Near exercises, such as pencil push-ups, may be beneficial for individuals with diagnosed convergence insufficiency or difficulty turning eyes inward.

“I mean they they require a little bit of work just like going to the gym but you know you know 25 reps a day of near far um especially as one is transitioning from age 30 to age 50 — is it worthwhile yeah is it harmful in any way definitely not harmful and again uh you know would it slow down or sort of um slow down your progression to Presby opio or needing those reading glasses — could be some people also develop um sort of uh you know a real failure to properly turn their eyes in and so they actually would benefit if you've been diagnosed with that inability you're having double vision at near but not at distance — so that kind of convergence insufficiency for example that then pencil push-ups often get prescribed as a way to try to exercise those skills in you know uh in your eye muscles”