Eye pain can be caused by many things, but the most common cause is eye strain due to overuse. Eyes can become strained because you work in dimly lit rooms, drive for long periods of time, don't wear glasses when needed, or stare in one direction for too long (such as a computer screen). Eye strain can be caused by headaches, glaucoma, foreign particles entering the eye, sinus infections, and inflammation. If your eyes are sore after a long day, there are things you can do at home to relieve them.
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Method 1 of 3: Relieve Eyestrain
Step 1. Use eye drops
Using eye drops or artificial tears can moisturize dry eyes so that eye pain is reduced. You can use saline (salt water similar to salt in tears) or eye drops. Follow the directions on the packaging.
Don't rely on eye drops. If you use eye drops frequently, make sure the eye drops you choose do not contain drugs or preservatives. Excessive use of eye drops can actually worsen eye problems
Step 2. Use a warm compress
Warm compresses can help relax the muscles around the eyes, thereby reducing tension and twitching in tired eyes. You can use a warm, dry or moist compress depending on what feels best. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, remove them before applying the compress.
- To make a dry compress, fill a clean sock with rice or beans and tie it tightly. Microwave for about 30 seconds or until warm but not too hot. Apply the compress to the eye.
- To make a damp compress, dampen a clean washcloth or several pieces of tissue paper in warm (almost hot but not too much) water. Place the washcloth over your eyes. You can press it lightly with your palm if you want, but don't put too much pressure on it. Leave the compress on the eye until it cools down.
Step 3. Use the palm of your hand as a compress
Using your palms to gently press the eye area can help reduce eye strain and pain. Remove glasses or contact lenses before pressing your hands to your eyes.
- Cross your arms with your palms facing your face.
- Gently press your palms against your eyes.
- Continue for 30 seconds, then relax. Repeat as many times as necessary to reduce eye pain.
Step 4. Use herbal tea bag compresses
Several types of herbs, such as chamomile, goldenseal, eyebright (euphrasia), calendula, and barberry contain anti-inflammatory properties that can help heal sore eyes. While there is no scientific evidence to suggest that tea bags are any more effective than warm compresses, you may find the aroma evoking a relaxing sensation.
- Place two tea bags in a cup and pour boiling water into them. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until the water is warm.
- Squeeze the liquid from the tea bag and place it in the eye. Rest your head and relax. Remove once the tea bag has cooled. You can repeat as many times as you want.
- In addition to tea bags, you can cut stockings and put dried herbal leaves in them, then use them like tea bags.
Step 5. Roll your eyes
It's a go-to weapon for teens, but actually rolling your eyes can help relieve eye strain. Close your eyes and focus on deep breathing while performing the following movements:
- Rotate the eyes clockwise. Then turn it counterclockwise. These two movements are one complete eye turn.
- Repeat 20 times. Start slowly and then get faster.
- Do it 2–4 times a day to help relieve and prevent eye strain.
Step 6. Rest your eyes often
Rest your eyes several times a day following the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, rest your eyes looking the other way at least 20 feet (6 meters) for about 20 seconds. Staring at a computer screen for long periods of time without resting can cause eye pain, headaches, and even muscle aches.
Try to stand up, walk around, and move your body every hour. This will refresh you and reduce eye strain
Step 7. Try to relax
Anxiety, stress, and tense muscles can cause eye strain and pain. Take a deep breath, move your arms and legs, and turn your head. Get up and take a little walk. Do some stretching movements. You can also practice progressive eye muscle relaxation to help relieve eye pain and strain.
- Find a quiet, comfortable place away from distractions, if you can. Breathe deeply and in balance.
- Close your eyes as hard as possible. Hold for ten seconds, then relax. Next, open your eyes.
- Raise your eyebrows high. Lift until you feel your eyes open as much as possible. Hold this position for ten seconds, then relax.
- Repeat these two exercises as often as needed.
Method 2 of 3: Prevent Eye Pain
Step 1. Keep your eyes moist
Long hours in front of a computer screen can reduce the number of blinks and dry eyes. Try to blink frequently to keep your eyes moist. If the problem persists, artificial tears may help.
- If the artificial tears you are using contain preservatives, do not use them more than 4 times a day. Using it too often actually exacerbates eye problems. If it doesn't contain preservatives. You can use it as often as needed.
- Using a humidifier can also keep your eyes moist and fresh.
