Soothe Sore Eyes

There are many things that can cause sore eyes, but one of the most common causes is over-use, or eye strain. You can strain your eyes by working in a room with poor lighting, driving for long periods of time, not wearing glasses if you need them, or staring too long at one place (like a computer screen).[1] Sore eyes can also be caused by headaches, glaucoma, foreign bodies in the eye, sinus infections, and inflammations. If your eyes are sore after a long day, there are some things you can do at home to help soothe those sore eyes.

Steps

Relieving Eye Strain

  1. Use eye drops. Using eye drops or artificial tears can help moisturize dry eyes, which may relieve eye soreness. You can use plain saline (salt water that matches the salt in tears) or medicated eye drops. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
    • Don’t become dependent on eye drops. If you use eye drops frequently, make sure they do not have medication or preservatives in them. Overusing medicated eye drops can actually aggravate eye problems.[2]
  2. Use a warm compress. Using a warm compress can help relax the muscles around your eye, which may relieve eye strain and that twitchy feeling tired eyes get. You can use dry or moist warmth, depending on what feels best for you. If you wear glasses or contacts, remove them before using any compress.[3]
    • For a dry compress, fill a clean sock with uncooked rice or beans and knot the sock to keep it closed. Microwave the sock for about 30 seconds, or until it’s warm but not too hot. Apply the compress to your eye.
    • For a moist compress, wet a clean washcloth or several paper towels with warm (almost, but not quite, hot) water. Lay the cloth across your eyes. You can apply gentle pressure with your palm if you want, but don’t press too hard. Leave the compress on until it cools.
  3. Use your palm as a compress. Using your palms to apply gentle pressure to your eye area can help reduce eye strain and relieve pain. If you wear them, remove your glasses or contacts before using your palms as a compress.
    • Cross your hands with your palms facing you.
    • Gently press the palms of your hands against your eyes.
    • Continue for 30 seconds, then relax. Repeat as often as necessary to reduce soreness.
  4. Use herbal tea bag compresses. Some herbs, such as chamomile, goldenseal, eyebright, calendula, and Oregon grape/barberry, have anti-inflammatory properties that may help soothe your eyes.[4] While there is no scientific evidence to suggest that a tea bag is more effective than another warm compress, you may find the herbal aroma relaxing.[5]
    • Place two tea bags in a mug and pour boiling water over them. Allow the tea to steep for about five minutes, or until the water is still warm but not hot.
    • Squeeze excess liquid from the tea bags and place one over each eye. Lean your head back and relax. Once the tea bags have cooled, remove them. You can repeat this as often as you want.
    • If you can’t find tea bags, you can cut the toes off a nylon knee-high stocking, pour the dried herb into the toe, tie it off, and use it as a tea bag.
  5. Roll your eyes. It’s every teenager’s favorite weapon, but the eye-roll can also help relieve eye strain. Close your eyes and focus on breathing deeply while you perform the following motions:
    • Roll your eyes clockwise. Then roll them counter-clockwise. This full movement is one complete eye-roll.
    • Repeat the eye-roll 20 times. Start off slowly and get a bit faster each time.
    • Do this 2-4 times a day to help relieve and prevent eye strain.
  6. Take frequent “eye breaks.” Give your eyes a break several times a day by following the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a break and look at something at least 20 feet away from you for at least 20 seconds.[6] Focusing on your computer screen for long periods of time without taking breaks can cause sore eyes, headaches, and even muscle pain.
    • Try to stand up, move around, and shake yourself out every hour or so. This will help refresh you and keep your eyes from getting strained in the first place.
  7. Relax. Anxiety, stress, and muscle tension can cause eye strain and soreness. Take a few deep breaths, shake out your limbs, and roll your head around. Get up and take a quick walk. Do some stretches. You can also use progressive muscle relaxation on your eyes to help relieve soreness and strain.[7]
    • Find a quiet, comfortable place away from distractions, if possible. Breathe deeply and evenly.
    • Clench your eyelids as tightly as possible. Hold this tension for ten seconds, then relax. Open your eyes.
    • Raise your eyebrows as far as you can. You should feel like you’re opening your eyes as wide as they’ll go. Hold this position for ten seconds, then relax.
    • Repeat these two exercises throughout the day as needed.

