Want a warm compress that doesn’t lose its heat as quickly? Place a handful of uncooked rice in a sock, then microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds. This compress will keep its heat for up to 15 minutes, so you can use it for a little bit longer.
To make this even more relaxing, lie on your back with your knees bent and pointed at the ceiling. Rest your hands over your eyes and let your entire body relax as you close your eyes without straining.
Long-term, tea bags can also help narrow your blood vessels around your eyes, which can decrease dark circles and puffiness. To cool your tea bags down quickly, place them in the fridge for 10 minutes.
If your eye drops do contain preservatives, don’t use them more than 4 times per day. Check the ingredients list on the back of the bottle to double check.
When you’re working on a computer, try to reduce the glare as much as possible. Position your screen away from any windows or light sources to prevent glare. Working at night? Try turning your screens on night-mode to match the surrounding light.
Experts tend to recommend light-sensitivity glasses more than blue-light blocking glasses, mainly because light-sensitivity glasses filter out more wavelengths. However, there’s no harm in buying blue-light blocking glasses and wearing those instead. You can also use reading glasses to help your eyes focus on a computer screen. Go for a +1. 50 prescription to soothe your eyes and get them to focus a little easier.
Make sure your computer settings are optimal as well. Enlarge your font size so you don’t have to squint, and adjust the contrast on your computer so it’s not too bright. If you often have to switch between looking at your screen and looking at paper documents, consider investing in a document holder. This holds your paper documents at the same level as your computer screen, so you don’t have to glance around as much.
Use this break as an opportunity to blink, too. Normally, we blink 12 times a minute, but when looking at a screen, it slows down to 3 or 4 times a minute. This can cause irritation and dryness.
Eye exercises won’t actually help your eye muscles get stronger, but they will help relieve tired or irritated eyes.
If you’re getting dry eyes when you wake up, try drinking a lot of water. Your skin dehydrates during the night, which can cause dry, irritated eyes in the morning.
Be sure to do a patch test before using any new product on your skin. If under-eye patches cause any irritation, stop using them right away.
If the skin around your eyes is dry, apply a moisturizing eye cream and let it soak in before applying concealer.
Always be sure to find a board certified cosmetic physician with experience with under eye fillers.
