Why it works
The 20-20-20 rule
Staring at a screen makes you blink less and keeps your eye muscles locked at one focal distance, causing dryness and fatigue (digital eye strain). Looking far away every 20 minutes relaxes those muscles and prompts you to blink — a simple, evidence-backed habit optometrists recommend.
⚕️ General wellbeing guidance. Persistent eye pain, headaches or vision changes should be checked by an optometrist or GP.
Questions
Does the 20-20-20 rule actually help?
Yes — regular distance breaks reduce the eye-muscle fatigue and dryness of screen use. It won't fix an underlying vision problem, but it eases everyday strain.
Will the timer keep running if I switch tabs?
It keeps counting in the background in most browsers. Leave the tab open and it'll prompt you each cycle.
Sources
Evidence-based · last reviewed July 2026