Swollen eyes can result from many issues, both trivial and significant. When you wake up with swollen eyes, you can feel tired and unhealthy all day, have difficulty focusing, and suffer as your eyes burn or water. The best cure for swollen eyes is preventing them in the first place. Following are some eye health tips you may not have thought of to relieve you from swollen eyes.
Get Some Sleep
Sleep is the first line of defense for people who suffer swollen eyes. Allowing your eyes to rest properly leaves them refreshed, invigorated, and healthy. You may wish to elevate your face slightly to prevent fluid from settling there while you sleep. One other tactic is to wear a cooling eye mask while sleeping to provide relief.
Avoid Sodium and Salty Foods
Foods such as chips and pretzels, plus most prepackaged and processed foods contain very high levels of sodium. Eating foods with a high salt or sodium content cause you to retain water all over your body, including your face and eyes.
Hydrate
Eating foods that have a high water content and drinking at least 64 ounces of water per day will help your body flush toxins and reduce water retention. Your skin will be healthier and your body will perform much more effectively. Your eye health is not the only aspect of your body that will appreciate adequate hydration.
Prevent and Treat Allergies
Many patients with allergies experience swollen eyes regularly. The best tactic to ameliorate swollen eyes from allergies is to avoid allergens as much as possible. Keep your home clean, use a whole house air filtration system, eliminate carpet, keep pets groomed and clean, and wash sheets frequently in hot water. Consult an allergy specialist to discuss additional allergy treatments.
Avoid Alcohol
Just as chips and salty food causes swelling and fluid retention, so does consuming alcohol. It is especially detrimental to your eye health to drink at night since not only does the fluid then settle in your face and eyes, but your sleep will not be a quality sleep either. Alcohol interrupts the phase of deep sleep, so while you may fall asleep quickly, you will not remain in slumber long enough to recover.
There are quite a few strategies to prevent swollen eyes naturally without harmful side effects. Consult your eye health professional for more tips on eye care.
