Do you have blurry vision? Or do you experience any stingy discharge from the eyes? These are the symptoms of dry eyes. Dry eyes usually occur when your tears evaporate quickly or tear glands run out of tears. Women have a higher prevalence of dry eyes compared to men. A test-tube study suggests that maqui-berry fruit is beneficial for eye health, and the extract prevents light-induced damage in eye cells.
The eyes are one of the most precious gifts. So, nourishing and protecting the eyes is your ultimate responsibility. There are many eye drops and medicines to treat dry eyes, but what if we say that there are natural home remedies for dry eyes. Read on to know more about home remedies for dry eyes.
10 Home Remedies for Dry Eyes
There are many simple home remedies you can use to deal with dry eyes naturally. Here are the incredible top 10 home remedies for dry eyes. Read on to know more about the benefits and how to use home remedies for dry eyes relief.
1. Hot Compress
The simplest way to treat your dry eyes(1) is hot compress. A hot compress is a common approach to dry-eye related, including meibomian gland dysfunction. Hot or warm compress helps glands that produce tears to work better. The warmth and moisture of hot compress are proven to increase the thickness of the film, thus relieving dry eyes. Read on to know how to use a warm compress for dry eyes to get amazing results.
How to Use?
- Take a clean cotton towel and a bowl of warm or hot water
- Soak the towel in a bowl of warm water
- Wring the excess water from the cloth and place the towel on your eyes for 3-8 minutes
How Often Must You Do This?
You can do this multiple times daily
2. Honey
You all know that honey is an excellent natural sweetener and used as a sugar replacement. Honey highly contains soothing, wound-healing, and antimicrobial properties. Honey gels and eye drops are widely used to treat many ocular ailments.
Also, being highly anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, honey can quickly help you in managing the dry eyes, and the moisturizing properties help you to keep your dry lubricated.
How to Use?
- Take a tbsp of 100% organic honey and half a cup of water
- Boil the water and allow it cool for 5 minutes
- Add the tbsp of honey to the water
- Stir the mixture well and put 1-2 drops of solution to your eyes
How Often Must You Do This?
Do this twice or thrice a day
[Also Read: Natural Remedies for Dry Eyes]
3. Green Tea
Generally, the green extract is a proven natural remedy for treating dry eyes. Green tea exhibits anti-inflammatory properties that can help to hinder the inflammation that often accompanies a dry eye.
The anti-inflammatory activities in green tea extracts are due to the presence of a component called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)(2). Also, the tea is highly rich in antioxidants and can prevent further irritation of your eyes.
How to Use?
- Take two green tea bags and a cup of hot water
- Put the green tea bags in a cup of warm water
- Allow it to steep for 10-15 minutes
- Let it cool for some time
- Take two cotton pads and dip into the green tea and place them on your closed eyelids
- Leave it on for 5-8 minutes and then repeat
How Often Must You Do This?
Do it multiple times a day for best results
4. Flaxseed Oil
This oil contains essential dietary fatty acids that have various health benefits, including treatment and prevention of dry eyes. Flaxseed oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. The docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in flaxseed oil are proven to treat dry eye and its symptoms. You can increase your intake of flaxseeds for daily added benefits.
Flaxseed supplements are, and adding into your daily diet can be beneficial. A study claims that intake of 2000mg of flaxseed oil results positive in patients with dry eyes. However, you should consult with your doctor before going ahead with flaxseed oil supplements for treating dry eyes.
[Also Read: Flaxseed Oil Benefits]
5. Maqui Berry Extract
Maqui berry for dry eyes treatment is being used from centuries as maqui berry extracts are highly rich in antioxidants and can offer eye protection against light-induced damage. Recent studies show that maqui berry extract can get to the root of dry syndrome by promoting tear production. Maqui berry extracts represent an effective approach to restore comfort and composition of eye moisture and one’s tears.
[ Read: Benefits of Maqui Berry ]
6. Olive Oil
Olive oil contains fatty acids like linolenic, and oleic acid helps in replenishing the lost moisture in your dry eyes and extremely lubricating. The olive oil is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help reduce the inflammation and irritation in your eyes. Research also claims that the accumulation of lutein in the eyes wash the highest with olive oil (117%). Read on to know how to massage your dry eyes with olive oil.
How to Use?
- Take a few drops of extra virgin olive oil on your fingertips
- Gently massage on your closed eyelids and cover them with your hands for a couple of minutes
- Allow it to absorb on your skin naturally and do not wash the oil
How Often Must You Do This?
Do it regularly for 2-3 times a day
[Aslo Read: Vitamins for Dry Eyes]
7. Essential oils
Essential oils have been used for centuries to treat various ailments and skin conditions. Here are the two best essential oil to treat dry eyes. Go ahead.
Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile oil highly contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and detoxifying properties. Ancient women in Egypt used the petals of crushed chamomile on their skin for its numerous benefits.
Chamomile essential oil narrows blood vessels and reduces redness around the eyes. Also, the oil is said to treat the puffy eye and soothes the dry skin around the eyes. With the anti-inflammatory properties, the oil reduces inflammation in your eyes and treat allergic conditions like dermatitis and help relieve dry eyes as well.
How to Use?
- Take a few drops of chamomile essential oil and a cup of warm water
- Add the oil into a cup of warm water and mix well
- Dip a clean cotton cloth into the mixture
Place this over your closed eyelid and leave it on for 5-10 minutes
How Often Must You Do This?
