Home remedies for eye pain

The overworked and overstressed generation of the modern century has invited for itself a number of ailments along with success and modernisation. If you are thinking about pollution, obesity and chronic diseases, you are going in the right direction. Though there are things more basic than that. Eye pain, for one, is such a common symptom that most of us keep on ignoring until it starts pressing on or interfering with our daily activities.

The most common reason for eye pain is long screen times and exposure to bright light, but persistent and long-term pain in or around the eye may be a manifestation of an underlying condition. Allergies, conjunctivitis, dirt or cut in the eyes and a stye are pretty common causes of eye pain though it may also be caused due to a migraine or sinusitis. Other disorders that may show up as eye pain include glaucoma, optic neuritis or iritis.

The first step would be to find the cause of pain because after all the cause will only determine your treatment, right? You can’t just put a cold compress on a sinus eye pain.

Once you figure out the reason for your pain and rule out any disorder, you can try some easy remedies at home to relieve some pain.

Listed in this article, are some of the ways you can get rid of your eye pain naturally and easily.

Home remedies for eye pain
Tips to reduce chronic eye pain

Home remedies for eye pain

It is best to prevent eye pain by following various measures mentioned above. However, if you do get pain in the eyes and have ruled out an underlying serious condition, you can follow some simple methods to get quick relief. Let us see how:

Hot and cold compresses for eye pain

Hot and cold compress is one of the easiest and hassle-free ways to get rid of eye pain. All you have to do is provide some gentle heat or ice to your eyes for about 5-7 min intervals at a time. However, you can set the time as per your tolerance. If you are using ice, don’t put ice directly over your skin or eyes, instead, wrap the ice in a towel or a cloth and then apply it. Also, direct heat should not be put over the eyes, just dip some soft cloth in warm water, strain out excess water and put it over the affected eye for 5-10 minutes at a time. You can do this for about 3-4 times a day.

While cold compress is useful in case of tired and stressed eyes or burning eyes, it is better to use a hot compress in case of sinus pain, stye or a headache.

Aloe vera reduces eye pain

Aloe vera is a go-to remedy to relieve any kind of infection or inflammation in the eye since it is an excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. It has a cooling effect on the skin which aids in relieving pain. In fact, it is traditionally used for the treatment of skin and eye conditions. It moisturises and hydrates your eyes and is quite nutritive.

All thanks to the shift to natural products, aloe vera gel can be easily found in a supermarket aisle or a shop near you or you can make your own aloe vera gel at home if you want to go organic and safe.

What you can do is, take some aloe gel and apply a thin and even layer of it over the eye surface, including lid and under the eye and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. You’ll notice instant cooling upon applying the gel. It relaxes eye muscles and also aids in stress relief.

Alternatively, you can mix aloe gel with some coconut oil or rose water and apply the mixture gently over your eyes.

Cucumber reduces eye pain

Cucumber is yet another well-known remedy for eye problems with cucumber slices being the best buddy to most beauty salons. And for a good reason. Cucumber has a hydrating, and cooling effect on the eyes which has been found to be good for providing relief from irritation and itching and inflammation on the skin which, of course, extends to your eye.

It soothes the eyes thus providing relief from eye pain. However, if your pain is due to a cold or sinus problem cucumber may or may not be beneficial, depending on your body and outside temperature.

Here are some ways you can use cucumber for eye pain:

Cut a thin slice of cucumber and put it over your eyes for about 5-10 minutes.
You can put a bit honey on the cucumber slice or add aloe gel to it, though it might be extra cool in the latter case.
Preparing a mask with some cucumber juice, honey and castor oil may also aid in relief when applied over and under your eyes.

Castor oil for eye pain

Castor oil is a much-promoted treatment for eye conditions and pain. Studies indicate that castor oil eye drops are useful for reducing meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eyes. It has antibacterial action that is useful for reducing eye infections such as conjunctivitis and potent anti-inflammatory activity which would facilitate a reduction in eye swelling and soreness.

However, ophthalmologists do not recommend putting unsterile material in your eyes. It is best that you talk to a doctor before using castor oil eye drops. But, it can be used over your eyes if the pain is due to puffy eyes or eyelid inflammation. Here is how:

Take a few drops of castor oil on a clean cotton ball.
Gently apply a thin film over the under eye area and the eyelid. You can also put an even layer over your eyelash area.
You can apply this for about 15 minutes a day or keep it overnight and wash your eyes with lukewarm water after that.

Tea bags reduce eye pain

Tea bags is an age-old remedy for eye problems that is probably used in every household across continents. Research evidence indicates that both green tea and black tea have active compounds which act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. These aid in providing instant relief from puffy and sore eyes along with eye irritation, which are one of the most common causes of eye pain. The best part is that tea bags are readily available and are not as costly either. To use a tea bag for eye pain:

Dip a tea bag in some water for a few minutes.
Drain the excess water from the bag and put them to cool it down to room temperature.
Refrigerate the bags for about 15 minutes.
Put the tea bags over your eyes and relax for 10-15 minutes.

