Eye Cool

Isn't it strange that eye exercise apps ask you to stare at a screen?

20-20-20, palming and near-far focus only work if you look away. EyeCool guides those with voice. The screen goes dark, and you look out the window or close your eyes.

■ Every exercise is open from the start

No paywall between you and the drills. All ten are free.

■ It logs time spent in bright light

Large studies repeatedly link outdoor time to delaying the ONSET of myopia in children; about 120 minutes a day is the commonly used figure. The same studies report it does not slow progression in eyes that are already myopic. This app keeps that distinction.

■ Evidence, labelled

Every exercise carries a badge: Strong evidence / Some evidence / For relaxation / Traditional. Where the evidence is weak, we say so.

■ What's inside

· Rest (voice-guided): 20-20-20 distance break, palming, full blinks, near-far focus, figure eight

· Drills: saccades, smooth pursuit, peripheral vision, flash reading

· Outdoor time log

■ What it records

Reaction time, accuracy, exposure threshold, day streak. It does not MEASURE eyesight.

■ Safety

· Nothing on screen flickers faster than 3 Hz (photosensitivity limit).

· You cannot train more than 10 minutes at once, or 20 minutes a day. Eyes need rest.

· Works offline.

■ Please read

This app is not a medical device and does not replace an eye exam or prescription. There is no evidence that eye exercises improve myopia. See an eye doctor immediately if you have sudden loss of vision, flashes of light, a sudden increase in floaters, eye pain, or double vision.