes in menopause, a build up of toxins, potentially compromised detox pathways, diabetes (60% higher risk), smoking, high blood pressure are all contributing factors.

Habits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10

Night Vision Challenges

As estrogen levels decline, it can affect the functioning of the optic nerve and the eye ' s ability to adapt to low light conditions. This leads to difficulties seeing clearly at night, reduced contrast sensitivity, and increased sensitivity to glare from headlights.

Habits 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision. AMD is influenced by diet, lifestyle choices, genetics and underlying medical conditions.

Habits 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 8, 10

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is commonly caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye, which can damage the optic nerve. Risk factors are family history, age, African American ethnicity, high blood pressure, diabetes (40% higher risk), structural abnormalities in the eye, as well as long-term use of corticosteroid medications

Habits 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10

...Dry, Irritated Eyes

Yes, hormones play a role. But so do your habits. Do you stare, forget to blink? Do you give your eyes a break by closing them once in a while? Do you use artificial tears which inhibit natural tear production? Is there suppressed grief in your life?...

...Night Vision Challenges

Do you feel a need to immediately turn on the lights when you enter a dark room? Or use a flashlight in nature? Are you wearing sunglasses whenever you are outside? How many orange-colored and dark leafy green veggies are you eating weekly?

Ask yourself these questions when you experience...

...Blurry Close Up Vision

Are you counting down the days to retirement or are you unfulfilled in life? Are you more concerned with others, ready to help at any time, neglecting your own wants, needs and dreams? Are you not letting others come close to you? Are you avoiding details?

...Cataracts

Are you lacking joy in your life? Are you staring at screens for hours? Have you been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes? Have you been exposed to toxins like tobacco, lead, alcohol, or steroid medications?

...Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Do you wear strong glasses or contacts for nearsightedness (myopia)? How often do you eat dark leafy greens? Do you eat four or more snacks or meals each day? Are there less than 12 hours between dinner and breakfast?

...Glaucoma

Are you a Type-A personality? Do you have to have all your "ducks in a row"? Is there someone in your life who you haven't forgiven? Do you have high or very low blood pressure? Do you have a family history of glaucoma?

Did anything resonate?

Vision has not just physical but also emotional, mental and spiritual components. You may have noticed that your eyesight fluctuates. When you are anxious, stressed, or worried your vision is probably worse than when you are happy and relaxed.

Eyesight varies because our nervous system changes, often from second to second.

Learning how to stay in a relaxed state is one of the fundamentals of overall health, including vision.

Yes, eye exercises, some of which you'll learn on the following pages, can be very helpful. However, your daily habits and how your use your eyes all day long has a far bigger impact on your vision.

You might have guessed that nutrition plays a crucial role in keeping your eyes healthy and your vision sharp But so do other lifestyle habits such as your mindset and beliefs.

Glasses are a contributing factor for vision to decline. Why? Because they are a bandaid that doesn't address the root cause of your vision problems. That's why I call them the "Pills for the Eyes."

The practices and habits outlined on the following pages are a great way to start saving, protecting and improving your precious eyesight and get you started on the path to never needing glasses again.

Breathe, Blink, Yawn, Raise

Breathe:

Practice belly breathing to activate your relaxation response. Place your hand on your abdomen and feel it rise and fall as you breathe. This technique stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a sense of calm. It opens your peripheral vision, which is crucial for healthy eyesight

Blink:

Blink softly and regularly every 2-3 seconds, like a butterfly flutters its wings. Blinking lubricates your eyes, preventing dryness and reducing eye strain. Make it a habit by placing reminders at your computer where studies have shown a tendency to blink less frequently.

Yawn:

Embrace your natural urge to yawn. Yawning not only helps lubricate your eyes but also stretches the jaw muscle, which often tightens when we are stressed. By honoring your yawns, you release tension and support your eye health.

Raise:

Whenever you feel tempted to squint, lift your eyebrows. This opens up your peripheral vision and massages the forehead muscles, which can hold tension and contribute to headaches. Then raise the corners of your mouth and smile. Lastly, raise your mindset to gratitude for your eyes by saying something like "My eyes are relaxed," "I am happy," or "I love my eyes. "

By incorporating these four simple habits into your daily life, you support your eye health and overall well-being during menopause.

