Are your eyes sore, itchy, or bloodshot red? Do you feel like dust or some foreign object is stuck in your eyes? If your answer is a yes, you probably have dry eye. This condition happens when a person lacks enough tears to lubricate the eye due to different factors including age, gender, medications, medical conditions, environmental conditions, and others.
To help you ease the irritation caused by dry eyes, we have listed some great home remedies for dry eyes which you can use even without leaving the premises of your home.
Some Easy Home Remedies for Dry Eyes
The following are some steps which you can take for a quick relief of dry eye:
1. Try Frequent Blinking
One of the easiest and cheapest home remedies for dry eyes, is simply blinking. Blinking more helps in maintaining nourishment and in the cleansing of the eyes. It allows your eyes to be kept coated with tears which is necessary for clear vision.
One of the causes of dry eye is long exposures to computer or television screens or prolonged reading. By trying to blink every so often while in front of a screen or a book, you may be able to keep your eyes moist.
Wearing contact lenses may also prevent you from blinking more frequently since rubbing on an artificial surface is not something our eyelids are designed for. So if you’re able to allocate times to remove your contact lenses – say at night when you’re sleeping, then this could make a significant difference.
Furthermore, keeping your eyes closed whenever possible also has benefits in maintaining eye health.
2. Clean Your Eyelids
To keep your eyes healthy, make it a habit to clean your eyelids daily. This may prevent dry eye condition. But if you are already experiencing scratchy eyes, cleaning your eyelids and lashes will still help.
Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly first before proceeding with cleaning your eyelids. To keep your eyes from further irritation from soap, use baby shampoo or a mild cleanser in cleaning the surroundings of your eyes. Make sure to thoroughly rinse away the shampoo after cleansing to avoid further irritation.
You may also use eyelid cleansing wipes which you may buy in drugstores.
Tea tree oil can also be used for cleaning as it is an antibacterial agent which is clinically effective against bacterial plaque, which is the most common cause behind blepharitis – the name for inflammation of the eyelid margin.
3. Apply a Warm Compress
Warmth eases pain, increases blood circulation, and helps in healing other problems that affect the eye. You’ll enjoy this home remedy for dry eyes. For a warm compress, you may use a soft towel or a cloth soaked in warm water to help ease the pain of having dry eye.
If you wish to keep the procedure dry, you may prepare a home-made dry hot compress by using a sock filled with oats, rice, or beans, whichever you prefer. After securing the sock from spilling the contents, place it in a microwave to heat.
After the procedure, you may cover your eyes with clean fabric and place the heated tube sock on top of your eyes. If the sock is too hot for your skin, you may wait for a few minutes to cool it down and repeat the process.
4. Use Eye drops
Eye drops may either be prescribed or bought over the counter to treat common eye complaints like sore, itch, or inflammation of the eyes. These drops are designed to help your eyes be relieved of the inconvenience brought about by dry eyes to make you feel more comfortable.
When using your eye drops, it would be easier if you sit down and tilt your head while making a pocket-like shape with your eye bags. This way, it will prevent the drops to flow outside of your eyes. If you find it a little difficult, you may lie down totally and do the same procedure.
How to Prevent Dry Eyes
To keep from having dry eye again, we also have listed some steps for prevention.
1. Stay Hydrated
Our eyes are protected by fluid from dust and other foreign bodies that may enter them. For us to be able to maintain the correct balance of fluid in our eyes, it is important to always be hydrated. By drinking 10-12 glasses of water per day, we can prevent both our body and our eyes from becoming dehydrated.
It is best to drink plain water, but in case you don’t like it plain, you may drink other beverages, provided they do not contain alcohol or caffeine. You may also eat water-rich foods such as watermelon, strawberry, grapefruit, cauliflower, cantaloupe, and peaches, among others.
To help you monitor the sufficiency of the fluid in your body, you may check the color of your pee. The lighter it gets, the more likely that you have enough fluid in your body.
2. Eat Food Rich in Omega-3
There were studies conducted which have shown that omega-3 fatty acids are needed for the development of normal infant vision. Several studies also suggest that these fatty acids may help in preventing our eyes from having dry eye syndrome.
Eating sea foods such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, herring, and oysters may help you have the needed amount of omega 3 in your body. Other foods rich in omega 3 also include flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.
3. Keep Indoor Air Moist
Keeping the air moist helps in preventing you from suffering dry eye condition. Even in cold weather, you should not crank up the thermostat as it is one of the causes of dry air at home. Instead of whacking the thermostat up, you may put on an extra layer of clothing to keep warm without sacrificing the quality of the air inside you r home.
4. Avoid Exposure to Too Much Wind
Usage of fan or hair dryers may contribute to having dry eye. To prevent from having this condition, you might as well limit the use of such. If it is quite windy outdoors and you have no other choice than to go out, wearing wraparound sunglasses may help you protect your eyes from dust and other foreign objects which may be carried by the wind.
5. Avoid Exposure to Smoke
Among the many dangerous effects that cigarette smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke have, the development of dry eye condition is an addition to the long list. The smoke may also irritate your eyes further should you already have dry eye condition.
Our eyes are our primary means to see how beautiful this world is so it is but right to take good care of them. Having dry eye may cause too much inconvenience so let us take the necessary precautionary measures to prevent from having such problem.
Further Reading:
https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/dry-eye
http://drbenkim.com/blinking-healthy-eyes-vision.html
http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/blepharitis.htm
http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/tc/warm-compresses-for-eye-problems-topic-overview
http://m.wikihow.com/Make-a-Warm-Compress
https://www.aop.org.uk/advice-and-support/for-patients/eye-care-blogs/2016/10/17/expert-advice-on-using-eye-drops
https://www.visionexpress.com/eye-health/eye-care/healthy-diet/
http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/dry-eyes-home-remedies#3
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/list-fruits-vegetable-high-water-content-8958.html
http://www.allaboutvision.com/nutrition/fatty_acid_1.htm
http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-omega-3-rich-foods#section13
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/dry-eye-tips
