Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Relax strained eyes
• Method 2 of 3: Avoid sore eyes
• Method 3 of 3: Get professional help
• Tips
• Warnings

Painful eyes can have many causes, but the most common cause is fatigue and strain in the eyes. Your eyes can become strained working in dim lighting, sitting at the wheel for long periods of time, not putting on your glasses, if you have one, or staring at one point for too long (like a computer screen). Painful eyes can also be caused by headaches, glaucoma, eye debris, sinus infections and inflammation. If you have sore eyes after a long day, there are several things you can do at home to relieve the pain.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Relax strained eyes

1. Use eye drops. With eye drops or artificial tears, you can provide dry eyes with moisture, which can reduce pain. You can use saline solution (which is similar to the salt water from tears) or prescription eye drops. Follow the directions for use.
   • Avoid habituation. If you often use eye drops, make sure there are no medications or preservatives in them. Overuse of medicated eye drops can actually make the problem worse.
2. Use a warm compress. A warm compress helps to relax the muscles around the eyes, relieving the tension and oppression of tired eyes. You can use a dry or moist compress, whichever feels best. Take off your glasses or, if you have them, take your lenses off before applying a compress on your eyes.
   • You can make a dry compress with a clean sock. Fill it with uncooked rice or beans and tie a tight knot in the sock. Heat the sock in the microwave for 30 seconds or until it is warm, but not hot. Place the compress on your eye.
   • You can make a damp compress with a clean washcloth or several sheets of kitchen roll soaked in warm (not hot) water. Place the washcloth over your eyes. You can press it gently with your hands, but don't press too hard. Leave the compress on until it cools down.
3. Use your palm as a compress. By gently applying pressure to and around your eyes with your palms, you can reduce pressure on your eyes and relieve pain. Take off your glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them, before using your hands as a compress.
   • Cross your hands with the palms facing you.
   • Gently press your palms against your eyes.
   • Hold this on for 30 seconds and then relax. Repeat this as often as necessary to control the pain.
4. Use an herbal tea compress. Herbal teas such as chamomile, turmeric, eyebright, marigold and mahonia / barberry have anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe your eyes. Although it has not been scientifically proven that a tea bag is more effective than other warm compresses, you can find its scent soothing.
   • Put two tea bags in a cup and pour hot water over it. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes or until the water is no longer hot, but still warm.
   • Squeeze excess moisture from the tea bags and place one on each eye. Put your head back and relax. When the tea bags have cooled, you can remove them. You can repeat this compress as often as you want.
   • If you can't find tea bags, you can cut the toes off a pair of pantyhose, put dried herbs in them, tie them in a knot, and use it as a tea bag.
5. Roll your eyes. All teens do it to express their displeasure, but it can also help reduce the pressure on your eyes. Close your eyes, focus on a deep breath, and do the following exercise:
   • Roll your eyes clockwise. Then roll them counterclockwise. With each other this is 1 complete eye roll.
   • Repeat the eye roll 20 times. Start slow and go a little faster each time.
   • Do this 2 to 4 times a day to prevent or reduce pressure on your eyes.
6. Take regular eye breaks.Rest your eyes a few times a day according to the 20-20-6 rule: take a break every 20 minutes and look at something at least 6 meters away from you for at least 20 seconds. Looking at your computer screen for too long without taking breaks can cause sore eyes, headaches, and even muscle pain.
   • Get up every hour, walk around and shake yourself off. This will help you refresh and keep your eyes from getting overloaded.
7. Relax. Worry, stress, and tense muscles can cause tense and sore eyes. Take a few deep breaths in and out, shake out your limbs and roll your head over your chest, shoulders and neck. Get up and take a walk. Stretch out. You can also do eye exercises to reduce pressure on your eyes and relieve pain.
   • Try to find a quiet and comfortable place without distractions. Breathe in and out deeply and evenly.
   • Squeeze your eyelids together as hard as you can. Hold this tension for ten seconds. Relax and open your eyes.
   • Raise your eyebrows as high as possible. Your eyes will now open as wide as possible. Hold them in this position for ten seconds. Relax.
   • Repeat these two exercises throughout the day whenever you feel pressure on your eyes.

