The 20-20-20 rule: what a study found about screen breaks
Updated 2026-11-02
Quick answerThe 20-20-20 rule means every 20 minutes you look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. In a 2023 study of 29 computer users, break reminders based on the rule reduced digital eye strain and dry-eye symptoms after two weeks, but the benefit faded once the reminders stopped. It was not a migraine study.
Study details
- 29 symptomatic computer users, 2 weeks of reminders.
- Eye strain and dry-eye symptoms decreased.
- Benefits were not maintained one week after stopping.
How to use it
- Set a recurring timer or reminder app.
- Look out a window or across the room.
- Blink fully; screen use lowers blink rate (AAO).
FAQ
Does 20-20-20 prevent migraine?
It hasn't been tested for migraine; it reduced eye strain in one study.
Why did the benefit fade?
People stopped taking breaks once reminders ended.
Sources
- Talens-Estarelles C et al. The effects of breaks on digital eye strain, dry eye and binocular vision: testing the 20-20-20 rule. Cont Lens Anterior Eye, 2023. Link
- American Academy of Ophthalmology: Computers, digital devices and eye strain (20-20-20 rule). Link
Not a medical device and not medical advice. Migraine Mode is a screen-comfort tool: it does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent migraine or any other condition, and it does not replace a doctor. Its settings are based on studies of light, colour, flicker, patterns and motion; the extension itself has not been clinically tested. When to see a doctor.