What's the difference between half circles and eye circles?

Eye circles go all the way round. Half circles trace only the top or bottom half and then reverse, which is gentler and easier to keep smooth.

Half-circle eye exercise

An arch over the top, then a dip below. Half circles go back and forth instead of all the way round, so they're gentler than full eye circles.

40 sec guided
2 steps
Good for: When full circles feel like too much

Follow the arch: bottom left, over the top, to bottom right

Step 1 of 240 sec

How to do it

Head still. Imagine a large clock face in front of you.
Trace the top half: from 9 o'clock, up over 12, to 3 o'clock, then back. Keep going for 20 seconds.
Now the bottom half: from 9 o'clock, down under 6, to 3 o'clock, and back, for 20 seconds.
Blink and look into the distance.

Why it helps, and what the evidence says

Eye rotations were part of the routines in small eye yoga studies that found lower eye fatigue. Half circles keep the curved movement but reverse at each end, which many people find easier to follow smoothly. There's no evidence they improve eyesight.

Tips

Move only as far as feels easy, keep your head still, and stop if you feel dizzy, get a headache or see double.
Slow down at each end and let your eyes settle before reversing.