This would act like a cold compress and save you from the woes of swollen eye pain and eye infection pain. Alternatively, you can skip the cooling and put it directly over your affected eye after cooling it to room temperature or while it is warm but not hot.

Rosewater for eye pain

Rosewater, is, without doubt, a perfect remedy for your eye pain and underlying conditions. It is soothing to the eyes and has been proven to be an effective antimicrobial, which is just the thing you’ll need to keep off eye infections. Additionally, it has some inflammation reducing properties that assist in reducing oedema and pain.

According to a study published in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, rose water eye drops can be useful for the treatment of eye problems like conjunctivitis and dry eye. Though, it is best not to put just any rose water in your eyes since most commercial varieties have added chemicals. Talk to a doctor instead and know about the safety concerns of rose water eye drops and how you can make the best use of it for eye pain.

Apart from using it as eye drops, you can put a few drops of rose water on a cotton ball and put it over your eyes for about 15 minutes.

Alternatively, you can put a thin layer of rose water over and under your eyes with cotton and put a cucumber slice over it to provide extra relief.

It would provide hydration to your eyes and help you relax and let’s face is what is better than the smell of roses for distressing?

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Honey for eye pain

Honey is the all-heal medicine, which finds a cure for almost every ailment. Why should eye pain be any different? Honey possesses various beneficial properties for your eyes. First, it is fights off free radical damage which may otherwise cause eye stress and pain. Second, it is an antibacterial and hence can be good for fighting off eye pain caused due to infections. Finally, it provides relief from swollen and puffy eyes. Aristotle, a Greek philosopher and scientist, mentioned honey as a good salve for sore eyes. It is easy to find honey at your local store, though, if you can get your hands on the natural and pure honey, that would be the best. Here is how you can use honey to get rid of eye pain:

Put a thin layer of honey on a cucumber slice and to be put over your eyes.
Mix some honey with aloe vera gel and coconut oil and apply an even layer on your eyelids and under eyes.
Mix some honey in rose water and milk to be put over your eyes.

You can use either of these methods for about 15-20 minute interval at a time and repeat it twice a day to get best results.

Tips to reduce chronic eye pain

Eye pain may be a nuisance to deal with, so the best remedy is prevention. Following some good eye hygiene and avoiding exposure to harmful allergens would definitely be the first step towards healthy eyes. Here is a list of habits that you can add to your routine to prevent eye pain in the first place:

Use sunglasses or protective eye gear when you go out or if you work around a lot of bright lights. This would reduce the amount of light that your eyes are being directly exposed to. Some types of sunglasses also protect you from the UV-A and B rays of the sun, which can damage your eyes on long-term exposure. So next time you are out to buy a pair of sunglasses for yourself, look for ones that protect you from UV rays. Similarly, wearing protective eye gear makes sure that your eyes are safe from flash burn, eye damage caused due to intense or bright light.
If you work long hours in front of the screen, you can buy digital glasses or blue lens glasses to keep your retina from being damaged. Research evidence suggests that these glasses are quite effective in stopping the harmful rays from your computer screen from reaching your eye. Time to buy a new pair of spectacles.
Similarly, upgrading to an LCD display and keeping your eyes about 25 inches away from the screen would make sure that they don’t get too much stress from the screen rays. If brightness is your problem, you can always adjust it to low, though, it is best to keep it bright enough not to strain your eyes too much. Also, do not stare into the screen for a long duration at once and take some rest in between.
If you wear re-usable contact lenses instead of glasses, it is imperative that you clean them before and after every use. Our eyes and hands have different sorts of substances that may stick to them and cause infection and pain the next time you wear it.
Washing your eyes twice a day would also aid in keeping them clear of any debris, dust or allergen that may cause pain and infection.
To avoid infections or inflammation on the outside of eyes or eyelids, it is important that you follow a good eye and eyelid hygiene. Cleaning your eyelid with a mild shampoo or a saline solution helps in keeping your eyelids clean and avoiding conditions like stye.
Do not share towels or napkins with anybody as it can transfer infections which ultimately leads to eye pain.
If you wear eye makeup on a daily basis, make sure that you take it off before sleeping. Just wipe it gently instead of rubbing it off. Wherever possible, avoid sharing eye makeup and check the expiry date before buying them. If you notice any kind of irritation or eye discomfort, terminate the use immediately.
Wash your hands properly every time you need to. Most common infections spread due to contaminated hands.
Take a balanced diet, stay hydrated and quit smoking. Though this is not directly helpful in eye pain, these are healthy habits that would help you stay fit.