Step 2. Drink a lot
Not drinking enough can make your eyes feel dry, itchy, and sore. If your body is dehydrated, you won't be able to produce enough tears to keep your eyes moist. For men, drink at least 13 glasses (3 liters) of water a day. For women, drink at least 9 glasses (2.2 liters) per day.
Step 3. Remove makeup
Makeup can clog oil glands in the skin and cause irritation, even infection. Try to remove all eye makeup, such as mascara and eye shadow.
You can use baby shampoo or a makeup remover specially formulated for the eyes. Most importantly you have to make sure all the makeup is removed daily
Step 4. Choose a makeup that does not trigger allergies
You may need to experiment until you find a safe one, because brands labeled as hypo-allergenic can irritate your eyes. Try different eye makeup specifically for sensitive eyes and apply a little at a time to find a makeup that doesn't cause any problems.
If you are still having problems every time you apply makeup, consult a dermatologist. Dermatologists can recommend makeup that doesn't irritate the eyes
Step 5. Use a scrub for the eyelids
If your eyes are dry, red, or itchy, an eyelid scrub may help. You can use baby shampoo or a mild, non-irritating, sulfate-free shampoo as an eyelid scrub. The scrub helps the oil in the skin flow freely and provides better lubrication for the eyes.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
- Mix equal amounts of baby shampoo and warm water in a small bowl.
- Use a clean washcloth (one for each eye) to gently rub the mixture over your lashes and the edges of your eyelids.
- Rinse with warm and clean water.
- Use this scrub twice a day.
Step 6. Aim the light from behind
When reading, light reflecting off the page or screen creates glare that can hurt the eyes. Position the lamp or light source behind you, or use a lamp with a hood.
Step 7. Practice working in a good ergonomic setting
Arranging the right work station ergonomically can help prevent eye pain. Slouching toward a computer desk can cause not only eye strain, but also muscle pain and fatigue.
- Sit at a distance of about 50–65 cm from the computer monitor. Place the monitor at a comfortable height so you don't have to look down or look up.
- Reduce glare. Use on-screen glare filters and change the lighting in your workspace if possible. Long flashing fluorescent lights can cause eye strain and headaches. The new fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) do not produce such an effect.
Step 8. Avoid smoke and other irritants from the environment
If your eyes are often red, itchy, watery, or tired, it may be due to a reaction to the environment. Common irritants from the environment are cigarette smoke, smog and pet dander.
If your eyes have yellow or green discharge, see a doctor immediately. It may be a symptom of conjunctivitis or sores
Step 9. Try to relax
Feelings of stress or anxiety can make your eyes hurt. Applying relaxation techniques, even for just a few minutes a day, can keep your eyes fresh.
- Place your elbows on the table. With your palms directed upwards, drop your head into your hands. Close your eyes and cover with your hands. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your stomach to fill with air. Hold your breath for 4 seconds then exhale slowly. Repeat for 15–30 seconds, several times a day.
- Massage your face. Gently massaging the muscles around the eyes can help prevent eye pain. Move your fingertips in a circle over your upper eyelid for 10 seconds. Next, make circular motions on the lower eyelid for 10 seconds. This massage can help stimulate the tear glands and relax the muscles.
- Massage the face with light pressure. Gently patting your face can help reduce eye strain and prevent sore eyes and eye fatigue. Gently pat the forehead about 2.5 cm above the eyebrows. Then, gently tap the point under the arch of the eyebrow. Next, tap the inner eyebrows, then the top eyebrows. Next, pinch the bridge of your nose.
Step 10. Wear preventive glasses
Wearing preventive glasses can help reduce eye strain if you stare at a computer screen for hours each day. Some types of glasses are specially designed to prevent pain and strain on the eyes. Look for a yellow lens that can neutralize the sharp glare of the screen.
Gamers who spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen can wear special glasses from Gunnar Optiks. Its specially designed lenses can help prevent eye strain and dryness. Yellow lens tint can reduce glare
Step 11. Make some changes to the screen
Life today is filled with screens, computers, tablets, cell phones, TVs, and all that produces glare that is tiring to the eyes. You may not be able to simply get rid of the screen, but there are things you can do to keep your eyes from hurting.
- Reduce blue light. Blue light can create glare and cause eye damage if overexposure. Use blue light filters on tablets and phones, and reduce backlight options on TVs. You can also replace eyeglass lenses with anti-reflective (AR) or anti-glare lenses to help reduce the effects of blue light.
- Purchase anti-glare filters for computer and TV screens. You can also lower the contrast of the computer monitor.
