10 tips for treating your eyes to make them sparkle

Allergies, poor sleep, and environmental conditions can cause irritated, dry, red, scratchy eyes, and these are less likely to hold a natural sparkle. Not just the tissue inside your eyes, but the outer skin around the eyes plays an important role in eye health.

Here are 10 remedies to help you keep your eyes looking youthful, bright and healthy.

1. Green tea bags

Put green tea bags on your eyelids to reduce irritation from swelling and puffiness.

Dip the tea bags in hot water and then let them cool. You can refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Once they are cool, lie on your back, close your eyes and place them on your eyelids for 10 minutes.

According to a study done in 2011, green tea is rich in a nutrient called Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the cells of the cornea.

2. Rose water

Rose water Pulse

Apply a few drops of rose water using an eyedropper, or soak a cotton ball in the water and dab it on your eyelids.

Rose water is available at health food stores and organic retailers. However, talk to your doctor to make sure it is safe for you. Rose water also has ant-inflammatory effects for a variety of eye conditions, according to a review from TrustedSource medical.

3. Cold compress

Soak a small washcloth in cold water. Hold it over your eyes for 10 minutes to stave off inflammation, puffiness and swelling.

4. Eye massage

A quick massage around the eyes improves drainage of the lymph and blood circulation.

Use you index and middle fingers and gently tap the tips in a circle around your eyes.
Start from the eyebrows towards the temples then down along the top of the cheekbones towards the bridge of the nose.
Do this three times
After this motion, take your middle fingers and press them upward to either side of the nose till they are below the brow bone.
Then use your middle fingers to press inward toward the nose just under the tear ducts.

Repeat the massage for 40 seconds and avoid rubbing your skin.

5. Eye breaks

Take 20 minutes breaks from visual concentration like reading or using a computer screen. Visual focusing on one zone induces dry, tired and irritated eyes,

During the break, close your eyes. Try blinking quickly for a few seconds to spread out the natural tears over the eye surface.

6. Cucumber

Cucumber Pulse

Cut off two slices of cucumber, each with half-inch thickness. Lie on your back and place a slice on each eye for about 15 minutes. Cucumber has strong antioxidant juice and vitamin C to refresh the skin around the eyes.

7. Quality sleep

Good quality sleep has overall health benefits and one of them is giving the eyes enough rest from visual stimulation. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep.

Sleep deprivation aggravates other issues like the effects of artificial light from electronic devices and accumulates fluid under the eyes.

8. Eye protection

Shield your eyes from the sun with a good and comfortable pair of glasses with ultraviolet protection (UV). This will help you prevent dryness from hot wind and dry air. They also prevent sunburn on the eyelids and the delicate skin under the eyes.