If something gets into your eyes, it is going to let you know about it. A little speck of dust is enough to make your eyes feel all irritated and full of tears. Sometimes a hard dust particle can make your eyes feel that it is being cut with a blade every time you try to blink, which makes it really hard to focus on anything else. Fortunately, there are simple home remedies through which you can fight your eye irritation.
Why do you have eye irritation?
When you make your living in a very polluted environment with dust floating around everywhere you turn, it is not uncommon for your eyes catching up some specks of dust particles. Whenever it happens, your eyes’ natural protection mechanism kicks in, which makes your eye filled with tears in no time. Without tears, your eyes will feel much more irritating and red. Not every one of us product same level of tears, old people, in general, produce way little tears than younger people. This is one of the main reasons why older people become often become victims of eye irritation. Apart from specks of dust, you can also get irritation in your eyes due to allergies, smoke from cigarettes, and dry air, which can make your eyes feel itchy.
Wash out the dust particles
- If you feel your eyes have caught hold of a speck of dust, lift your eyelids up away from your eyeball by holding on to the lashes. This will make your eyes to produce enough tears to wash away the dust. For some reason, if you cannot produce enough tears, you can make use of artificial tears or sterile eye wash.
- You can take this technique to the next level by flipping the upper eyelid to remove the speck of dust which might be sticking to the other side. But, not everyone wants to do it. If you are repelled by the idea, then stay out of it.
- If both these tricks are not working for you, then try to wash your hands thoroughly with a hand wash or soap by using a generous amount of water. Just to make sure your hands on super clean. Cup your affected eye using your palm, put your eyes inside fresh clean water, open your eyes inside water while keeping your palms in place. This should wash away the dust particle.
Watch your contact lens
If you are are using contacts, your eye irritation could be due to a speck of dust that has crept into it. Try to remove the contacts and wash it thoroughly like you always do, and examine closely if there is any dust sticking on to it. If you spot a dust, then wash it again thoroughly before putting it back on.
Soothe your itchy eyes
- If you have irritated eyes due to an allergy, it can get very itchy and your eyes will turn red. To soothe your eyes, soak a clean washcloth in ice-cold water, wring it and place it over your eyes. Do it as often as you need. Cold and chillness from the cloth will restrict the blood flow to the area and a damp cloth will keep your eyes all moist. Make sure the washcloth is clean.
- Make thin slices of cucumber and place it over your closed eyes, let it stay there for 10 minutes. Refrigerated cucumber works better for eye irritation.
- Take a couple of tea bags, soak it in a cold water for few seconds and lay it over your closed eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. You can use any kind of tea bag for this method. The main job is to keep your blood vessels cold to restrict the blood flow.
When to Seek Doctor’s Help?
You can make efforts to remove a speck of dust present in the white part of the eyeballs yourself, but if it gets near or on to your pupil, you would need Doctor’s help to remove it safely without hurting your eyes. Your Doctor might send you to the emergency room to start the extraction procedure. You would need Doctor’s attention if you continue to feel irritation and itching sensation even after removing a foreign body from your eyeballs. Sometimes, you might need eye drops to prevent infection.
Keep your eyes moist
- Keep a humidifier running in your home in places where you spend most of your time, like the living room, kitchen, bedroom etc..
- If you are running short of tears or cannot able to keep your eyes moist, then make use of artificial tears. Opt for the brand that doesn’t contain any preservatives. Follow the instructions on the label.
How to Prevent?
- Sleep deprivation makes the blood vessels in the eyes to swell. This can dry out your eyes and cause irritation. Always get enough sleep every single night. Doctors recommend at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.
- You need to maintain a right balance between potassium and sodium levels in your body. This ensures your body cells are properly hydrated and so are your eyes. So the solution is, eat at least one or two bananas every day. Bananas not only supplies you with almost instant energy, it is also rich in potassium and helps to regulate the sodium levels in your body.
- Another important nutrient that your body needs to keep the eyes properly hydrated is omega 3 fatty acids. Salmon and flaxseed oil are two well known rich sources of this vital nutrient. Have one or two teaspoons of flax seed oil every day, you can take it in raw form or add it to your cereal, salads etc. Make sure you are not heating the oil. Additionally, you can include fish like salmon in your diet one or two times a week. If you like nuts, they are another great source of omega 3 fatty acids as well.
- Dry eyes can also be induced due to regular use of certain drugs. If you have dry eyes, then check the drugs or supplements you might be taking regularly. If you can stop using the drugs for few days to see if that’s making your eyes feel better. If you find out troublemaker, then ask your Doctor for an alternative medicine. Some common drugs which could trigger dry eyes include antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and tranquilizers.
- Wear goggles if you work in a dusty environment.
- Wear sunglasses when you are going out in the hot sun, to protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation, specks of dust, and dry winds.
- Take extra care while applying makeup, mascaras, creams, and ointments on your face and near your eyes. Some creams and ointments if they creep into your eyes, it can make it dry and reddish.
- Smoke from cigarettes can be really damaging to your eyes, if you are a smoker then quit it, else stay away from people who regularly smoke tobacco. Never allow any of your friends and relatives to smoke in your proximity.
Avoid this
There are eye drops that will remove the redness from your eyes. Though they can come little handy at times, in the long run, it can be quite damaging. They work by constricting your blood vessels, this will reduce the level of tears your eyes naturally produce and make it feel dry and raw. You can make use of artificial tears instead.