It basically refers to a condition in which your eyes become dry. This causes reduction in lubrication, as a result of which your eyes will become red and itchy, vision gets blurred and eyes start to ache. It may also cause the feeling of some foreign body or dust present in your eyes. Tears help in keeping our eyes clean. It consists of oil, water and mucus. Dryness of the eyes is basically caused by the imbalance in the production of tears.
Dry eyes can be caused due to certain factors such as asthma, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, LASIK surgery, glaucoma or as a natural consequence of age. Hormonal changes in women during menstruation, pregnancy, post-menopause and lactation can also cause dry eyes. External factors such as; exposure to smoke, extremely windy weather, contact lenses and air conditioning can also cause dry eyes.
Dry Eyes Home Remedies
1. One of the simplest home remedies for dry eyes is to close your eyes and then place a damp and warm wash cloth over them. Remove after five to ten minutes and re-wet it with warm water and apply again. This is very beneficial in opening the clogged oil glands in eyes.
2. Before going to sleep, you can make it a habit of applying lubricant. This will prevent your eyes from getting dry while sleeping.
3. Turn off any artificial heating or cooling outlets because they reduce the mucus and natural moisture of the eyes.
4. Applying a paste of tomato puree and lemon juice, turmeric powder and orange lentil flour on dark circles of your eyes is also considered to be one of the effective home remedies for dry eyes.
5. Try to wear sunglasses when you go out. Those who wear contact lenses should try to wear them for lesser hours. Consult your physician before bringing any changes in using contact lenses.
6. Soak couple of cotton balls in warm tea and place them on each of your eyelid. Leave them there for five minutes. You can even try used tea bags in place of cotton. This is considered to be one of the great home remedies for dry eyes.
7. Take a diet rich in fatty acids such as flax seed oil, omega-3 oil or evening primrose oil. It will help keep your eyes lubricated.
8. Mild soap or baby shampoo can be used to massage your closed eyes near base of the eyelashes. Use clean fingertips to massage and rinse properly but gently in order to wash off the soap. This is one of the efficient home remedies for dry eyes.
9. Try to consume lots of fluids in your diet. Try eating green vegetables and citrus fruits.
10. One of the effective home remedies for dry eyes is to splash water in the eyes at regular intervals. This will provide your eyes with some essential moisture.
11. Avoid rubbing of your eyes and blink your eyes while reading, watching TV or working on a computer.
12. If the atmosphere of your room is dry, then use a humidifier to keep a check on the indoor humidity.
Read about Home Remedies for Dry Eyes. Also know Home Remedies for Pink Eye.