Method 2 of 3: Avoid sore eyes

1. Make sure to keep your eyes moist. If you sit in front of the computer for a long time, you may find that you blink less with your eyelids, which causes your eyes to dry out. Blink your eyes often to keep them moist. If you're still having problems, artificial tears can help.
   • If you are using artificial tears that contain preservatives, do not use them more than 4 times a day. Using these types of eye drops too often can make your eye problems worse! If your eye drops don't contain preservatives, you can use them as often as you like.
   • A humidifier can also help keep your eyes moist and fresh.
2. Drink lots of water. If you don't drink enough water, your eyes can feel dry, itchy, and painful. When you are dehydrated, your body cannot produce enough tears to keep your eyes moist. A man should drink at least 13 glasses (3 liters) of water per day. A woman should drink at least 9 glasses (2.2 liters) of water per day.
3. Remove makeup. Makeup can clog the oil glands in your skin and cause irritation and even infection. Make sure to bring all eye makeup, such as mascara and eyeshadow.
   • You can use baby shampoo or special eye make-up remover. The most important thing is to remove all makeup every day.
4. Buy non-allergenic eye makeup. You have to experiment with this a bit, because brands that are “hypoallergenic” can also irritate your eyes. Try a little bit of different eye makeup for sensitive eyes and find one that works well for you.
   • If you still have problems with makeup, you can see a skin doctor. He or she can recommend makeup that won't irritate your eyes.
5. Use eyelid scrub. If you have dry, itchy eyes, an eyelid scrub can help. You can use baby shampoo or a gentle, non-irritating sulfate-free shampoo to exfoliate your eyelids. The scrub helps your skin's natural oils to lubricate your eyelids better.
   • 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 (one for each eye) to gently rub the solution along your lashes and the rim of your lids.
   • Rinse with clean, warm water.
   • Use the scrub twice a day.
6. Make sure that light comes from behind. When you read, the light bouncing off a page or screen can blind your eyes and cause your eyes to hurt. Always put your lamp or other light source behind you, or use a table lamp.
7. Pay attention to good habits in your workplace. An ergonomically correct workplace can help prevent sore eyes. When you hang at your desk, you can not only suffer from your eyes, but also muscle pain and fatigue.
   • Keep at least 50-65 cm away from your computer screen. Place the screen at a comfortable height so that you don't slump or have to look up to see it properly.
   • Limit blinding reflections. Use a reflection filter over the computer screen and adjust the light in your office if possible. Old-fashioned fluorescent lights that flicker can strain and cause sore eyes. Newer compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) do not have that effect.
8. Avoid smoke and other airborne irritants. If your eyes are often red, itchy, teary, or tired, it could be a reaction to something in the air. Irritants include cigarette smoke, smog and pet dander.
   • If your eyes have a thick green discharge, see a doctor immediately. This can be a symptom of an inflamed eye, or bacterial conjunctivitis.
9. Relax. You can get sore eyes from stress and worry. Do relaxation exercises for a few minutes a few times a day to keep your eyes relaxed.
   • Put your elbows on your desk. Support your head with the palms of your hands. Close your eyes and cover them with your hands. Take a deep breath in through your nose, let your stomach expand. Hold this inhale for 4 seconds and then exhale slowly. Repeat this a few times a day for 15 to 30 seconds.
   • Massage your face. Gently massage the muscles around your eyes. This can help prevent sore eyes. Use your fingertips to make gentle circular motions on your upper lids for 10 seconds. Then make the same movements on your lower lids for 10 seconds. This massage helps to stimulate the tear glands and relax your muscles.
   • Apply light pressure to your face. By tapping your face gently, you can relieve strained eyes and prevent sore and tired eyes. Gently tap your forehead about an inch above your eyebrows. Then gently tap the point where your eyebrows curve. Press gently between your eyebrows. Next, pat on the inside of your eyebrows and then on the outside. Finally, squeeze your bridge of the nose.
10. Wear protective glasses. If you stare at a computer screen for too long, protective glasses can help reduce pressure on the eyes. Special glasses have been designed to prevent dry and painful eyes. Glasses with amber lenses can help neutralize the bright brightness of the screen.
    • Gunnar Optiks has an extensive range of glasses specially designed for avid gamers. The design of their glasses helps to prevent strained and dried out eyes. The orange-yellow glasses limit the brightness of the light.
11. Customize your screens. We have many screens around us: computers, tablets, telephones, TVs… and they all produce light that can damage our eyes. You don't have to get rid of all your screens, but you can do something to limit their impact on your eyes.
    • Limit blue light. Blue light can cause a blinding glow and can even damage your eyes if you are overexposed to it. Use a blue light filter on your tablet and mobile phone and limit the backlight of your TV. You can also buy glasses with anti-reflective lenses, which can reduce the effects of blue light.
    • Buy an anti-reflective filter for the computer and TV screen. You can also adjust the contrast on your computer screen.
    • Clean the screens regularly. Dust, smudges and smudges can cause glare, causing strained eyes.

