Faster eye movements can create greater mental effort, but the fastest setting isn’t automatically the most effective or comfortable.
During EMDR, following a moving target while recalling a memory divides attention between two tasks. Researchers have investigated whether changing the speed affects how vividly and emotionally that memory is recalled.
What does the research say?
A leading explanation involves working memory: the limited mental resources we use to hold information in mind. Faster eye movements can make tracking more demanding, potentially leaving fewer resources available for recalling an emotional image.
Experimental studies have found that faster eye movements sometimes produce greater reductions in memory vividness and emotionality than slower movements.
An interesting finding: A 2015 study compared slower eye movements (0.8 full cycles per second) with faster ones (1.2 cycles per second). The faster condition generally produced greater reductions in memory vividness and emotionality.
A 2016 study similarly found benefits from more demanding eye movements, but did not support adjusting speed according to a person’s measured working-memory capacity.
The limitation: These were laboratory studies of memory recall, not tests of DIYEMDR or long-term PTSD treatment. They don’t establish a universally optimal speed or show that continuously increasing speed improves results.
How to choose a speed in DIYEMDR
DIYEMDR lets you adjust the moving orb’s speed. Rather than aiming for the fastest setting, focus on whether tracking feels comfortable and manageable.
Explore the speed settings using a neutral focus first. Start at a pace your eyes can follow without effort or strain.
If you lose track of the orb, notice blurred vision, or feel your eyes tiring, slow down or pause. You shouldn’t need to force yourself to keep up.
Screen width and viewing distance also influence how far your eyes need to move. The same speed setting may feel different on a phone and a desktop monitor.
There is no need to increase speed to prove you’re making progress. If movement becomes uncomfortable, take a break or consider the optional guiding sounds.
Stop if tracking causes significant eye discomfort, dizziness, disorientation, or overwhelming distress. Faster movement is not a reason to continue an exercise that no longer feels manageable.
DIYEMDR is a self-help tool, not a substitute for professionally delivered EMDR therapy. Trauma reprocessing requires appropriate clinical assessment and support.
Explore the speed settings
DIYEMDR offers adjustable visual movement and optional guiding sounds. Familiarize yourself with the controls before starting a self-guided exercise.
Explore DIYEMDR →