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October 31, 2026
Research has not established that Bhramari pranayama, or humming-bee breathing, on its own lowers eye pressure or improves vision. Small studies have examined its effects on stress and the nervous system [1,2]. No breathing or eye exercise has been shown to improve eyesight or reverse eye disease, though some lowered eye pressure in small glaucoma trials [3,4,5].
This article is general education. Do not stop or change glaucoma drops, glasses or any eye treatment because of a breathing or yoga practice.
Key takeaways
In this article
Breathing and eye exercises are not a treatment for sudden eye symptoms. Get help first if you notice any of these.
See Netra’s guide to urgent vision changes for more warning signs.
Bhramari pranayama is a yoga breathing practice, also called the humming-bee breath. You sit comfortably, breathe in slowly through the nose, then breathe out slowly through the nose while making a steady humming sound with the lips closed. Many teachers have you close the ears with your fingers. The breath out is long and the breath in is short [1].
Some types of pranayama include breath-holding, but Bhramari does not [1]. “Eye yoga” is a looser term. It usually means eye movement exercises, palming, gazing practices such as Trataka, or a mix of breathing and postures.
The proven benefits of Bhramari pranayama are modest and mostly about calming the body. Studies show a shift toward the “rest and digest” side of the nervous system and lower stress scores on heart-rate measures. One trial found less fatigue and depression in people with multiple sclerosis. Most studies are small and of low quality [1,2,6].
A 2018 systematic review found only six Bhramari studies, none of them randomized. Their quality was rated very low [1]. Since then, a few small randomized trials have been published:
Humming also sharply raises nitric oxide in the nose by flushing it out of the sinuses [16]. Some websites claim this improves blood flow to the eyes. No study has shown that.
A 2026 study measured eye pressure in people with glaucoma who practiced humming, alternate-nostril breathing and diaphragmatic breathing together. It cannot tell us whether humming alone lowers eye pressure. Research has yet to establish that Bhramari alone improves dry eye symptoms or eyesight [31]. It is reasonable to use Bhramari for relaxation, but not as a treatment for an eye condition [1].
The rest of the evidence on this page comes from other breathing, meditation and yoga practices that were tested on eye outcomes. It helps to judge them against four separate goals, because a practice can help one goal and do nothing for another.
| Goal | What was tested | What the trials found | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relaxation and stress | Bhramari, alone | Calming effect on heart-rate measures; less fatigue in multiple sclerosis | Low; small studies |
| Eye pressure in glaucoma | Humming alongside other breathing exercises | Pressure was measured after the combined program [31] | The effect of humming alone is unknown |
| Eye pressure in glaucoma | Pranayama with belly breathing; mindfulness meditation | Lower pressure when added to standard care | Low to moderate; small, unblinded trials |
| Eye pressure in glaucoma | Eye exercises and modified Trataka | No difference from drops alone | Low; one small trial |
| Dry eye comfort | Trataka (candle gazing), 12 weeks | Better symptoms and tear stability; no more tears | Low; one open-label trial |
| Screen eye strain | General yoga; eye exercises; Trataka | Less self-rated strain; Trataka no better than a cold eye pack | Low; self-reported outcomes |
| Better eyesight or a lower prescription | Bates exercises; Trataka | No change in prescription or vision | Low; one small trial, but no trial shows a benefit |
Sources for the table: [1,3,4,5,6,7,17,18,19,20].
In two small trials, yes. Daily pranayama with belly breathing for six months, and daily mindfulness meditation for three weeks, each lowered eye pressure by about 6 mmHg in people with glaucoma. Neither trial showed that vision was protected, and the authors describe these practices as add-ons to standard treatment, not substitutes for drops [3,4].
In the pranayama trial, 90 people with open-angle glaucoma on their usual drops did daily pranayama and diaphragmatic (belly) breathing or joined a wait list. Over six months, average pressure in the breathing group fell from about 21 to 15 mmHg, significantly more than in the wait-list group [3]. In a second trial of 90 patients, an hour of daily mindfulness meditation for 21 days lowered pressure from about 19 to 13 mmHg. Stress hormone levels fell too [4].
A 2024 review of 12 studies with 596 people found that meditation and other relaxation methods lowered eye pressure. It noted that the effect of yoga “could depend on the positions being practiced” [21]. A 2026 review of 14 studies judged meditation and pranayama promising add-ons for glaucoma, but flagged small samples, short follow-up and subjective outcomes [22].
Not every trial agrees. In a four-week trial, eye exercises plus a modified Trataka practice did not lower pressure more than drops alone. The authors said the routine could not be recommended for raised eye pressure [17].
Read together, these trials are small and unblinded, with six months of follow-up at most. None measured the visual field, the test that shows whether sight is being saved. Never change a glaucoma drop on this evidence. Netra’s guides to lowering eye pressure naturally and glaucoma eye drops put this in context.
Possibly, for comfort. One 12-week trial found that Trataka, a candle-gazing practice, eased dry-eye symptoms and made tears more stable. Yoga programs have also reduced self-rated eye strain in screen workers. These are small studies with self-reported results, and none shows a cure for dry eye [7,18].
In the dry-eye trial, 49 adults aged 20 to 40 with mild to moderate dry eye did 25 minutes of Trataka three days a week or nothing. Symptom scores and tear break-up time improved in the Trataka group. Tear volume did not change [7]. The 2026 review called the yoga evidence for dry eye “limited and inconclusive” [22].
