What is the figure eight eye exercise good for?

It's a smooth, relaxing eye-movement break from fixed screen focus. There's no evidence it improves vision or fixes refractive errors.

How long should I do the figure eight exercise?

About 20 seconds in each direction is enough for a break.

Figure eight eye exercise

Trace a smooth infinity path (∞) with your eyes, then the other way round. One smooth path with no sudden stops, so it's easy to follow.

40 sec guided
2 steps
Good for: A smooth, calming movement break

Trace the infinity path with your eyes

Step 1 of 240 sec

How to do it

Head still. Pick a spot about 8 to 10 feet (2.5 to 3 m) away, or follow the dot.
Imagine a large figure eight lying on its side (∞) around that spot.
Trace it slowly with your eyes for 20 seconds: one loop takes about 8 seconds.
Switch direction for another 20 seconds.
Blink a few times and look into the distance.

Why it helps, and what the evidence says

The figure eight combines side-to-side and curved movement in one smooth path, which makes it easy to follow without jerky stops. Like other eye-movement exercises, its evidence is limited to small eye yoga studies that found lower eye fatigue. It won't improve your eyesight, but it's a pleasant way to break up close focus.

Tips

Move only as far as feels easy, keep your head still, and stop if you feel dizzy, get a headache or see double.
Breathe slowly. Some people find the rhythm calming.