Eye exercise guide

Palming eye exercise — a step-by-step guide

Palming is the simplest relaxation break in EyeFit: you close your eyes, cup your palms over them so no light gets in, and breathe slowly for a few minutes. Nothing presses on the eyes — the heels of your hands rest on your cheekbones.

Most EyeFit routines open with palming as a settling-in step, and the eyestrain routine uses it twice. Many people also use it on its own as a short pause between long stretches of screen work.

⏱ 1–5 min in EyeFit routines 😴 Eyes closed 🔄 Used in 11 of 11 routines

Wellness only — not medical care. These are general eye-comfort and relaxation exercises. They are not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and do not treat, cure, or prevent any eye disease. For any vision problem, see a qualified eye-care professional — do not delay or replace medical care. Sudden changes in vision, flashes of light, a shower of new floaters or eye pain need urgent care.

How to do it

A few quiet minutes with your eyes covered — a restful break from light and screens.

Close your eyes.
Place your left hand over your left eye and right hand over right eye.
Rest the heel of your palms on your cheekbones, elbows on a table.
Breathe slowly and deeply.
Relax your face and eyes — do not press on your eyes, eyelids, or eyebrows.

Tip: You may want to place a pillow under your elbows for comfort.

Watch the demo

Demo video — the same clip the EyeFit timer shows under "Watch Demo".

What you need

A table to rest your elbows on
A cushion under the elbows (optional)

When to stop

Never press on the eyeballs or eyelids.
If covering your eyes causes discomfort, stop and simply sit with your eyes closed instead.

Do it with a guided timer

EyeFit runs this exercise inside timed routines — each step counts down, beeps when time is up and shows the steps and demo on screen. Free, in your browser. It appears in:

Presbyopia & Hyperopia routine — 30 min total, this exercise 3 min
Myopia routine — 25 min total, this exercise 3 min
Astigmatism routine — 30 min total, this exercise 3 min
Lazy Eye & Crossed Eyes routine — 22 min total, this exercise 3 min
Eye Floaters routine — 25 min total, this exercise 3 + 3 min
Dry Eye Syndrome routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 min
Cataract routine — 28 min total, this exercise 3 min
Eyestrain routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 + 5 min
Macular Degeneration routine — 25 min total, this exercise 3 min
Glaucoma & EpiRetinal Membrane routine — 25 min total, this exercise 3 + 1 min
Keratoconus routine — 25 min total, this exercise 3 + 1 min

Browse all EyeFit routines What is EyeFit?

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