Bacterial conjunctivitis generates sticky discharge, while viral conjunctivitis causes red, itchy eyes with watery discharge. On the other hand, allergic diseases cause the eyes to feel as if they have a foreign body in them. Antibiotic drops and ointments are the most popular treatments for irritated eyes. However, if you prefer natural solutions, we’ve got you covered in this post. Remember, if the problem lasts more than a week, you should see an eye doctor right away.
Causes Of Sore Eyes
The causes of sore eyes are:
Sun exposure Eye infections Excessive eye rubbing Exposure to airborne irritants Contact lenses Incorrect glasses Viral infections such as cold Overexposure to the TV or laptop screen Dryness due to reduced blinking or dehydration
Viral infections, such as pink eye, also called conjunctivitis, are the major cause of sore eyes. However, they are not the only cause. Sore eyes could also occur due to an eyelid infection, commonly known as cellulitis, or viral cold. People with dry eyes are more prone to experiencing sore eyes due to dehydration. Physical stress from staring at the TV or laptop screen for long and mental stress can also lead to sore eyes.
Symptoms Of Sore Eyes
The most obvious symptoms of sore eyes are :
Dryness of the eyes Redness in the eyes Irritability of the eyeballs or eyelids Pain in the eyeballs Watering of the eyes Blurred vision
Many experience a dry, gritty feeling that makes them want to rub their eyes constantly. If you experience any of these symptoms along with red eyes, see a doctor immediately. Discomfort, burning, eyelids stuck together, difficulty in opening your eyes after waking up, sore lymph glands, sore throat, and a runny nose are some other not-so-obvious symptoms that could be a sign of sore eyes. The question is, is there a way to find relief from sore eyes? Yes, there is. Not just one, but many easy, natural methods to give your eyes some rest. Keep reading to know more about them.
Home Remedies For Sore Eyes
1. Cold Compress
The coldness of the ice pack will soothe the irritated and sore eye and reduce the burning sensation (1).
You Will Need
An ice pack
What You Have To Do
Place the ice pack on the sore eye for 4-5 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat 2-3 times in a day.
Use a frozen food item wrapped in a clean, soft cloth and place this over the sore eye. Dip a washcloth in cold water and place it on the eye. Place a metal spoon in the freezer for a couple of minutes and place this cold spoon on the affected eye. Place a used tea bag in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes. Place the cold tea bag on the sore eye. You can use a green tea bag, black tea bag, chamomile tea bag, or even rooibos tea bag for sore eyes. An added benefit of using a tea bag is that the antioxidants present in it can accelerate the healing process. They also have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the swelling often seen in sore eyes (2, 3).
2. Cucumber
It is a known fact that cucumber has a cooling effect on our body (4). It has the same effect on our eyes as well. It soothes the eyes and heals any soreness or irritation. It can also help lighten dark circles and soothe puffy eyes.
You Will Need
2 cucumber slices Cold water
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this as and when required to provide relief from the soreness.
3. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera has an extremely relaxing effect on your eyes because of its soothing properties. Eye drops containing aloe vera extracts can help treat inflammation in the eye (5). Aloe vera gel can also help manage dry eyes (6). Caution: Use only fresh or organic aloe vera gel. Commercial variants may contain additives that can irritate your eyes.
You Will Need
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel 1-2 tablespoons cold water 2 cotton balls
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Do this 2 times a day.
4. Castor Oil
Castor oil is a common ingredient that is found in many eye drops. It has a soothing effect on your eyes and can help reduce eye irritation. Studies show that castor oil helps improve tear stability, prevents evaporation of tears, and has a lubricating effect on dry eyes (7). This may help ease the symptoms of sore eyes.
You Will Need
Organic and pure castor oil A dropper
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this every night and also once again during the day.
5. Rose Water
Rose water is a well-known home remedy for relieving eye soreness and tiredness. A herbal eye drop preparation containing rose water extracts as one of the ingredients was found to improve ophthalmic disorders like conjunctivitis, dry eye, and cataracts (8).
You Will Need
Rose water Cotton
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Do this 2-3 times in the day.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
This remedy can give instant relief from eye soreness caused due to infections. ACV has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties (9). These properties can help fight the infection-causing bacteria.
You Will Need
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons water Cotton balls
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this 1-2 times a day.
7. Milk And Honey
Honey is known to possess antibacterial qualities and can treat dry eyes (10). The warmth of the milk will soothe the irritation and inflammation.
You Will Need
1 teaspoon warm milk 2-3 drops honey A dropper
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Do this 2 times a day.
8. Baking Soda
This process helps in cleaning your eyes and flushing out any impurities that may have entered them. Baking soda is also an antiseptic that kills the infection-causing microbes present in and around the affected area (11).
You Will Need
1 teaspoon baking soda Water A cup or a glass
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this once a day until the infection and soreness are cured.
9. Potato
Potato helps reduce any sort of eye inflammation (12). You can also use potato peel to rub on the irritated skin, as it possesses anti-inflammatory properties (13). This will reduce the swelling and soothe the skin around the eyes.
You Will Need
A potato Cotton pad
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat once every day, preferably at night.
10. Coriander
Coriander is commonly used in Ayurvedic medication for eye infections and soreness (14). A study showed that coriander seeds extract (10-15 drops of coriander spray) could help relieve itchy eyes (15).
You Will Need
A handful of coriander leaves An eye dropper
What You Have To Do
Although you can limit using this solution only for the infected eye, it is advisable that you pour the eye drops in the non-infected eye as well as a precautionary measure.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this 2 times a day.
11. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties (16). This can help relieve inflammation and soothe your eyes.
You Will Need
1 teaspoon Epsom salt 1/2 cup hot water Cotton rounds
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this 1-2 times a day.
12. Guava Leaves
This remedy can help treat sore eyes caused due to infections. Guava leaves possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties (17). They help reduce irritation, swelling, and pain around the eye.
You Will Need
4-5 guava leaves A glass of water A soft facecloth
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat every day until the eye infection goes away.
13. Calamansi
Calamansi (or calamondin) is a citrus fruit hybrid that is commonly known as the Philippine lime. Calamansi possesses antimicrobial properties (18). This can help clear the infection in the eye and reduce soreness. Caution: The juice can sting due to its citric nature. This is completely normal.
You Will Need
1-2 drops calamansi juice 3-4 drops warm water
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Do this once a day.
14. Turmeric
Turmeric contains curcumin that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Studies showed that curcumin had beneficial effects on several eye diseases, like dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration (19).
You Will Need
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 glass water A dropper
What You Have To Do
How Often You Should Do This
Use this remedy 2 times a day. Apart from using these sore eyes home remedies, the one thing you need to do to keep your eyes healthy is sleep well. When we sleep, our body gets rejuvenated, and we feel refreshed when we wake up. This also applies to the eyes. They are in constant use the entire time you are awake, and hence, giving them sufficient rest is important. Get 6-8 hours of sound sleep every day. If the above remedies do not provide relief from sore eyes even after continued use, consult your healthcare provider to test for any serious underlying condition. Here are some alarming symptoms that require immediate medical help.
When To See Your Doctor
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following: Some more tips are given below.
Prevention Methods And Tips For Sore Eyes
(a) Wearing Sunglasses And Goggles When you step out of your house and into the sun, always remember to wear UV protection sunglasses. Also, if you happen to be a swimmer, make sure to wear goggles when you enter the pool to prevent the chlorine from affecting your eyes as chlorine tends to make your eyes itch and has also been known to make them red and puffy. (b) Drink Lots Of Water Your eyes need to be kept hydrated, and this can be easily done by drinking plenty of water. During the summer months, water helps in not only cooling your body but also energizing it. This also improves your immune system. (c) Follow A Healthy Diet Another important factor is a healthy diet. A wholesome, nutritious diet can keep you stress-free and your eyes healthy. Consume foods rich in vitamin A and vitamin C. These support eye health and enhance immunity, respectively. A few vitamin A-rich foods are eggs, cod liver oil, broccoli, spinach, yellow fruits and vegetables like carrot, papaya, pumpkin, and mango. Vitamin C-rich foods are citrus fruits like lemon, sweet lime, oranges, grapes, and kiwi and vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and capsicum. (d) Do Eye Exercises Do simple eye exercises every day to keep the muscles in and around your eyes strong. Exercising them also relieves strain. (e) Don’t Give In To Stress A large number of eye-related illnesses are caused due to mental stress. Lack of proper rest and sleep are the major factors behind the increased levels of stress. That is why you must give your body and mind a break. Sleep for at least 8 hours every day to keep stress at bay. Practicing yoga and meditation also helps. (f) Relieve Physical Stress We use our eyes every millisecond we are awake. While looking at normal surroundings is alright, when you continuously stare at a screen, like computers or TV screens, your eyes experience physical stress. Give your eyes a break by looking elsewhere at a far-off point for a few minutes, now and then. If there is a tree or a shrub around, you could look at it too. The color green is said to soothe the eyes. If you don’t find relief from sore eyes after using the above-mentioned home remedies, consult your healthcare provider immediately. Try out any one of them or a combination of them to relieve the symptoms of sore eyes. Contact emergency medical help if you experience severe pain associated with foreign body lodgement, chemical injury, and burn injury. Some symptoms need immediate attention, like severe pain, photophobia, headaches, halos around light, high fever, and sudden vision changes.
How long do sore eyes last? Sore eyes last for a couple of days after the initial symptoms appear, depending on the cause. The time taken for healing sore eyes also depends on the intensity of the infection. Conjunctivitis could be bacterial, chlamydial, or viral, depending on which the period of healing is defined. Patients who are old or have low immunity, diabetes, and malnutrition could take up to 20–25 days to recover. If proper medical care is taken and hygiene is maintained, sore eyes could heal much faster than the stipulated time. Is a sore eye contagious? Yes, sore eyes are contagious when the condition is caused due to an eye infection. How can sore eyes be transmitted? Sore eyes can be a result of an infection, such as conjunctivitis, that could be chlamydial, bacterial, or viral, which leads to either unilateral or bilateral red eye infection. Sharing the same utensils, towels, and clothes and shaking hands with the infected person can make you contract the infection. Also, having health issues like malnutrition or low immunity increases the chances of contracting the infection. The transmission also depends on the kind of infection one has. Is a sore eye a sign of pregnancy? Though a sore eye is not essentially a sign of pregnancy, many women experience dryness of eyes, vision problems, and irritable eyes all through pregnancy, which could result in sore eyes. What is the fastest way to treat sore eyes? Follow your healthcare provider’s advice by taking your medications on time. Avoid rubbing your eyes or staring at digital screens for more than 20 minutes straight. Giving enough rest to your eyes also helps. What can I wash my sore eyes with? You may use salt water to rinse your eyes or flush them with cool water. You can also place a cold cloth over them for a while. The cause of this is associated with the hormonal changes that occur in a woman’s body during pregnancy.
