Common Eye Ailments You May Be Able to Care for at Home

As our eyes are so important, it is always best to seek advice and counsel from a trained doctor in the area of eye care and vision. However, the ailments listed below may be simply treatable at home.

The Common Sty

While a sty may be all too common, it is equally as much of a nuisance. It is typically an inflammation where one of the glands of the eyelid has become infected.

A sty usually resembles a pimple on the eyelid and can irritate quite a bit. Sometimes a sty is so big that it can give the appearance of a closed eyelid.

Typically, hot compresses several times per day for a few days will clear up any issues stemming from a sty. If it does not clear within a few days, an antibiotic may be necessary.

Dry Eye

When tears do not flow properly, the eye is deprived of many natural and necessary ingredients such as:

* Water
* Oil
* Moisture
* Lubricants

Dry eyes may occur when there is an improper balance of the tear duct system. Itching, burning, redness, as well as a feeling of something being in the eye could all be as a result of dry eyes. Sometimes the body’s natural response to dry eyes is to send more tears; however, this is counter-productive as those tears may be lacking in moisture, proteins, and lubricants to get rid of dry eyes.

Factors such as aging or medication are possible contributors to dry eyes. Sometimes high heat and low humidity settings are responsible, and lowering the thermostat and producing more humidity in your home may alleviate symptoms of dry eyes.

Also, there are over-the-counter lubricants which may assist in effectively healing dry eyes, at least until you can get to see your doctor.

Something in Your Eye

We all get something in our eyes from time to time and this can be irritating, at best. Try blinking several times to see if you can move the foreign substance down into your field of vision so that you may remove it manually. Sometimes an eyelash can feel like a log when it is in your eye.

An eye wash with an eye cup found over the counter, water, your clean finger or an eye irrigating solution are all options to try to remove something from your eye.

Always be careful to use clean items when coming into contact with your eye and try not to scratch your cornea. This can feel like something major is in your eye until the swelling comes down.

If you are not able to see a change within a short period of time with these eye ailments, medical advice from a doctor is always recommended.