Method 3 of 3: Get professional help

1. Make sure nothing is in your eye. If your eye hurts from dirt, grain, or anything that doesn't belong there, it's best to see a doctor. If something is stuck in your eye, you should see the doctor right away. You can follow the steps below to get small particles out of your eyes. But if it doesn't improve immediately, see a doctor right away.
   • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
   • Remove contact lenses.
   • Use clean (preferably distilled) warm water to rinse your eye. You can use a special eye bath (available at the drugstore or pharmacy) or a small drinking glass. A dropper bottle filled with clean, warm water can also help flush small particles out of your eye.
   • If you still feel pain or irritation in your eye after taking something out, get medical help right away.
2. Determine if it is an emergency. If you have (had) something in your eye, there are other symptoms to look out for and see a doctor immediately. These symptoms can indicate serious illness or medical problems:
   • Temporary blindness or blind spots that appear suddenly
   • See double image or “halos” (illuminated circles surrounding objects)
   • When it turns black before your eyes
   • Sudden blurred vision accompanied by eye pain
   • Redness and swelling of the eyes
3. Determine if you have symptoms of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a collection of eye diseases that can affect your optic nerves. Regular check-ups by the ophthalmologist are the best way to prevent and detect glaucoma. If you have pain in your eyes and have the following symptoms, you should see an eye doctor for it as soon as possible:
   • Problems adjusting to a different light intensity, especially in a dark room
   • Problems focusing on objects
   • Photosensitivity (strabismus, blinking, irritation)
   • Red, crusty or swollen eyes
   • Double image, blurred or distorted vision
   • Watery eyes that don't stop with tears
   • Itchy, burning or very dry eyes
   • See "ghosts", dots, or lines
4. See if you have an infected eye. An inflamed eye, or conjunctivitis, can be highly contagious and caused by a virus. You can often treat an inflamed eye at home, but see an eye doctor or go to the emergency room right away if the following symptoms develop:
   • Green or yellowish discharge or "crust"
   • High fever (above 38.8 ° C), chills, shaking, pain or deterioration in vision
   • Severe pain in the eyes
   • Blurred, double, or “halos” vision
   • If you have symptoms of an inflamed eye that are not that severe, see a doctor after two weeks if the symptoms do not improve.
5. Seek professional help. Even if it is not an emergency, you should still see a doctor if you cannot manage the pain at home. If you have an inflamed eye it may pass on its own, but see a doctor if it doesn't get better after two weeks. If you have other symptoms and don't feel better after one or two days with the methods outlined above, make an appointment with your doctor or an eye doctor as soon as possible.
6. See a doctor. Write down the symptoms so that you can provide as much information as possible. The following questions can help your doctor provide the care you need:
   • Do you have vision problems such as blurred vision, halos, blind spots or do you have trouble adjusting to a different light intensity?
   • Are you hurt? If so, when is it worst?
   • Do you get dizzy?
   • When did the symptoms start? Was it sudden or gradual?
   • How often do you have these symptoms? All the time or sometimes?
   • When is the pain worst? Is there anything that can ease the pain?

Tips

• Remove makeup without rubbing your eyes. Remove the make-up with soft and gentle movements.
• Clean your glasses and / or lenses regularly. This will help prevent glare and irritation.
• Have regular check-ups to make sure your glasses and / or contact lenses still have the right prescription. Wearing the wrong strength can cause sore eyes.
• Sometimes it helps to take off your glasses or your contact lenses and let your eyes relax for a moment.
• Protect your eyes from the sun and bright light. Wear sunglasses or lenses with UV protection. Wear goggles or goggles when walking near a construction site or any other area with a lot of airborne particles.
• Don't scratch your eyes. This can cause irritation and even infection.

Warnings

• Don't get in your eye (with tweezers, cotton swabs, etc.). You can do serious damage!
• If you have discomfort for more than two days, your vision is affected, if you are sick / vomit or have a prolonged headache, see a doctor as soon as possible
• Ask the pharmacist whether medicated eye drops will not affect any medications you may be taking.
• Do not use black or green tea for compresses. These teas contain high amounts of tannin, which could damage the delicate skin of the eyelids.