It is truly an annoying situation that we have scratchy eyes, isn’t it, ladies? Even the slightest bit of irritation on our eyes or any other eye infection problem that lingers around for some time bothers us. In most cases, such issues don’t last long and usually go away after a moment. However, if the condition persists or even progresses further, we all start to worry.
After all, it is our eyes! Under normal circumstances, doctors prescribe commercial eye drops when we have any mild eye infections. However, nowadays, people are more inclined towards home remedies and are discarding conventional pharmaceutical medicines. The question here is, are homemade eye drops safe?
Many of you must also be thinking about how to make homemade eye drops? Well, not to worry, as we are here to clear all your doubts about the effectiveness of homemade eye drops and how to make one. Before diving into the topic of homemade eye drops, let’s find out a bit about what causes the common eye issues or infections
Cause of Eye Infections/Eye Issues
An important point to be noted is that most eye issues or eye infections occur mainly due to three factors – viral, bacterial, or fungal. Apart from this, there are other external factors as well that can lead to an eye infection or can irritate your eye.
- Too many air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended particulate matter.
- Using water contaminated with toxic substances or using water of poor quality in general. Washing eyes with tap water is therefore never advised by doctors.
- Using the computer for too long strains your eyes, leading to irritation or making them sore.
Home Remedies That You Can Try
Although it is good to stay natural and try all-natural products when it comes to our health, trying home remedies to treat health issues can be somewhat risky. However, people do make and apply home remedies to treat eye issues such as dry eyes, irritated eyes, and so on.
Many of you may also worry about whether using natural eye drops is good or not. You may also ask, are homemade eye drops safe? Well, as we said earlier, using homemade eye drops has its own pros and cons. Irrespective of that, let us help you out on how to make homemade eye drops that you can try.
1. Rosewater as Homemade Eye Drops
Rosewater is a good home remedy to go for if you have scratchy, sore eyes. Apart from this, you can also use rose water as natural eye drops when you see your eyes getting slightly red. Applying one to two drops of rosewater to the affected eyes is more than enough. The concept of using rosewater as natural eye drops is pretty common, actually.
A tiny heads up for all: The rosewater may sting a bit but only for a moment. Rosewater can be considered as a versatile product with a number of health benefits.
2. A Saltwater Solution as Homemade Eye Drops
Did you know, most of the eye drops that doctors prescribe contain a solution of saltwater. The saltwater solution is also known as a saline solution. Saline solution is best for dry and irritated eyes. You can also rinse your eyes with the solution.
How to make homemade eye drops with saltwater?
- Take one teaspoon of salt and mix it with filtered water.
- Boil the mixture until the salt dissolves.
- Let the solution cool down completely, and your homemade eye drops are good to go.
Related: Solution To The Puffy Eye Problem
3. Castor Oil as Natural Eye Drops
You must be wondering, putting oil into eyes, really? Well, it is, in fact, safe to use castor oil as a form of homemade eye drops. However, some people may also have an allergic reaction to this oil. So, to be on the safe side, you can try applying it on your skin and see any possible side effects. For this purpose, we would recommend using the cold-pressed castor oil instead of the normal castor oil. One drop of castor oil on each eye is enough to treat dry eyes.
4. Green Tea For Your Eyes
We all have known the wonderful health benefits of drinking green tea and how it promotes weight loss at some level. We have also known that green tea is very good for our skin health as well since it is packed with antioxidants. Now you can also use green tea bags to ease eye irritation. Enjoy a nice cup of green tea and use the tea bag to soothe your eyes. Let the tea bag cool off completely and let it sit on your closed eyes for at least 10 minutes.
Should you go for Homemade Eye Drops?
Homemade eye drops or natural eye drops do deliver positive results in the case of mild eye infections or any other common eye problems. But the thing is some people may have negative side effects on the application of homemade eye drops, making the eye situation even worse.
However, the safest form of natural eye drops that we can vouch for is the rosewater. But again, we would advise you to go to the ophthalmologist in case you have an eye issue that is showing no signs of recovery. After all, they are professionals, and they know what is best for us.
Maintain your hygiene when it comes to your eyes
Truth to be told, most of us barely keep in mind to maintain the hygiene of our eyes. Hygiene etiquettes such as:
- Washing your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes.
- Cleaning the eye makeup properly.
- Using clean and purified water to wash eyes.
- Wearing UV protected sunglasses.
- Giving rest to your eyes after spending a lot of screen time.
- Using clean and soft towels to wipe the eye area.
Conclusion
Although every part of our body has its importance, if something goes wrong with our eyes, it can be pretty scary. It is because of our eyes; we are able to enjoy the beautiful wonders of nature and everything that happens around us. So, taking care of our eyes is of utmost importance.
If you ever find yourself with any eye irritation, you can try our homemade eye drops to stop the problem and keep your eyes clean and avoid washing eyes with tap water. Also, always use a clean eye dropper and never touch the tip of the dropper with unclean fingers.
Also Read: Tips to Improve Eyesight
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What can I use if I don't have eye drops?
A. Warm compresses can help you with your eye irritation.
Q. Can you put honey in your eyes?
A. No, you should never put raw honey in your eyes.
Q. What can you do for an irritated eye?
A. Wash your eyes and give it a warm compress.
Q. What are the signs of an eye infection?
A. Redness, pain, itching, swelling, and discharge are some of the symptoms of eye infection.
Q. What is the best home remedy for dry eyes?
A. Coconut oil, ice, and warm compresses can help you with your dry eyes.