Have you ever experienced dry eyes?
Dry eye syndrome (DES) is quite common and can leave your eyes feeling parched and extremely uncomfortable. It’s caused by the eyes not making enough tears, or when the tears evaporate too quickly.
Symptoms of DES can include burning, redness, itching, and blurred vision. Luckily, there are natural remedies that can help alleviate your symptoms in conjunction with dry eye treatments.
At Freedom Eye Care Dry Eye Center in Austin, we’ve created a list of at-home tips to lessen your dry eye symptoms. We diagnose and treat dry eye syndrome so you can enjoy long-term relief.
But remember: before taking nutritional supplements or changing your diet, consult your physician.
Effective Natural Remedies for Dry Eye
#1 Increase Your Intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
One of the best natural remedies for dry eye is omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients are found in fatty fish, chia seeds, and flaxseed.
Omega-3 increases tear quality and help reduce inflammation, which eases dry eye symptoms. You can either eat foods rich in omega-3 or take fish oil supplements to get the benefits of these nutrients.
#2 Use a Warm Compress
Warm compresses are inexpensive and quick, and easy to make.
All you have to do is soak a clean cloth in warm water and place it over your closed eyes for a few minutes.
The warmth from the damp cloth increases blood flow and helps to unclog any blocked oil glands, so more oil can reach the tear film. This improves tear quality.
#3 Vitamin A for the Win
Increasing your intake of vitamin A can alleviate dry eye syndrome. In fact, vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy eyes.
It can be found in foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, and spinach. You can also choose to take vitamin A as a supplement.
#4 Use Herbal Remedies
Herbal remedies like chamomile, fennel, and calendula are known to help reduce inflammation and improve tear quality.
You can either use these herbs as a tincture or ingest them as capsules or in tea.
Dry Eye Relief in Freedom Eye Care Dry Eye Center
While there are many natural remedies for dry eye syndrome, it’s still crucial to have a dry eye exam with an eye doctor who can determine the underlying cause of your dry eyes and treat the problem.
If you have persistent dry eye symptoms, schedule an appointment with Freedom Eye Care Dry Eye Center in Austin.
Our practice serves patients from Austin, South Austin, Sunset Valley, and Bluff Springs, Texas and surrounding communities.