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Sore eyes

Sore eyes aren’t uncommon. Typical irritants that often cause mild soreness in the eyes include:

Severely sore eyes

If your eyes severely sore or painful, it might be a sign of a more serious condition, such as:

Don’t take chances with your eyes and ignore symptoms. Visit your eye doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment started.

There are a number of simple home remedies for sore eyes. Here are a few of them:

Cold compress

Place a cold washcloth over your closed eyes two to three times a day for five minutes at a time to manage pain and swelling.

Castor oil

Eye drops containing castor oil may help reduce eye irritation. Place one drop in each eye before going to bed, and then do it again in the morning. Try Refresh Optive Advanced eye drops.

Aloe vera

Because of aloe vera’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, some natural healers recommend using it to alleviate sore eyes.

Mix 1 teaspoon of fresh aloe vera gel into 2 tablespoons of cold water, and then soak cotton rounds in the mixture. Place the soaked cotton rounds on your closed eyes for 10 minutes. Do this twice a day.

When experiencing eye pain, make an appointment with your doctor if:

  • You’ve recently had eye surgery.
  • You’ve recently had an eye injection.
  • You’ve had eye surgery in the past.
  • You wear contact lenses.
  • You have a weakened immune system.
  • You’ve been taking eye medication for two or three days and the pain hasn’t improved.

Some symptoms need immediate medical attention. Seek emergency medical help if:

  • Your pain was caused by a foreign object hitting or been lodged in your eye.
  • Your pain was caused by a chemical being splashed in your eye.
  • Your eye pain is accompanied by fever, headache, or unusual light sensitivity.
  • You have a sudden vision change.
  • You start seeing halos around lights.
  • Your eye is swelling, or there’s swelling around your eye.
  • You’re unable to keep your eye open.
  • You’re having trouble moving your eye.
  • You have blood or pus coming from your eye(s).

To avoid certain types of eye soreness, there are a number of actions you can take. Here are some you can start today:

The eye is a delicate and complex organ. If your eyes are sore and you’re concerned, see your eye doctor for a diagnosis. They can help you find relief from sore eyes and help you prevent it from happening again.