The eyes are surrounded by a muscle called the orbicularis occuli. When you squint in strong sunlight or close your eyes tightly, you are using this muscle.

As the muscles becomes weak and flaccid, the eyes can start to look droopy, crows feet can form at the edge of each eye and eye bags can appear.

There are three exercises that help to tone the upper, side and lower parts of the eye muscle in isolation, for a more alert, awake and bright-eyed expression. This is the first one.

As this muscle gains tone, you should feel tension across the upper part of your eyes, between the eyebrows and eyelids.

Place the thumbs of each hand against the upper eye sockets, under your eyebrows, with your fingers placed on either side of your head.

Press gently upwards against the upper eye socket bone to provide resistance, and now try to close the lids of your eyelids. Your eyelids may flutter with the exertion as you slowly try to close them.

It may help to look downwards with your eyes while you perform this exercise. Feel the tension between your eyebrows and upper eyelids only.

Try to close your eyes against the resistance of your fingers. Hold for a count of up to 30 seconds, then slowly release the tension. Do this once a day