Most of us are familiar with workplace stretches for our back and neck, but few people think about stretching their eyes. Eye yoga has become an increasingly recognised addition to good DSE eyecare. For HR professionals, it offers a practical, engaging way to encourage staff to rest their eyes during the working day.
Why eye exercises matter
The modern employee spends the majority of their day focusing on near objects. This sustained visual demand can cause eye strain, dryness and headaches. A UK survey in 2024 found that almost 90% of digital device users reported eye discomfort, with 94% also experiencing neck or shoulder pain. These issues often overlap, as posture and visual strain are closely connected.
Encouraging employees to take regular “eye breaks” helps counteract this. Short visual exercises promote blinking, improve focus flexibility and give the eyes a chance to recover from constant close-up work. When integrated with standard DSE practices, such as correct screen positioning and adequate lighting, they can make a noticeable difference.
What exactly is eye yoga?
Eye yoga refers to controlled eye movements that relieve tension and refresh vision. It can be done discreetly at a desk, without any special equipment or disruption to work.
Five easy exercises for screen-users
Here are five brief exercises that employees can undertake in the workstation context. Encourage them to take 1-2 minutes every hour (or at least at a natural break point, after a meeting for example).
- Blink and relax
○ Sit upright. Close your eyes gently for 2-3 seconds, then open them naturally.
○ Repeat 10 times.
○ This helps reduce dryness that occurs when blink rate falls during screen use. - Near-to-far focus
○ Hold a finger about 30cm in front of you, focus on it for 10 seconds.
○ Then shift your focus to something about 6-8 metres away for 10 seconds.
○ Repeat 5 times.
○ This trains the focusing system and gives a break to the constant near-vision demand of a screen. - Eye rolling
○ Sit upright. Slow roll your eyes clockwise in a full circle, then counterclockwise.
○ Do this 3 times each direction.
○ This encourages gentle eye-movement, which can relieve muscle fatigue. - Horizontal ‘shifts’
○ Sit upright and look straight ahead. Look to your left as far as comfortable (without moving your head) for 5 seconds, then look to your right for 5 seconds.
○ Repeat 5 times.
○ This is useful for reducing stiffness and refocusing outside the static screen-centre. - Palming (short rest)
○ Rub your palms together until they are warm, then gently cup them over your closed eyes (without touching your eyelids) for 20-30 seconds.
○ This gives a brief visual “reset” in low-light and reduces optical stress.
Integrating eyecare into workplace culture
The key to success is consistency. A short two-minute break every hour is often more effective than a single long pause during lunch. HR teams can encourage employees to set gentle reminders or take a collective break after virtual meetings.
It’s important to present eye yoga as an addition to, not a replacement for, other aspects of DSE eyecare. Regular eye tests remain essential. The exercises simply provide another tool to help employees manage their comfort and energy levels throughout the day.
The HR advantage
Supporting eye health through initiatives like this sends a clear message: the organisation values its people. It shows foresight and genuine care, aligning with wider wellbeing and productivity goals. Employees who feel better physically are more likely to remain focused, motivated and engaged.
Incorporating brief eyecare routines into internal wellbeing programmes is also a cost-effective measure. It requires no specialist equipment, takes little time and offers a tangible benefit that employees can feel immediately.
If you would like more information on DSE eyecare, get in touch with our team today.