A 20-20-20 timer for seniors.
Eye comfort matters more as we age — the tear film thins, near-focus becomes harder, and the same hour of screen time produces more end-of-day fatigue than it did in your forties. EYE CARE is a free 20-20-20 timer with a calm, distraction-free interface designed to be easy to read and operate, with no signup, no ads in your face, and large, accessible controls.
Why eye care matters more after 50
- Tear production naturally decreases with age, making prolonged screen time more likely to produce the burning, gritty feeling of dry eye.
- Presbyopia and accommodation difficulties mean near-focus tasks take more effort — the ciliary muscle fatigues faster than it used to.
- Many older adults take medications (antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure drugs) that further reduce tear production, compounding the strain.
How to use it day to day
Open eyecare.love in a tab whenever you are reading, writing email, or video-calling with family. Every 20 minutes, the screen will gently chime and show a 20-second break overlay; look across the room or out a window. Twenty seconds is enough to relax the focus muscle and let your eyes recover. The text size in the timer is intentionally large and high-contrast. You can also install the page to your iPad or phone home screen for one-tap access.
What the rule does not replace
Regular comprehensive eye exams become more important after 50 — glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration are all best caught early. The 20-20-20 rule helps with day-to-day comfort but is not a substitute for clinical care. If you experience sudden vision changes, persistent floaters, or eye pain, see an eye doctor promptly. Lubricating drops (preservative-free) can also help if dry eye is a daily issue.
Common questions
- Does the rule work for older adults too?
- Yes — and the benefit may be larger, because age-related tear-film thinning makes screen-induced dry eye more likely. The 20-second break gives the eye time to re-wet itself.
- I wear bifocals — does that change anything?
- No. The 20-20-20 rule applies regardless of corrective lenses. Looking across the room or out a window engages the distance portion of your lenses naturally.
- Will it work on my iPad?
- Yes. EYE CARE runs in Safari on iPad and can be installed to the home screen for one-tap access from the share menu.
- The text is too small — can I make it bigger?
- The timer scales with your browser zoom level. On most browsers, hold Ctrl/Cmd and press + to increase text size. Larger text and accessibility-focused themes are on the roadmap.