Have you ever caught red eye? Perhaps from staring at a computer or television screen too long, or puffing on a certain herbaceous substance? Red eyes can be a hassle and a pain, especially afflicting those who have allergies. If you have mysteriously red eyes, or if you know exactly why you have red eyes, then this article is for you.
*Getting Rid of Red Eyes:
1)Use water.
Splash some cold water on your face or hold a damp compress over your eyes. Red eyes are usually due to swollen blood vessels after they become dry or due to the body's natural release of histamines after contact with allergens.To counteract this response, add some cold water on a washcloth and wring it on your red eye for 2 minutes. This should help ease some of the swelling that is causing your bloodshot eyes and feel soothing to the touch.
2)Use ice cubes.
Another common way of soothing bloodshot eyes is to cover the eyes with ice or a freeze-pack. If you don't have a freeze-pack to use, use a washcloth and place some ice cubes it, holding it to your eyes for 4 to 5 minutes.
When using ice or a freezer-pack, always remember to wrap in a thin cloth towel first in order to prevent ice burn.
3)Try eyedrops.
Of course, you may already know that eyedrops are consistently among the best treatment options for swollen, irritated, or bloodshot eyes. But did you know why they work?
Eyedrops contain a vasoconstrictor called phenylephrine. Phenylephrine causes the blood vessels to constrict, making them much less noticeable.
Eyedrops help with redness for allergies or for relief after smoking, but they are less suited to helping infections.
If your problem is dryness in your eyes, then don't use normal eyedrops. Eyedrops like Visine won't do any good for dry eyes. Consider seeing a doctor and asking for a prescription of Cyclosporine, an anti-inflammatory drug. Artificial tears and certain anti-drying gels may also be helpful for at-home treatment, as may the wearing of sunglasses.
Use eyedrops as recommended, or every 4 hours. Unless otherwise recommended, only take eyedrops to relieve redness every 4 hours. Overuse of eyedrops can cause problems.
4)Try placing sliced, cool cucumber over your eyelids.
Cucumbers over the eyelids are supposed to help with red, puffy eyes. They do in this much the same manner as a cold compress: The cool surface area of the cucumber over the eye causes blood vessels to constrict, reducing their appearance.
For extra relief, place the cucumber you'll be cutting up into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting up slices. Cucumbers stay cool long because of their liquid content. The cool blast on top of your eyelids will provide extra comfort.
Cucumbers are also reputed to help with circles under the eyes as well as wrinkles on and near the eyelids, although these claims haven't been backed up yet by science.
5)Try a little bit of rosewater on top of the eyelid.
Soak a cotton pad or cotton ball in rosewater and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Remove the rosewater-soaked cotton balls and place them over your closed eyes for redness relief.
For double duty, try soaked a cucumber slice in rosewater and then refrigerating the cucumber slice. Apply to eyelids as directed above.
6)Try used teabags over the eyelids.
Proven as a treatment for puffy eyes and dark circles under the eyes, this approach may also help relieve redness accompanying either symptom. Take a used teabag caffeinated black tea works great, as does decaffeinated green tea and refrigerate for 15 minutes to cool down. Apply cool teabags to the eyes and relax for 15 minutes. Like cucumber and rosewater cures, a relaxing respite for your eyes and soul!
Steep the teabag in hot water, not cold, before using. The tannins in the tea are better positioned to reduce swelling in the eye area after dunking in warm water first.
7)Drink more water.
General dehydration can leech water away from the eyes, causing swelling and redness. Be sure to drink enough water so that your body can reliably send moisture over to your eyes. This has a subtle but lasting effect.
*Preventing Red Eye in the First Place:
1)Limit your exposure to staring at screens for long stretches of time.
Laptops, TV monitors, and the like generally cause a lot of red eye. Studies show that we blink less often when staring at a computer screen, which causes our eyes to dry out. If you can't or don't want to limit your time staring at laptop or TV monitors, here's what you can do to help keep your eyes from turning red and generally keep your eyesight from deteriorating:
Position the computer or TV screen so that the top of the monitor is level with your eyes. Place yourself 20 to 30 inches (50.8 to 76.2 cm) away from the monitor.
Take mini-breaks every twenty minutes. Every twenty minutes, get up from your computer and busy yourself for twenty seconds to a minute. Find an excuse to go to the bathroom, get a glass of water, socialize with a coworker or friend.
This will lessen eye strain. Experts call this the 20-20 rule.
Find eyewear specifically designed to limit eye strain from monitor glare. Look into purchasing specially-made eyewear that diminishes the glare coming from your computer, thereby helping your eyes.
2)Try to avoid smoking.
Irritants like smoke than bother your eyes, creating unnecessary redness. As if you needed another excuse to quit. Buying an air cleaner to keep your house smoke free might also be a good idea if you tend to smoke indoors but are unwilling to quit.
3)Take it easy on the alcohol.
Vice seems to be bad for the eyes, huh? Alcohol in excess can dehydrate the body, robbing it of essential fluids and turning the eyes red. If you are going to drink alcohol, be sure to drink plenty of water to maintain proper hydration levels. Try to drink one glass of water for every unit of alcohol you consume.
4)Make sure your diet is working for you, not against you.
Diet can have a significant impact on the health of your eyes as well as other organs in your body. Eat a balanced diet rich with omega 3 fatty acids (salmon, flax seed, nuts, etc.) in addition to getting enough vitamins C, E, and zinc.Make sure also to get enough of the following vitamins:
Vitamins B2 and B6
Lutein and zeaxanthin
5)Sleep well.
You should sleep seven/eight hours every night.
6)Manage other factors.
There are a host of other possible factors that may contribute to red, swollen eyes. Managing these potential problems by identifying the cause will help you treat the root of the problem instead of treating the symptoms.
Here are some possible conditions that may be contributing to red eyes:
*Treat pink eye
*Get rid of red eye after going swimming
*Treat allergies
*Reduce puffiness from crying
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