Simple eye exercises for tired eyes after long screen days

Before you start

Comfort comes first.

• Look away from the screen and sit back comfortably
• If you wear glasses, it's fine to take them off for some exercises
• Keep your head still and move only your eyes
• If you feel dizzy or uncomfortable, stop and rest with your eyes closed

Step-by-step eye exercises

Go slowly — there's no need to rush. The whole set takes just a few minutes.

• 1. Slow blinking — close your eyes fully, then open them slowly. Repeat a few times.
• 2. Squeeze and open — gently squeeze your eyes shut, hold for a moment, then relax and open.
• 3. Look up and down — keep your head still and slowly look up, then down.
• 4. Look left and right — slowly look to the far left, then the far right.
• 5. Eye circles — trace a large, slow circle with your gaze, then go the other way.
• 6. Near and far focus — look at a finger held in front of you, then at something far away, like out of the window. Switch a few times.
• 7. Palming — rub your palms together to warm them, then cup them lightly over your closed eyes without pressing, and rest in the dark.
• 8. Eyes-closed rest — finish by keeping your eyes closed for a moment, then open them slowly.

When to do it

Doing it regularly matters more than doing it at an exact time. Attach it to the seams of your day: before you start work, after lunch, and when you put your phone down before sleep. In between, use the 20-20-20 rule for quick look-far breaks.

Follow along with Gazely

Gazely has 16 guided eye exercises, including slow blinking, eye circles, figure eight, near and far focus, palming and eyes-closed rest. You follow a dot on the screen, and for eyes-closed steps your phone's text-to-speech reads the instructions while a vibration marks each change.

There are routines for a morning eye wake-up, a desk break, blinking for dry eyes and winding down before sleep, plus a 1-minute eye break. Pause, skip or go back any time. Every exercise is unlocked, there's no account, and it works offline.

Not medical advice

This guide is general information about resting your eyes on long screen days, not medical advice. These exercises do not improve vision or treat or prevent any condition. If discomfort, dryness, pain or changes in your vision persist, please see an eye doctor.