Working long hours in front of a screen can cause digital eye strain, dry eyes, and headaches — common problems for developers and anyone in tech.
To reduce the risk and give your eyes regular relief, follow the 20-20-20 Rule:
⏱️ Every 20 minutes,
👀 Look at something 20 feet away,
🧘 For at least 20 seconds.
👁️ Why it works
When you focus on screens for extended periods, your eye muscles get tired — similar to how any other muscle feels after overuse. This rule helps:
- Relax your eye muscles
- Prevent dry eyes by encouraging blinking
- Maintain visual focus for longer coding sessions
🧘 Bonus Eye Care Tips
- Blink more often (we blink ~66% less while using screens!)
- Use lubricating eye drops if your eyes feel dry
- Set screen brightness to match your ambient lighting
- Consider using blue light filters or night mode
💡 Developer Tip
You can set a timer or use extensions like:
- EyeCare Reminder (Chrome Extension)
- Pomodoro timers with eye-care intervals
- macOS/iOS Screen Time alerts
Protect your vision — it's your most important dev tool! 👓