For screen strain, a trial of 291 computer users tested an hour of daily yoga for 60 days. Visual discomfort scores fell with yoga and rose in the wait-list group. Fewer than half finished the study [18]. A six-week study of 32 optometry students found that yoga eye exercises reduced eye-fatigue scores, but the groups were not randomly assigned [19]. In a third trial of 300 IT company workers, two weeks of Trataka eased eye strain compared with no treatment. It worked no better than a simple cold eye pack [20]. For more on screens, see Netra’s screens and eye health guide.
No. Eye exercises have not been shown to improve eyesight or reduce a glasses prescription. In a small randomized study of people with myopia, eight weeks of Bates eye exercises or Trataka did not change their prescription or their vision [5]. Refractive errors are corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery [23].
Nearsightedness, or myopia, happens when light focuses in front of the retina [5]. Refractive errors come from the eye’s shape, such as an eyeball that has grown too long or too short [23]. Moving or relaxing the eyes does not change that shape. Netra’s articles on how to improve eyesight naturally and whether Ayurveda can improve eyesight cover this in depth.
Basic Bhramari is gentle and low risk for most adults. The risk in “eye yoga” comes from what is often bundled with it: head-down poses, forceful breathing, breath-holding and long gazing. People with glaucoma, high eye pressure or recent eye surgery should check with their eye doctor first [8,9,24].
In 10 people with glaucoma and 10 without, downward dog raised eye pressure from about 17 to 28 mmHg within a minute. Standing forward bend, plow and legs-up-the-wall raised it less. Pressure returned to normal within two minutes of sitting up [8]. During headstand, eye pressure roughly doubled in 75 experienced yoga students [9]. One published case linked years of regular headstand practice to worsening optic nerve damage in a person with congenital glaucoma [25].
If you have glaucoma or are a glaucoma suspect, do not add inversions without your eye doctor’s agreement. Ask your teacher for upright versions of poses.
A 12-week study followed 107 healthy yoga practitioners. Headstand, bellows breath (Bhastrika) and a breath-control practice raised eye pressure for a short time. Skull-shining breath (Kapalabhati) and alternate-nostril breathing did not [26]. Straining while holding the breath, called the Valsalva maneuver, also raised eye pressure a little in healthy young men [27]. If you have glaucoma, skip forceful breaths and long breath-holds unless your eye doctor agrees.
After cataract surgery, you may need to avoid touching your eye, bending over and lifting heavy things for a few weeks [24]. That rules out head-down poses and straining until your surgeon says otherwise. Some teachers ask you to rest your fingertips on your closed eyelids. Skip that step after eye surgery or if you have glaucoma, and keep your hands on your ears or in your lap.
Long periods of staring, such as at screens, can contribute to dry eye [28]. Blink when you need to during gazing practices, and keep Trataka sessions short if you have dry eye or wear contact lenses. Never gaze at the sun: looking straight at the sun can burn the retina, a condition called solar retinopathy [29].
To do Bhramari safely, sit upright, breathe in slowly through the nose, then hum steadily through the nose with the lips closed as you breathe out. The practice involves no breath-holding, and sessions of five to ten minutes are commonly described [1]. Start with a few rounds and stop if you feel dizzy.
A realistic goal is a calmer break in a screen-heavy day. A changed prescription or a reversed diagnosis is not.
For tired, dry eyes, the measures with better support come first. Take breaks from staring at screens, and use artificial tears for mild dry eye [28]. Get a full eye exam if symptoms persist, so that dry eye, an out-of-date prescription or another condition can be treated. A short Bhramari session can fit into those screen breaks as a way to relax.
Netra Restoration Therapy (NRT) is adjunctive care, used alongside the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment your eye doctor provides, never instead of them [30]. NRT has not been tested in controlled trials for glaucoma, dry eye or eye strain. Breathing practices are not a substitute for pressure-lowering drops, dry-eye treatment or glasses.
If you are considering NRT, keep all standard treatment and follow-up in place, and bring your recent eye exam reports. See NRT effectiveness by diagnosis for how Netra reviews outcomes.
Bhramari pranayama has a calming effect on the nervous system in small studies. Trials have linked it to lower stress on heart-rate measures, faster reaction times and less fatigue and depression in multiple sclerosis. Most studies are small and of low quality, so the benefits are modest and not proven for any disease.
Research has not established that humming-bee breathing on its own lowers eye pressure or improves vision. It may help you relax during screen breaks. It should not replace any eye treatment.
Eye yoga may ease eye strain and dry-eye symptoms a little, based on small trials. Some breathing and meditation practices lowered eye pressure in small glaucoma trials when added to standard care. Eye yoga has not been shown to improve eyesight, reduce a prescription or cure an eye disease.
No. Eye exercises have not been shown to improve vision or reduce a glasses prescription. Nearsightedness and other refractive errors come from the shape of the eye and are corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.
Head-down yoga poses raise eye pressure while they are held, so people with glaucoma need care with them. Downward dog raised pressure by about 11 mmHg in one study, and headstand roughly doubled it in another. Ask your eye doctor before doing inversions, forceful breathing or long breath-holds.
In small trials, daily pranayama with belly breathing and daily meditation lowered eye pressure in people with glaucoma when added to standard care. The trials were small and unblinded, and none showed that vision was protected. Breathing exercises are an add-on at most, never a replacement for glaucoma treatment.
Sessions of five to ten minutes are commonly described. Beginners can start with five to ten rounds: breathe in slowly, hum through the nose on a long breath out, and do not hold your breath. Stop if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable.
Sources checked October 31, 2026.
This article provides general education and does not replace an individual eye examination, diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have sudden vision loss, new floaters or flashes, or a painful red eye, get emergency eye care right away; breathing or eye exercises are not a substitute.
