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Optometryskills

Hart Chart Eye Exercise

hart chart Eye exercise

Read near/far alternately:

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How to Do the Hart Chart Eye Exercise

Who Is This Hart Chart Exercise For?
This Hart Chart practice is ideal if you’ve been prescribed vision-flexibility or focus-shift training, including patients with:

  • Convergence insufficiency or binocular vision weakness
  • Difficulty quickly changing focus between near and distance
  • Reading fatigue or headaches when switching gaze
  • Sports or occupational needs for rapid refocusing

Download this Pdf of Hart Chart

hart_chart_farDownload
  1. Prepare Your Charts
    • On-screen chart: This is the On-screen chart which you will use for near.
    • Wall-mounted chart: Download and print the PDF at A4 size. Tape it on a wall at eye-level, about 3 m (10 ft) from where you’ll stand or sit.
  2. Position Yourself
    • Screen distance: Hold your device or sit so the on-screen chart is about 40 cm (16 in) from your eyes.
    • Wall distance: Face the printed chart at 3 m, keeping your head still—only your eyes should move.
  3. Reading Sequence
    • Line 1: Read the first row of letters on the screen,(when you click, the letter enlarges) then immediately shift your gaze and read the first row on the wall chart.
    • Line 2: Move back to the screen, read row 2, then back to the wall, read row 2.
    • Continue this line-by-line alternation through all 10 rows.
  4. Session Details
    • Cycles: One full pass through all 10 rows on both charts = 1 cycle.
    • Duration & Frequency:
      • Acute phase: 3–5 cycles, twice daily (morning & evening)
      • Maintenance: 3–5 cycles, once daily
  5. Form & Focus
    • Keep your head stationary; use only eye movements.
    • If you lose your place or letters blur, pause, blink, refocus, and resume.
    • Speak letters aloud or subvocalize to confirm accuracy.
  6. Tracking Progress
    • Log: Date, number of cycles, any letters repeated.
    • Rate Comfort: 1 (very easy) to 10 (very difficult).
    • Over time you should see fewer repeats, faster shifts, and lower difficulty ratings.

By alternating line-by-line between your device and the wall-mounted chart, you’ll strengthen your eye’s ability to switch focus quickly and comfortably—helping with reading, screen work, sports, and daily tasks.