Home remedies for dry eyes
Dry eyes occur when your tear glands don’t produce enough tears to lubricate your eyes.
A few easy steps can make an effective treatment plan – get home remedies for dry eyes here.
If your conditions persist, worsen, or your eye color changes, consult your eye doctor immediately.
Home remedies for dry eyes: What works?
The severity and chronicity of dry eyes can affect the cornea and negatively impact life.
You can now try a dry eye management. Try these 5 tips of home remedies for dry eyes to help you.
INCREASE YOUR OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Eating more salmon can help your dry eyes. Research shows that those who consumed larger amounts of omega-3 fatty acids had a 17% lower risk of dry eyes.
You can get your omega-3s from fish, walnuts, vegetable oils, and flaxseed.
Supplements can help you get the ideal amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
Supplements are the most effective way of home remedies for dry eyes.
FREQUENTLY BLINK
If you work on the computer for long periods, try blinking more.
Staring at digital devices can make you blink less frequently, leading to dry eyes.
You can combat this by following the 20/20 rule, close your eyes every 20 minutes for 20 seconds.
Another trick you can use is placing a note on your computer reminding yourself to blink.
WARM COMPRESSES
If you experience evaporative dry eye disease, it may be because your meibomian glands have become clogged or plugged.
When your tears don’t have enough oil to protect them from evaporating, your eyes can become dry and inflamed.
Relax with a warm compress to cleanse your eyelids and improve oil flow through your eyelid glands. This will help to improve the quality of your tears and alleviate dry eyes.
To relieve your irritation and loosen clogged oils, you can use a microbead or gel warm compress.
Heat it in the microwave oven and place it over your closed eyes for at least ten minute while gently massage and pressing along the edge of your eyelid to remove blocked oils. Immediately followed by eyelid cleansing.
We highly recommend Avenova eyelid cleanser.
CLEAN YOUR EYELASHES
Dry eye disease can cause inflammation of the eyelids. You can relieve this inflammation by cleaning your eyelids, including the surrounding hair and skin.
Some eye doctors still recommend using shampoo or soap to clean your eye lashes. We since know that baby shampoo does not work.
Specialized wipes available for purchase can help you clean your lashes and eyelids.
EYE DROPS
Over-the-counter artificial tears can help keep your eyes moisturized; they work similarly to normal tears. Many common eye drops have preservatives added for longer use, but these may irritate your eyes more. Thicker gels for dry eyes are an additional option.
If these home remedies for dry eyes do not help you. Consult your eye doctor right away.
What is dry eye syndrome (DES)?
Dry eye disease is a chronic condition occurring when there is instability within the tear film.
Three layers form the tear film: mucus, aqueous fluid, and lipid (oil).
When complications develop in one of these layers, it can lead to inflammation and dry eye symptoms.
Dry eyes can lead to many painful side effects and may affect your productivity at work and at leisure.
Dry eyes are also caused by allergic reactions to certain medicines and antihistamines.
Symptoms
The symptoms of dry eye disease include:
- Light sensitivity
- Eye redness
- Watery eyes
- Stinging, scratching, or burning eyes
- Blurred vision
- Foreign object sensation
Dry eyes typically occur due to one of two reasons, aqueous deficient or evaporative dry eye.
Causes
The most common cause of dry eye syndrome is the lack of tear production to lubricate the eyeballs.
Dry eye syndrome can also be caused by medical conditions, environmental factors, and even certain medications such as:
- Antihistamines;
- Nasal decongestants;
- Drugs to lower blood pressure
- Hormone therapy and
- Oral contraceptives
- Acne medication
- Anti-depressants/anti-psychotic
Who is affected by sore eyes?
Dryness of the eyes is common in the older adult population. As a result, tears begin declining.
It can become a common sight in older adults, but anyone can have dry eyes and have watery eyes.
However, there is a risk of dry eyes in some individuals, even without any medical conditions.
What causes dry eyes?
Dry eyes are chronic diseases that develop from faulty tear film.
A tear film is composed of three layers — mucus, water and liquid lipids.
Often the complications of one of these layers cause inflammatory or dry eyes.
Dry eye disease usually results from aqueous deficiency or evaporative dry eye.
Risk factors for dry eyes
There are a few different factors increasing someone’s chances of experiencing dry eyes. These risk factors include:
- Age: Tear production can begin to diminish with age; making people over 50 more likely to experience dry eyes
- Diet: People whose diet lacks vitamin A have a higher chance of developing dry eye disease
- Gender: A lack of tears is more common in women, & hormonal changes from pregnancy, contraceptives, & menopause can affect this
- Contact lenses: Frequently wearing contact lenses can increase your likelihood of experiencing dry eyes
- Smoking- Stop cigarette smoke
How do we prevent or reduce dry eyes?
If you are unsure about your eye health, you can make an appointment with the eye doctor.
However, there are natural options for temporary relief. Learn about home remedies for dry eyes here.
The following natural dry eye remedy list can be tried and will help to cure the dry eye!
13 simple home remedies for dry eyes
Home remedies may take care of mild and temporary instances of the condition.
If the symptoms persist or get worse, or if you develop new symptoms, it’s time to see an eye doctor.