- Clean the screen regularly. Dust, dirt, and ink stains can create glare that strains the eyes.
Method 3 of 3: Seek Professional Help
Step 1. Check for foreign particles in the eye
If your eyes hurt from the entry of dust, metal flakes, sand, or other foreign particles, you may need to see a doctor. If any object gets into the eye, see a doctor immediately. You can follow these steps to get rid of the tiny particles, but if you don't feel better, seek medical attention.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
- If you wear contact lenses, remove them.
- Use clean warm water (preferably distilled water) or eye wash to wash your eyes. You can use special eye cups (available at drugstores or pharmacies) or small drinking glasses. A medicine dropper filled with clean, warm water can also be used to remove small particles inside the eye.
- If your eyes are still sore, red, or irritated after removing the foreign particles, seek immediate medical attention.
Step 2. Determine if your eye condition is an emergency
Apart from foreign particles in the eye, there are several other symptoms that require you to seek medical help immediately. These symptoms may be a sign of a serious illness or health problem:
- Temporary blindness or sudden inability to see a certain point
- Double vision or seeing a halo (a circle of light around an object)
- Unconscious or temporary memory loss
- Blurred vision that occurs suddenly with eye pain
- Swelling and redness near the eyes
Step 3. Pay attention to whether you have glaucoma symptoms
Glaucoma is actually a series of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve. The best way to prevent and detect glaucoma is to have regular check-ups with an eye doctor. However, if you experience eye pain accompanied by the following symptoms, you should schedule a visit to the eye doctor as soon as possible:
- Difficulty adjusting to changing light, especially in a dark room
- Difficulty focusing on one object
- Sensitivity to light (squinting, blinking, irritation)
- Red, crusty, or swollen eyes
- Double, blurred, or distorted vision
- Eyes keep watering
- Eyes feel itchy, hot, or too dry
- Presence of dots, lines, or shadows like “ghosts” in vision
Step 4. Determine if you have a sore throat
A sore, or conjunctivitis, is highly contagious if it's caused by a virus. Although ulcers can be treated at home, you should see your eye doctor or the emergency room immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- The eyes have green or yellowish discharge, or “crust”
- High fever (above 38.5°C), chills, chills, pain, or loss of vision
- Severe eye pain
- Blurred or double vision, or seeing a halo
- If the conjunctivitis does not clear up within two weeks, you should see a doctor even if the symptoms are mild.
Step 5. Know when to seek help
Even if your eye condition is not classified as an emergency, you should still see a doctor if home remedies don't work. If your eye hurts from the discharge, you may need to let it sit until it heals while you treat it, but you should see a doctor if it doesn't improve after two weeks. If you have other symptoms and don't feel better after a day or two of treatment at home, make an appointment with your doctor or ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
Step 6. Consult a doctor
If you can, write down your symptoms so you can give your doctor as much information as possible. Think about the following questions so your doctor can give you the treatment you need:
- Have you ever had problems with your vision, such as blurring, seeing halos, not seeing certain points near you, or having difficulty adjusting to light?
- Do you feel pain? If so, when did it hurt the most?
- Is your head dizzy?
- When did you first feel these symptoms? Did it happen suddenly or gradually?
- How often do you experience these symptoms? Is it all the time or comes and goes?
- When did the pain get worse? Is there anything that can alleviate it?
Tips
- If you wear makeup, remove it without rubbing your eyes. Remove makeup with light, gentle movements.
- Clean glasses and/or contact lenses regularly. This will help prevent glare and irritation
- Make sure the glasses you wear match your current eye condition. Improper eyeglasses are the most common cause of eye pain.
- To reduce eye pain, maybe all you need to do is remove your glasses or contact lenses.
- Protect your eyes from the sun and too bright light. Wear sunglasses or lenses with UV protection. If you are near a construction area or other area where the air contains a lot of particulate matter, wear protective eyewear or goggles.
- Do not rub your eyes as this can cause irritation or infection.
Warning
- Do not put anything (tweezers, cotton sticks, etc.) into the eye. It can cause severe damage.
- If you continue to experience discomfort for a day or two, visual disturbances, nausea/vomiting or a persistent headache, see an ophthalmologist immediately.
- If you are using eye drops, make sure with your pharmacist that any medicines you are currently taking will not be affected by the eye drops.
- Do not use black tea or green tea as a compress. Both types of tea contain high levels of tannins which can damage the tissue in the thin eyelids.