Go "Naked" & Befriend

the Blur

You might have already noticed that wearing corrective lenses continually worsens your eyesight. Why is that?

Because glasses give you clarity without engaging your eye muscles. The blur was caused by a strain to see which can be caused by stress, muscle spasms, emotions, illness and more

So do as many tasks as possible that you can safely do without glasses and embrace a slight blur*. If the blur is too strong, consider reduced strength lenses. Consult an eye doctor for assistance. Farsighted? Weaker drugstore readers are great. To give you the most comfort without glasses or while wearing weaker ones, increase the brightness of your light.

Why should you "Befriend the Blur"? Because blur serves as a reminder when you ' re straining to see. Take deep breaths and adjust the distance between you and the object you ' re looking at to find the point where you have the most clarity.

Practice with black print on white (paper or screen). Blink softly and frequently, ignoring any blurry shadows or double vision.

Now close your eyes, and imagine the text super black and the background bright white before looking again while blinking and raising your eyebrows (habit #1). Did the text clear up?

You know that the type is black and the background white, the letters just seemed gray to you as you were straining.

Imagining the text black and the background bright white will help you see more contrast and sharpness. Science has confirmed that imagination is 70-90% of success. Also use habit #3 Rest Your Eyes to improve your imagination skills.

*Disclaimer:

Rest Your Eyes (Palming)

Rest your eyes whenever they feel tired or your vision gets blurry from straining. Find a comfortable position and support your elbows with pillows so can you relax completely.

Cross your cupped palms over the bridge of the nose with the heels of the palms resting on the cheekbones and the fingers on the forehead, so no light is coming in.

Close the eyes and imagine your eyes “getting heavy.”

Bring up a nice memory in your mind and take a few deep breaths. Feel the warm, healing energy of the hands relax the eyes. For deep relaxation, do palming laying down and listen to a Yoga Nidra or Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) guided meditation.

Palm for at least two minutes. When you want to come out of resting, move your hands slowly away from your eyes, keeping your eyes closed, so they can get used to the light. When ready to open your eyes, do five easy butterfly blinks and gently squeeze your eyes five times.

Your eyes will feel refreshed, rested and lubricated. You might notice more clarity in your vision right away. Palming, blinking and yawning are nature’s way to keep your eyes young and prevent and treat dry eyes.

To improve your vision even more, palm in the morning and in the evening for 10-20 minutes This preventive palming is an eye and mind meditation with huge benefits for your vision and your overall health and well-being.

Sun Your Eyes

The cone cells in our retina need light to function. These cells provide you with clear central and color vision. At night they don’t function, and that's why you don’t have color perception or precise detail vision at night.

Give the mitochondria in your retinal cells a boost by exposing them to natural sunlight. This is especially important in the morning and at sunset to help regulate your circadian rhythm.

If your eyes are healthy, try not to use sunglasses except in extreme conditions. Your eyes have built-in sunglasses called pupils. They constrict in bright light and open up in dim light.

Sunglasses suppress this pupillary reaction since they suggest to the eyes that it’s dark when it’s actually bright. This will negatively affect your night vision. Your pupillary reaction time will become too slow to adjust for the bright headlamps of oncoming cars, “blinding” you for a brief moment.

Use a hat or baseball cap if the angle of the sun bothers you.

If you are very light sensitive, practice sunning first by closing your eyes while facing the sun. Move your head slowly from side to side. The warmth and light of the sun will relax your eyes and stimulate the mitochondria in your retinal cells.

Follow Sunning with Palming, ideally twice as long as you did the Sunning Practice sunning at least once daily

*Disclaimer: This is educational material only and not meant to replace medical advice. Do not order reduced strength glasses or go without sunglasses in bright conditions without consulting your eye doctor And never drive with reduced power lenses

Swing Your Eyes

Perfect vision relies on effortless eye movements. Attempting to stare at a large area and trying to see it all clearly without moving your eyes leads to blur and strain, because it is impossible to accomplish with our human eye anatomy.

Clear central vision is produced by the concentration of cone cells in the macula, which is no larger than a pinhead. Therefore, only a tiny detail can be seen perfectly clear.

