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Eye Exercises

Exercise 1 of 10

Look Up

Look up as far as you can

3s

Guided eye exercises and focus breaks for the strain that builds during long stretches at a screen.

Digital eye strain comes largely from two things: sustained close focus without variation, and a reduced blink rate. People blink substantially less when concentrating on a screen, which is why eyes feel dry as well as tired.

How to use it

  1. Follow the guided sequence of focus changes and eye movements.
  2. Blink deliberately and fully during the exercises.
  3. Return to it periodically through a long screen session.

Reducing screen eye strain

  • Use the 20-20-20 rule: every twenty minutes, look at something twenty feet away for twenty seconds. This relaxes the focusing muscle, which is what fatigues.
  • Blink deliberately. Blink rate drops by more than half during concentrated screen work, which is a major cause of dryness.
  • Position the screen slightly below eye level, so the eyelids cover more of the eye surface and reduce evaporation.
  • Match screen brightness to the room. A bright screen in a dark room forces the eyes to work considerably harder.
  • Reduce glare from windows and overhead lights, which is a frequent and easily fixed cause of strain.

A note on scope

These are general wellbeing exercises, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are recovering from injury, or find that an exercise causes pain rather than mild discomfort, speak to a qualified professional rather than working through it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every twenty minutes, look at something about twenty feet away for twenty seconds. Shifting focus to a distance relaxes the eye's focusing muscle, which is what tires during sustained close work.
Does screen use damage your eyes?
Current evidence does not support permanent damage from ordinary screen use. It does reliably cause temporary strain, dryness, and fatigue, which is what these exercises address.
Why do my eyes feel dry at a computer?
Because blink rate falls sharply during concentrated screen work, often by more than half, which lets the eye surface dry out. Deliberate blinking helps directly.