These symptoms may suggest that dry eye is masking a more serious condition, such as blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids) or inflammation of the cornea (Conjunctivitis)
You can find relief through this quick and easy home remedies that will help dry eyes.
1. Wash Your Eyelids and Lashes
Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information
When you wash your face, pay careful attention to your eyelids and eyelashes. Use a preservative-free eyelid cleanser to gently clean your upper and lower eyelids.
Special attention should be paid to areas with makeup or facial creams that could get into the tear film and potentially irritate your eyes.
Follow up with a mask or warm, damp towel — using it as a compress — to help your eyes regain moisture.
Do not use baby shampoo as some eye doctors will instruct you to do. They don’t work.
2. Rest Your Eyes
Constant connectivity could be contributing to your dry eyes. The light from your computer screen, smartphone, and television can be irritating.
Furthermore, reduced blink rate or incomplete blinking can contribute to dry eyes.
According to the National Institutes of Health, numerous studies show computer users sometimes have reduced blink rate, which may contribute to dry eye syndrome.
Others indicate inefficient blinking – where your upper eyelid does not cover your entire corneal surface – can impede the layer of fluids designed to nourish and lubricate the eye. This layer of lipids may evaporate completely due to inefficient blinking.
Take regular computer breaks to rest your eyes and avoid computer-related eye strain.
3. Blink More Frequently
Deliberate, forceful blinks help promote eye health and open up glands. But those blinks can seem and look unnatural.
Instead, try practicing normal-looking complete blinks to get the hang of blinking enough.
4. Add Essential Fatty Acids to Your Diet
According to the American Association of Ophthalmology, Omega-3 oils improve the function of the gland that produces tears, and they can naturally reduce the symptoms of dry eye. Omega-3 can be found in:
- Fatty fish such as salmon and tuna
- Fish oil supplements
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Walnuts
- Palm and soybean oil
5. Add Vitamins A, B12, and D to Your Diet
A lack of vitamin D has been linked to dry eye. Vitamins B12 and A are also considered vital for eye health.
Other vitamins important for your eye health include:
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- Vitamins B6 and B9
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Lutein and Zeaxanthin
- Thiamine
To help with eye issues, you can eat a more balanced diet or add supplements.
6. Drink Less Alcohol
Too much alcohol consumption can be dehydrating, which can affect your eyes. A study by the National Institutes of Health found a connection between alcohol and dry eye syndrome.
Limit alcohol intake, or eliminate it entirely, to see whether it’s contributing to your dry eyes.
7. Stop Smoking
Cigarette smoke has more than 7,000 chemicals, which can irritate the eyes. In fact, smokers have double the risk of dry eyes.
Smoking can also change the composition of your tears, which can cause more dry eye symptoms. It’s clear that smoking and eye health don’t mix.
If you’re a smoker, consider quitting. If you don’t smoke, try to avoid environments where there is heavy smoking.
8. Drink More Water
It’s no surprise that drinking water is good for your eyes.
That water lubricates your eyes, which allows them to produce tears, focus and everything else they do.
Without proper hydration, your eyes can’t clear out debris, blink comfortably or even see without straining.
For proper eye health — and overall health, too — drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.
9. Get More Sleep
A study by the National Institutes of Health says lack of sleep robs your eyes of tears. That’s enough to cause more issues for those with dry eyes.
Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests the following:
- Change your daytime routine e.g. exercise in the morning instead of the evening
- Create a comfortable sleep environment, preferably dark and quiet
- Set a bedtime routine, and go to bed at the same time every night
10. Pick the Right Eye Drops
The Mayo Clinic recommends preservative-free eye drops when choosing eye drops to alleviate red eyes.
Eye drops that contain preservatives can cause eye irritation, especially if they’re used more than four times daily.
Eye drops for redness may cause your eyes to become even more irritated, so make sure the drops you use are for dry eyes.
You can also look into artificial tears.
11. Use Gels and Ointments
Lubricating gels and ointments coat your eye and bring longer-lasting relief than eye drops.
However, these remedies for dry eyes are thicker than drops, so they may interfere with vision and should only be used before you go to sleep.
Gels and ointments come with their own warnings:
- Thicker gels and ointments can interfere with meibomian glands, making dry eye worse.
- Long-term use can mask a root cause of dry eye.
- Lack of good lid hygiene can cause more eye irritation.
- People can overuse gels and ointments when they don’t actually need them.
12. Change Your Environment
Sometimes low humidity, high winds, dust, air conditioning, or heat and smoke can cause temporary dryness and irritation. Step away from the situation, if you can.
Here are a few ways to reduce eye irritation:
- Use a cool-mist humidifier
- Avoid dry or blowing air, as air conditioning can irritate the eyes
- Use filters to block pollutants and allergens
- Keep windows closed
13. Wear Wraparound-Style Sunglasses
Dry eye syndrome can cause another condition called photophobia.
It’s an abnormal sensitivity to light.
There are several types of eyewear that can help ease your dry eye symptoms and keep them from getting worse:
- Wraparound sunglasses
- Onion glasses, which lockout irritating vapors
- FL-41 filtered lenses and blue-blocking lenses
Best Home Remedies for Dry Eyes – TheraLife Eye – All Natural Dry Eye Therapy That Works
The best home remedies for dry eyes – TheraLife