That's why reading small print is so beneficial. The larger the print, the less your eyes will move and the strain will increase.

A simple way to stimulate these small eye movements, called saccades, is the Head Swing. Take your glasses off and either stand or sit in a comfortable chair. Imagine your head to be a giant paint brush and your eyes

As the head slowly swings in a half circle from the eyes simply move along as if they could the objects in your field of vision. Basically yo looking straight ahead as your head is movin

Notice how the whole room seems to move direction of your head movement? Don't see a finger and let your gaze glide by (do not lo as you turn). Since foreground objects seem (Parallax effect), it's easier to see the finger m you see that, release your hand down and notice the whole room moving. It's sign of relaxed eye movements.

Blink a lot while doing this! Follow with a minute or two of palming. You might notice that your inner visual field is now blacker, a sign of relaxed eyes.

Love Your Eyes

Herbert Benson, the founder of Harvard's Mind/Body Medical nstitute said:

The power of expectation—the kind of expectation that mbraces a deep belief that what is expected will actually occur has long been recognized as a significant mental and motional force "

Replacing negative thoughts about your vision with loving and grateful language is a huge part of seeing changes in your eyes.

So instead of saying things like "I am blind as a bat" or "I can’t see anything" change it to something positive like “I love my eyes, ” "I am grateful for the beauty they let me see, " or “I am letting my beautiful eyes relax”...

You get the idea. Come up with your own words and affirmations to make them more powerful for YOU

And... add a positive emotion when you say it aloud. Our mind thinks in thoughts, and our body thinks in feels. The eyes are both part of the brain and the body, so thoughts alone are not going to transform your vision!

Joe Dispenza said it best:

" … when you are in a state of gratitude, you transmit a signal into the field that an event has already occurred. Gratitude is more than an intellectual thought process. You have to feel as though whatever you want is in your reality at this very moment Thus, your body...must be convinced that it has the emotional quotient of the future experience, happening to you now. "

Write your affirmations on your bathroom mirror so you see them first thing in the morning (it's ok to put your glasses on to read them, then take them off again for as long as possible).

Change Focus Often 7

We often hear that the lens gets stiff when we hit our 40s or 50s and that's why we lose our near vision (presbyopia). That's not really explaining why some women do not experience this, even in their 60s, 70s or 80s.

We do know that our eyes were not designed to be static, focused on one spot for a long time. However, that's what a lot of us do all day long when we look at computer screens.

The ciliary muscle tightens and flexes the lens when we look up close Continuous focus on close objects can cause your lens to become fixed in a single position, increasing the likelihood of developing cataracts. The eye muscles near the nose have to tighten as well to bring the eyes inward so we can converge on a close object.

Just like with strength training it is important to relax those muscles so they can move from contraction to relaxation. That keeps them strong and at an optimal range of motion.

Have you heard of the 20/20/20 rule? Every 20 minutes look 20 feet away for 20 secs Who really sets a timer to do this?

Here is my tip: Place your computer in front of a window and regularly shift your focus from near to far. Doing this keeps the lens moving, which helps prevent cataracts. And when you read, place a bookmark 2-3 pages ahead and look up for 20-30 seconds when you reach that page.

Moving your focus from near to far also improves your visual acuity, eye coordination and depth perception, which can diminish with age. These skills are important for daily tasks like driving and navigating your surroundings

Increase Circulation

The blood vessels around and in the eyes are very small, yet need a lot of oxygen. Outside of the breathing practice, you can improve blood circulation by splashing the closed eyes with warm/hot and cold water.

Alternatively you can use a set of hot and cold compresses The cold water has vasoconstrictive effects while the hot water creates vasodilatation, rejuvenating the eye area.

Do 4 x 20 splashes or alternate hot/cold compresses (“hot” means a temperature that is a bit warmer than warm and feels good on the sensitive skin around your eyes, do not burn yourself!).

This mini Kneipp eye bath is a fantastic dry eye remedy and also works wonders on tired eyes.

Mornings: Hot, Cold, Hot, Cold Evenings: Cold, Hot, Cold, Hot

Mind Your Head 9

Your head weighs around 10-12 pounds. When it is aligned properly on your spine, your neck can support it effortlessly.