Preventing Eye Soreness

  1. Keep your eyes moist. Long hours in front of a computer screen can actually reduce the number of times you blink, which dries your eyes out. Make an effort to blink frequently to keep your eyes moist. If you’re still having trouble, artificial tears may help.[6]
    • If you use artificial tears that contain preservatives, do not use them more than 4 times a day. Using these tears too often can actually make your eye problems worse! If your artificial tears don’t contain preservatives, you can use them as often as you need.
    • Using a humidifier can also help your eyes stay moist and refreshed.
  2. Drink plenty of water. Not drinking enough water can make your eyes feel dry, itchy, and sore. If you’re dehydrated, you won’t be able to produce enough tears to keep your eyes moisturized. If you’re a man, drink at least 13 cups (3 liters) of water a day. If you’re a woman, drink at least 9 cups (2.2 liters) per day.[8]
  3. Wash off makeup. Makeup can clog the oil glands in your skin and cause irritation and even infection. Take extra care to remove all eye makeup, such as mascara and eyeshadow.
    • You can use baby shampoo or specially formulated eye makeup remover. The most important thing is to make sure you remove all your makeup every day.
  4. Choose non-allergenic eye makeup. This may take a bit of trial and error, as even brands marked "hypo-allergenic" may irritate your own eyes. Try small amounts of different eye makeup made for sensitive eyes to see whether you can find one that works best for you.
    • If you continue to have trouble with makeup, talk to your dermatologist. S/he may be able to recommend makeup that won't irritate your eyes.
  5. Use an eyelid scrub. If you have dry, red, or itchy eyes, you may find that an eyelid scrub helps. You can use baby shampoo or a mild, non-irritating, sulfate-free shampoo to give your eyelids a good scrub.[2] Doing this can help the natural oils on your skin flow freely and provide better lubrication to your eyes.[9]
    • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
    • Mix equal parts baby shampoo and warm water in a small bowl.
    • Use a clean washcloth (a different one for each eye) to rub the solution gently across your eyelashes and the edge of your eyelid.
    • Rinse with clean, warm water.
    • Use the scrub twice a day.
  6. Keep the light behind you. When you’re reading, light reflecting off the page or screen can cause glare, which may cause eye soreness. Position your lamp or light source behind you, or use a shaded lamp.[10]
  7. Practice good workstation habits. Setting up an ergonomically correct workstation can help prevent you from getting sore eyes. Slouching over a computer desk can cause not only eye strain, but also muscle aches and fatigue.[11]
    • Sit at least 20-26 inches away from your computer monitor. Keep the monitor at a comfortable level so you don’t have to slump down or stare up to see it.
    • Reduce glare. Use a glare filter over your screen and change the lighting in your office, it possible. Old-fashioned fluorescent lights that flicker can cause eye strain and headaches. Newer compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs don’t have these effects.[12]
  8. Avoid smoke and other environmental irritants. If your eyes frequently get red, itchy, teary, or tired, you might be reacting to something in your environment. Common irritants include cigarette smoke, smog, and pet dander.[13]
    • If you get thick or green discharge from your eyes, see a doctor immediately. This might be a symptom of bacterial conjunctivitis, or “pinkeye.”[14]
  9. Relax. Feeling stressed or anxious can make your eyes hurt. Using relaxation techniques for even a few minutes throughout the day can help your eyes stay refreshed.[11]
    • Place your elbows on your workstation. With your palms facing up, allow your head to fall into your hands. Close your eyes and cover them with your hands. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your stomach to fill with air. Hold this breath for 4 seconds and then slowly exhale. Repeat for 15-30 seconds several times a day.
    • Massage your face. Gently massaging the muscles around your eyes can help prevent soreness. Use your fingertips to make light circular motions on your upper eyelid for 10 seconds. Next, make light circular motions on your lower eyelid for 10 seconds. This massage can help stimulate your tear glands and relax your muscles.[6]
    • Use light pressure on your face. Gently tapping on your face can help reduce eye strain and keep your eyes from feeling sore and tired. Tap your forehead gently about one inch above your eyebrows. Then, tap gently on the point where your eyebrow arches. Press gently right between your eyebrows. Next, tap your inner eyebrow, then your outer eyebrow. Finally, pinch the bridge of your nose.[15]
  10. Wear preventive glasses. If you stare at a computer screen for many hours a day, wearing preventive glasses may help reduce eye strain. Some glasses that have been developed to help prevent your eyes from getting dry and sore. Look for amber-tinted lenses that can help neutralize harsh screen glare.
    • Gunnar Optiks has a range of glasses designed specifically for heavy-duty gamers. Their specially shaped lenses may help keep your eyes from feeling strained and drying out. The amber lenses can reduce glare.[16]
  11. Make changes to your screens. We’re surrounded by screens: computers, tablets, phones, TVs...all of these produce glare that can wear on your eyes. You may not be able to just ditch your screens, but there are some things you can do to keep them from hurting your eyes.[17]
    • Reduce blue light. Blue light can cause glare and may even cause eye damage if you’re exposed to it too much.[18] Use a blue light filter on your tablet and cellphone, and reduce the backlight option on your TV. You can also purchase anti-reflective (AR) or anti-glare lenses for your glasses, which can help reduce the effects of blue light.
    • Purchase an anti-glare filter for your computer screen and TV. You can also turn down the contrast on your computer monitor.
    • Clean your screens frequently. Dust, smears, and smudges can create glare, which will cause eye strain.[10]

