All Dried Out: Natural Remedies For Dry Eyes

Dry eyes are common and can be caused by hormonal changes, aging or other irritants in which we come into contact on a daily basis. Good eye care practices are essential in order to protect your eyes and improve the quality of your tear production. The good thing is that there are many natural remedies which you can use to help soothe your dry eyes.

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Here are some which you can do immediately:

• If you want to unplug blocked tear glands, apply a warm compress to your eyes.
• Use a mild wash or water mixed with baby shampoo to massage the base of your eyelashes while your eyes are closed. When you are done, rinse thoroughly.
• Blink frequently. There are many benefits to blinking especially if you are sitting in front of a computer screen constantly, watching TV, reading, or using a mobile device which can agitate your eyes with prolonged use. Blinking helps you to spread fluid across your entire eye surface. This also helps with dryness in your eyes.
• Protect your eyes with sunglasses. Sunlight can cause your eyes to become dry or irritate already dry eyes.

Improve Your Environment

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Your environment can cause dry eyes. However, these subtle changes to your environment can help prevent or manage dry eyes:

• Avoid smoking or being around people who smoke.
• Windy conditions can also have an adverse effect on your eyes. If you can, stay inside when it’s windy. If you have to go outside in the wind, wear glasses to protect your eyes.
• Add a humidifier to your home if your home environment lacks moisture in the air.

READ: Contact Solutions: 10 Tips to Care for Your Lenses (And Eyes!)

Improve Your Diet

The final way to naturally help you with dry eyes is to change the types of food you eat. Those extra fatty acids you add to your diet along with specific oils can help alleviate dry eyes.

Here are a couple of things to add to your diet:

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• Eat foods containing omega-3 fatty acids or take an omega-3 supplement. Salmon, tuna, flaxseed, palm oil as well as chia seeds and walnuts are also ways to get this omega-3 source.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to keep mucous membranes in your eyes moist.

If these natural remedies still don’t help you with your dry eyes and your think your condition may be something more serious, make an appointment to see your doctor.

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