We have all had days when our eyes have caused us trouble, coupled with headaches, severe itching, twitching, redness, or all of these together. Running to the doctor every time there is an eye irritation is not feasible, especially if you are prone to eye infections, styes, or other similar eye problems. Of course, more severe problems would require eye infection treatment from a doctor, but most of these problems are simpler to handle.
Common eye problems include conjunctivitis (pink eye in common terms), dry eye, keratitis, blepharitis, styes, lazy eye, etc. We all suffer from eye problems because of our constant exposure to screens that emit harmful blue light. This not only has aging effects on the eyes and the skin around the eyes but can also make a person prone to more serious eye conditions. Let’s take a look at these 5 effective preventative measures to stop eye problems in their tracks. They can also be used as home remedies to treat swelling and redness, among other issues.
1. Avoid Touching/Rubbing Your Eyes
A lot of us fall into the habit of touching or rubbing our eyes when we feel the slightest irritation. When left undisturbed, this irritation usually goes away in a few seconds, but you would rather rub your eyes, thinking it will help. Your fingertips always have millions of bacteria which, when they come in contact with the eyes, can cause redness, swelling, and even infections. This is especially when you’re out and about, haven’t washed your hands, and absentmindedly touch your eyes, causing problems.
2. Warm & Cold Compresses
Both warm and cold compresses can have soothing effects on the eyes as well as the areas surrounding the eyes. You can soak a towel in warm or cold water and set it down on your eyes for a few minutes. Although this doesn’t fix infections (you’d need antibiotics from a doctor for that), it does reduce swelling, redness, inflammation, etc. The trick is to not press it down into your eyes but to let it sit for a while, allowing the compress to take effect slowly. Pressing down or rubbing your eyes with the compress can lead to more swelling and is a grave cause of eye pain.
3. Invest in a Saline Solution Eye Drop
Saline or salt water is a natural cleanser and is commonly used in general medicine in a number of ways. It is not necessarily the cure to all eye problems, nor is it the only medication prescribed for eye infections, but it is highly useful as a preventative measure. This is because of its antimicrobial and cleansing properties. Tear ducts in the eyes also hold similar properties, which is why saline is beneficial. It prevents your eyes from becoming dry, it helps to soothe swelling and redness, and it is often prescribed alongside antibiotics to ease eye infections by eye doctors. It would be advisable to keep a bottle of saline eye drops with you, especially if you are prone to eye infections. You don’t require a prescription for the same, which is the easiest part.
4. Be Careful With Your Makeup
Using makeup properly has several components that can drastically affect your eye health. For one, always remove your makeup after you come home, especially before you go to sleep. Another precaution to take in order to reduce your risk of developing eye conditions is to be careful about which (and whose) makeup you use. Remember not to share your makeup with anybody else, especially eye makeup like eyeliner, kohl, eyeshadow, and mascara, to avoid contracting infections from someone else. This also applies to your own makeup you may have used while you had an infection.
5. Take Proper Care of Your Contact Lenses
While this goes without saying, it is something that slips the mind of a lot of people because of how menial a task it is. Cleaning your contact lenses and storing them appropriately and cleanly is imperative for avoiding eye problems and having to go through eye infection treatment. Your lenses help you see better and protect your eyes from dust and from coming into contact with germs and bacteria. Naturally, layers of the same are formed on the contact lenses that need to be cleaned regularly. Additionally, any bodily fluids (including those from your eye ducts) need to be cleaned so that they do not lead to infections in the future.
Also read: Ultimate Beginners Guide to Wearing Contact Lenses
Pay a visit to your optician if the eye problem symptoms persist.