However, our modern lifestyle often involves craning our heads forward while hunched over laptops or smartphones, commonly known as "Text Neck "

Every inch you move your head forward adds an extra 10 pounds of strain on the neck and upper back. The second vertebrae in our neck (C2) is connected to the optic nerve path through various myofascial tissues.

Therefore, your head posture directly affects your eyesight, not only when you crane your head forward but also in cases of chin-up head posture or head tilts and rotations while the eyes remain looking straight ahead.

The chin up posture is common with bifocals or progressive glasses. Why? Because they assume that you look far when you look straight, and read when you look down. Daily life doesn't work that way. Computer screens are straight in front but up close. And when you walk down a flight of stairs, you look down but do not read.

Research showed a significant correlation between head posture and the degree and axis of astigmatism. In fact, more than 80% of cases demonstrated this relationship.

Fortunately, astigmatism, like other vision issues related to refractive errors, is highly variable and is influenced by our habits more than anything else. Habit #9 is about moving your eyes and head together (let your head follow your eyes). Not only is your vision sharpest that way, you avoid astigmatism, as well as neck and shoulder pain and tension.

Eat Right For Your Sight

Diabetes related vision problems are the leading cause of blindness. "Age-related" eye diseases are so common as we age because the majority of Americans eats the "SAD" diet (Standard American Diet) which is full of processed foods with too much sugar, salt, inflammatory fats and empty calories. And there are consequences that show up as we get older!

Diabetes is very often diagnosed by an eye doctor before any blood tests show unusual numbers. You don’t have to have full blown diabetes to get diabetes-related eye diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and others.

This little booklet cannot cover everything for an optimal "Vision Diet" but here is a simple guide for foods to eat daily:

Dark leafy greens

High in eye vitamins lutein & zeaxanthin to keep central cone cells in top shape for sharp vision

Orange vegetables & fruit

High in beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A which gets metabolized to rhodopsin for great night vision in the rods

Berries

High in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Crucial for brain & eye health, contained in salmon, chia, hemp, flax seeds, walnuts

Eat a diet based on organic whole plant based foods. Avoid processed foods, sugar, seed oils, alcohol. Everyone reacts differently. Work with your nutritionist to customize a diet for your body. For instance if you have oxalate problems, no kale!

10 Habits Cheat Sheet

1 Breathe, Blink, Yawn, Raise

Practice belly breathing to relax. Blink softly every 2-3 seconds. Yawn as much as you want.

Raise your eyebrows, mind & smile!

2 GoNaked&BefriendtheBlur

Only wear glasses when absolutely necessary. Don’t fight the blur.

Breathe, blink and imagine print black and white. Use bright light.

3 Breathe, Blink, Yawn, Raise

Rest your eyes with palming whenever they feel tired or your vision gets blurry from straining. Or just close them to give them a break.

4

Sun Your Eyes

Close your eyes while facing the sun. Move your head from side to side

Follow Sunning with Palming, ideally twice as long as you did the Sunning.

5 Swing Your Eyes

Take your glasses off. Turn your head slowly from side to side, letting your eyes "brush the environment " Hold up a finger if you don't see movement.

6

Love Your Eyes

Shift your " eye talk" from negative statements to grateful and happy love notes. Stick them on the bathroom mirror and computer. Feel love too.

7

Change Focus Often

Place your computer at a window and let your attention and focus shift from near to far. Put a bookmark into your book and look up after 2-3 pages.

8 Increase Circulation

Use cold and hot water or compresses: 4 x 20 splashes or seconds

A.M: Hot, Cold, Hot, Cold

P.M: Cold, Hot, Cold, Hot

9 Mind Your Head

Switch from bifocals and progressive glasses to single distance glasses if possible. Always move head and eyes together. Think of moving attention.

10 Eat Right For Your Sight

Avoid all processed food. Eat these foods daily: Dark leafy greens, orange veggies and fruit, berries and omega-3 fatty acid rich foods.

My Commitment to My Eyes

Which habits will you implement?

Start with one habit you can easily implement. Once that has become a routine, e.g. after one week, then add another one. Some habits like #1 are easier to implement than #10, so be realistic! Every little thing you do will help a lot more than trying to be perfect.

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