Seeking Professional Help

  1. Check for foreign bodies in your eye. If your eye is sore because you have dirt, metal, grit, or other foreign stuff in your eye, you may need to see a doctor. If you have an object embedded in your eye, see a doctor immediately. You can take the following steps to try to get rid of small particles, but if you don’t feel better immediately, get medical help.[19]
    • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
    • Remove any contact lenses.
    • Use clean (preferably distilled) warm water or eyewash to flush your eye. You can use a special eye cup (bought at a drugstore or pharmacy) or a small drinking glass. A medicine dropper filled with clean, warm water may also help flush out small particles.
    • If you still have pain, redness, or irritation in your eye after you remove the foreign object, seek immediate medical attention.
  2. Determine whether you have an eye emergency. In addition to having foreign bodies lodged in your eye, there are also other symptoms that should prompt you to get immediate medical attention. These symptoms may be the signs of serious diseases or medical issues:[20]
    • Temporary blindness or blind spots that appear suddenly
    • Double vision or “halos” (bright circles that surround an object)
    • Blacking out
    • Sudden blurred vision with eye pain
    • Redness and swelling near the eyes
  3. Determine whether you have glaucoma symptoms. Glaucoma is actually a group of eye diseases that can damage your optic nerves. Regular checkups with an eye doctor are the best way to prevent and detect glaucoma. However, if you have eye soreness with the following symptoms you should schedule a visit with your eye doctor as soon as possible:[21]
    • Trouble adjusting to changes in lighting, especially dark rooms
    • Trouble focusing on objects
    • Light sensitivity (squinting, blinking, irritation)
    • Red, crusty, or swollen eyes
    • Double, blurred, or distorted vision
    • Watery eyes that don't stop watering
    • Itchy, burning, or excessively dry eyes
    • Seeing “ghosts”, spots, or lines in your vision
  4. Determine whether you have pink eye. Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, can be highly contagious if it’s caused by a virus. While you can treat many cases of pink eye at home, if you develop certain symptoms, you should see an eye doctor or visit the emergency room immediately:[22]
    • Green or yellowish discharge or “crust”
    • High fever (over 102F), chills, shaking, pain, or loss of vision
    • Severe eye pain
    • Blurred or double vision or “halos”
    • If your pink eye symptoms don’t improve within two weeks, you should see a doctor even if the symptoms are mild.
  5. Know when to seek help. Even if you don’t have an eye emergency, you should definitely still see a doctor if your at-home eye care doesn’t relieve your pain. If your eye soreness is due to pink eye, you may need to let it run its course, but you should see a doctor if it’s not better after two weeks. If you have other symptoms and don’t feel better after a day or two of any at-home eye treatment, make an appointment with your physician or eye care specialist as soon as possible.[23]
  6. Talk with your doctor. Keep track of your symptoms, if you can, so that you can give your doctor as much information as possible. Thinking about the following questions can help your doctor give you the care you need:[24]
    • Have you had any problems with your vision, such as blurring, halos, blind spots, or trouble adjusting to light?
    • Are you experiencing pain? If so, when is it worst?
    • Do you get dizzy?
    • When did your symptoms start? Did they happen suddenly or gradually?
    • How often do you experience these symptoms? Is it all the time, or do they come and go?
    • When is the pain worse? Does anything make it better?