Do it multiple times a day for effective results on dry eyes
Lavender Essential Oil
The lavender essential is packed with analgesic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties are very much useful in treating dry eyes by providing soothing effects and relief from irritation to your eyes. Excited to know how to use lavender essential oil for dry eyes. Read on.
How to Use?
- Add 3-4 drops of lavender essential oil to a cup of water
- Stir the mixture well and dip a clean cotton cloth into the mixture
- Wring out the excess water and place it on your eyes closed
- Keep it on for 5-10minutes
How Often Must You Do This?
Repeat the process and do it at least three times a day
8. Aloe Vera
As you know already that the benefits of aloe vera are no secret. Nature’s gift aloe vera contains bioactive compounds like ethyl acetate and ethanol that exhibit natural healing properties and anti-inflammatory properties.
Aloe vera contains natural antioxidants which can protect your eyes from free radical damage. These properties can entirely help treat your dry eyes. Aloe vera is one of the essential natural ingredients to boost skin and eye moisture, and it is commonly used in eye drops and eye gels for its moisturizing properties.
How to Use?
- Cut a fleshy leaf from the bottom of the aloe vera plant.
- Then cut the leaf open
- Now extract the sap (a gel-like substance) that is present inside the leaf
- collect the gel and apply it to your eyelids
How Often Must You Do This?
Do this twice a day for best results
[Also Read: Natural Ways to Treat Dry Eye]
9. Cucumber
One of the easiest and simplest natural remedy is cucumber. Since cucumber has high water content, it can moisturize the area under the eyes. Cucumber helps soothe your eyes and improves moisture in the eyes. Cucumber contains vitamin A, the topical application, that is proven for dry eyes. Also, the cucumber helps in reducing puffiness and alleviates the swelling.
How to Use?
- Take a chilled cucumber and cut into round slices
- Place the slices on closed eyes for immediate relief
How Often Must You Do This?
Do it regularly for at least twice a day to soothe and relax your eyes
10. Castor Oil
Castor oil contains powerful fatty acids and antioxidants that can benefit your dry eyes. The anti-inflammatory properties in the castor oil help treat eye redness and allergies. Castor oil encourages lipid production in your eyes and hinders the evaporation of tears and treat the dry eyes.
Also, the anti-inflammatory properties of castor oil can help ease bloodshot eyes. Here is a step on how to use castor oil for dry eyes.
How to Use?
- Take two drops of organic and cold pressed castor oil
- Put a drop of castor oil in your eyes
- You can also use lubrication castor oil instead of pure castor oil to treat dry eyes
How Often Must You Do This?
Do it regularly, twice a day.
[Also Read: Castor Oil for Dry Eyes]
Tips to Prevent Dry Eyes
Here are a few tips to prevent dry eyes. Read on.
1. Smoking
Yes. In reality, smokers are likely to be affected with dry eyes and its symptoms than non-smokers. Apart from dry eyes smoking causes several eye diseases such as macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma.
2. Acid Foods
Acidic foods that include vinegar, tomato, and tamarind products attributes to aggravating dry eye syndrome. Therefore, limiting the consumption of acidic foods will be beneficial for the right eyes.
3. Coffee Consumption
High intake of coffee consumption has been believed to intensify dry eyes in most of the peoples. If you are suffering from dry eyes, try to limit the intake of coffee consumption and the use of diuretics, in the long run, can cause general dehydration and led to dry eye syndrome.
4. Digital Use
Mostly dry eyes are found in people who work for a long duration on the computer or other digital gadgets and those who watch TV for a longer time. These people do not blink their eyes, causing the eye to dry up while staring at TVs and monitors.
5. Dry Environment
Dry air acts as an irritant and evaporating agent for your existing tears. So, dry environments should be avoided for people with dry eyes. Similarly, air-conditioned environments for longer duration can aggravate the condition even worse. So, try to limit your presence in the air-conditioned and dry environments.
[Also Read: Essential Supplements for Dry Eyes]
Consult your Doctor for Dry Eyes
Here are some symptoms that should prompt you to call your doctor.
- Swelling and redness
- Dry mouth
- An eye injury
- Discharge from the eye
- Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling
- Continued dryness even after a few days of self-care
Bottom Line
Prevention is better than cure. The home remedies for dry eyes and tips to prevent dry eyes will surely help you in curing dry eyes. These wonderful remedies will help you combat dry eyes with their natural healing properties. The home remedies are wondrously discussed and do not cause any side effects to your eyes. However, if the irritation becomes too hard to handle, consult your doctor immediately. Embrace the effective benefits of natural home remedies for dry eyes and live the life of your dreams.
[Also Read: Home Remedies for Sunken Eyes ]
FAQs
1. What to Do for Dry Eyes?
People with dry eyes often rub their eyes, which should be avoided to reduce inflammation. To relieve dry eyes, maintain proper eye hygiene, and wash your eyelids a few times a day. You can also follow home remedies like warm compress and gently massage your eyes with olive oil or coconut oil.
2. What Is Good for Dry Eyes?
Increasing your intake of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like chia seeds, soybeans, spinach, mackerel, salmon, and sardines is suitable for dry eyes. The Omega-d fatty acids promote the production of the lubrication layer of dry eyes. Also, foods rich in vitamin A and D are good for dry eyes.
