Eyes and screen breaks Stretches and Exercises for Desk Workers

This page offers simple exercises for your eyes that you can do at your desk. Find quick movements and screen break ideas to help you feel more comfortable during your workday.

Choose one or two exercises to try between tasks or during a short break. Pay attention to how you feel, and stop if you experience any discomfort or pain.

4 movements

Movement	Position	Dose	Equipment	Visibility
20-20-20 Rule	seated or standing	20 seconds	none	low
Palming Eyes	seated	30 to 60 seconds	chair, desk	low
Blinking Exercises	seated or standing	1 to 2 seconds	none	low
Eye Focus Exercise	seated or standing	2 to 5 seconds	none	low

When to see a doctor or physio

Gentle movement should feel like mild tension or effort, never sharp pain. Stop and get checked if a movement causes numbness, tingling, pain that spreads into an arm or leg, dizziness, or pain that lingers or gets worse after you stop. If you have a recent injury, surgery or an ongoing condition, ask your doctor or a physical therapist which movements suit you.

All body areas · Desk setup and habit guides

How this page was put together: general guidance consistent with public workstation and movement-break resources from OSHA, CDC/NIOSH and the NHS, and with standard exercise handouts. It was drafted with AI assistance, checked in a separate review pass and edited under our editorial policy. It is not medical advice and no clinician reviewed it. Last checked October 2026.