Tips

  • If you wear makeup, remove it without rubbing your eyes. Use light, gentle movements when removing eye makeup.
  • Clean your glasses and/or contact lenses frequently. This will help prevent glare and irritation.
  • Be careful not to scratch your eyes. This could cause irritation or infection.
  • Protect your eyes from the sun and harsh light. Wear sunglasses or lenses with UV protection. If you’re near construction zones or any area with high levels of particles in the air, wear protective glasses or goggles.
  • All you may need to do is take off your glasses or remove your contacts and relax to get some relief.
  • Make sure your eyewear prescription is up to date. Incorrect prescriptions are a common cause of sore eyes.

Warnings

  • Don’t insert anything (tweezers, cotton swabs, etc.) into the eye! You could cause severe damage.
  • If you continue to experience discomfort for more than a day or two, or if your vision is affected, or if you have nausea/vomiting or a persistent headache, see an eye specialist as soon as possible.
  • If you use medicated eye drops, check with a pharmacist to make sure any medications you’re currently taking will not be affected by the eye drops.
  • Don’t use black or green tea for compresses. These teas contain high levels of tannins, which may damage delicate eyelid tissue.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eyestrain/basics/definition/con-20032649
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.webmd.com/first-aid/dry-eye-syndrome-treatment
  3. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/tc/warm-compresses-for-eye-problems-topic-overview
  4. ↑ http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-chamomile.html
  5. ↑ http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/ask/questions/warm-tea-bag-compress.cfm
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eyestrain/basics/prevention/con-20032649
  7. ↑ http://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/MuscleRelaxation.pdf
  8. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
  9. ↑ http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/blepharitis?sso=y
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eyestrain/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20032649
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-fatigue-causes-symptoms-treatment?page=2#1
  12. ↑ http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/flickering-fallacy-cfl-bulb-headaches/
  13. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003034.htm
  14. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/ss/slideshow-pinkeye
  15. ↑ https://www.oskiaskincare.com/beauty-bible/eyemassageroutine/
  16. ↑ http://news.discovery.com/tech/glasses-reduce-eye-strain-120205.htm
  17. ↑ https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/sites/default/files/VC_DigitalEyeStrain_Report2015.pdf
  18. ↑ https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/content/digital-eye-strain/adults
  19. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid/basics/art-20056645
  20. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003029.htm
  21. ↑ http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/glaucoma.html#symptoms
  22. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/pinkeye
  23. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-pain-causes-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment?page=2
  24. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003029.htm
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