๐ Eye Strain Break Timer
A break timer based on the eye-doctor-recommended "20-20-20 rule": every 20 minutes of screen work, look at something 20 feet (about 6m) away for 20 seconds. A chime plays when your work session ends, and the timer automatically resumes work after the break. Helpful for preventing eye strain from long hours at a computer or phone.
How to use
- Set your work duration (default 20 minutes).
- Press "Start" to begin the timer.
- When the work session ends, a chime plays and the timer switches to a 20-second break โ look away from the screen at something far away and relax.
How the calculation works
This is a break timer based on the 20-20-20 rule recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and others: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 m) away for 20 seconds to ease the eye strain of focusing on a nearby screen. When the work period (20 minutes by default) ends, a chime plays and a 20-second break starts. When the break ends, the chime plays again and the next work period starts automatically. The number of completed breaks is shown. Rather than subtracting one every second, the timer records when the current period ends and recalculates the time left on each tick. Browsers throttle timers in hidden tabs, so a simple countdown falls behind while you work in another tab; this approach is not affected.
Worked example
Start at 10:00 with a 20-minute work period 10:20 work ends, chime, 20-second break 10:20:20 break ends, chime, work resumes 10:40:20 second break Eight hours at a computer comes to about 24 breaks.
Things to be aware of
- During the break, look out of a window or at something far away to relax the eye muscles that focus.
- Keeping the screen about 40โ70 cm away and slightly below eye level reduces strain.
- People blink less when looking at screens. If dryness, pain or blurred vision persists, see an eye doctor.
FAQ
What is the 20-20-20 rule?
An eye-doctor-recommended habit: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6m) away for 20 seconds, to reduce eye strain from prolonged close-up screen focus.
Can I change the work duration from 20 minutes?
Yes. You can set the work duration anywhere from 1 to 120 minutes. The break duration is fixed at 20 seconds.
Does the timer keep running if I switch tabs?
The timer keeps accurate time even when you switch to other tabs. Browsers throttle timers in background tabs, but this tool records the end time and recalculates the time remaining on every tick, so it does not drift. Closing the tab does stop the timer, and the chime only plays while this tab is open.