Eyelid Exercises: Are They Effective For Droopy Eyelids?

Just like facial exercises, you may have heard about eyelid workouts. Many people refer to them as eyelid strengthening exercises. But the real-time question is, “Are They Effective?”

These exercises mostly come into play when you want to improve the appearance of droopy eyelids. You are at the right place if you want to know what eyelid workouts may help you and if they are worth it.
Explore everything about eyelid strengthening exercises here. 

Why To Do An Eyelid Workout?

Before starting your eyelid workout routine, knowing what it may help is important. The eyelid exercises are thought to affect the eye muscles, particularly the levator, which assists in raising the upper lid. The premise of these eye exercises is to condition and strengthen the muscles, thereby giving the eyelid region a slight lift. 

You might benefit from droopy eyelids if you experience ptosis—droopy eyelids exercises. 

Here Are 5 Best Eyelid Strengthening Exercises To Try.

1. Eye squeezes
2. Eyelid resistance exercise
3. Eyebrow raises
4. Blinking exercises
5. Trataka yogic eye

Let’s explore how to do these exercises for lazy eyelids. 

1. Eye Squeezes

Eye squeezes improve circulation around the eyes and tone the muscles responsible for eyelid elevation. To do it

• Sit down with your back straight. 
• Let your eyes shut tightly for approximately five seconds.
• Feel the muscles around your eyes contract. 
• Open your eyes as wide as you can for another five seconds. 
• Repeat the exercise 10–20 times.

2. Eyelid Resistant Exercise

This is another essential eyelid strengthening exercise that works on the levator muscles, which control the eyelid’s movement, potentially giving you a firmer and more open look. To do it:

• Sit quietly with your eyes shut. 
• Extend both index fingers to the outer edge of each eye.
• Gently resist the movement. 
• Try to open your eyes lightly as the fingers are still there to resist it.
• Then hold the position for a few seconds while doing 10 to 15 repetitions.

3. Eyebrow Raises

An eyebrow raise with resistance is another sagging eyelid exercise that targets both brow and eyelid muscles, thus preventing them from sagging. The effort is always to make them firm, making them resistant to sag in the upper eyelid region. To do this eyelid strengthening exercise:

• Put your index fingers just below the eyebrows, gently push up. 
• As you are doing so, try to let your eyebrows fall against the resistance of your fingers. 
• Hold for a few seconds and release. 
• Repeat 10 to 15 times.

4. Blinking Exercise

Blinking exercises work the eye muscles and keep muscle tone around the eyelids. It could slow the onset of drooping.  Do this eyelid workout:

• Blink your eyes rapidly for 30 seconds. 
• Then close and relax your eyes for a few seconds. 
• Do this exercise several times a day.

5. Trataka Yogic Eye

In your eyelid workout routine, you may add Trataka—a yogic practice to keep eyes healthy. An exercise called Bahiranga includes these four: 

• Sit straight on the floor or the back of a firm chair with your head raised and your palms facing down.
• Hold open your eyes and gaze forward at one point.
• Look to your right shoulder without moving your head. Hold there without blinking for a few seconds.
• Centre your focus back, and do the same on the left side

You can even try these modifications, wherein all the exercises begin and end by focusing on the fixed point with your head still. For modifications, look up & down, focus on your nose’s tip, and slowly move your eyes clockwise and in opposite direction.  

Add all these eye strengthening exercises in your daily routine to help improve activity of the muscles around your eyes. 

Are Droopy Eyelids Exercises Effective According to Research?

Face exercises have become popular, but there’s limited research on whether eyelid workouts reduce sagging or wrinkles. One recent study showed promising results, with participants noticing improvements in 18 out of 20 facial areas and feeling satisfied with the outcomes. However, these studies have been small, so there’s not much medical evidence to support that facial exercises can improve eyelids.

Experts suggest that if you want to see any benefits, you’ll need to dedicate a significant amount of time—about 20 to 30 minutes daily, six to seven days a week.

Bonus Tip: If you have hooded eyes and want to learn more about the causes, be sure to check out our latest blog that covers everything you need to know about hooded eyes.

What’s More Than Sagging Eyelids Exercises?

Ptosis correction surgery is the most viable option for permanent droopy eyelids. It either tightens the levator muscles to elevate the eyelid or removes excess skin and fat to make the eyelid look younger and more alert.

During ptosis correction surgery, the doctor makes an incision through the eyelid’s natural crease. They tighten or repair the levator muscle to lift the eyelid and improve its overall appearance. Excess skin or fat contributing to the drooping may also be removed.

Unlike exercises, ptosis correction surgery can achieve long-term, dramatic results. The procedure may correct vision if the drooping eyelids obstruct the field of vision, restoring a softer, fresher, and more youthful look to the face. Although recovery time is short in most cases, patients can return to daily life’s demands in a week or two.

Final Verdict On Eyelid Workouts

Eyelid strengthening exercises are often recommended to preserve more reasonable muscle tone around the eyes and avoid further sagging, which will be helpful. For those whose lids sag just slightly, exercises will likely make some slight improvement over time. But for more dramatic or longer-lasting improvements moderate to severe droopy eyelid conditions-surgery is the best way.

If eyelid exercises are used with skincare or to combat ageing, they may become a helpful supplement. However, ptosis correction in Leeds may be the best, most reliable, and impact-producing solution for extremely droopy eyelids to achieve an alert appearance. 

FAQs about Eyelid Workouts

 1. Do eyelid exercises work?

There is no solid scientific evidence suggesting that eyelid workouts work. However, some weak evidence shows promising results.

2. Is it possible to workout your eyelids?

Although there is no solid evidence, some people suggest that exercising your facial muscles helps improve the appearance of droopy eyelids. 

3. How to fix a lazy eyelid?

Droopy eyelid surgery also known as ptosis correction is the best way to treat lazy eye, as it’s effective and has long-term benefits. 

4. How to strengthen eyelids?

To strengthen your eyelids, try eyebrow raises, eye blinking, eyelid-resistant exercises, and the Trataka yogic eye workout.