Eyes gets strained due to various reasons. Insomnia, late sleeping, staring at screen, watching TV continuously, traveling, looking under microscope (students and lecturers) etc. are few reasons. It can also cause puffiness. Sometimes puffiness is due to age and weakened muscles around the eyes. Salty food, allergy reactions, crying, stress – all these are also reason for puffiness.  Grandma has listed several tips to reduce strain on eyes.

1. Use palms to soothe eyes: Rub your hands together for 15 to 20 seconds to warm them a little. Gently position palms over closed eye lids. Hold for few minutes and breath. This will help to rejuvenate eyes and gives rest and relaxation to eyes
2. Muscle relaxation:Take a deep breath while raising both shoulders and squeeze eyes and fists. Keep eyes closed. While tightening, and releasing the voluntary muscles in shoulders and fists, involuntary muscles of eyes will release and relaxes to take out strain
3. Chilled spoons: Keep two steel spoons in a wet paper towel and fold it. Place this in refrigerator. After few minutes remove the paper towel and spoon. Unwrap the spoon. Place the spoons one on each eye. When the spoons become warm again repeat the process of chilling and placing it on eye lids. This helps to reduces the puffiness and removes tiredness around eyes.
4. Tea bags: Tea has natural astringents (tannins). Place two tea bags in wet paper towel and place in refrigerator for half an hour or so. Remove the paper towels containing tea bags and place them on each eye for few minutes. Don’t remove the paper towel- if not tea bags may stain your skin. Repeat the process to get rid of puffiness and tiredness.
5. Stop wearing eye makeup: Till your eyes feel better, stop wearing eye makeup. If you must then go with light make up.
6. Castor oil and olive oil: Warm little castor oil or olive oil and apply on eye lids and around eyes. Wash eyes after few minutes.
7. Cucumber slices: Keep cool cucumber slices on the eye lids. This will help to reduce puffiness and soothes eyes.
8. Focusing on thumb: This exercise helps to release stress. Hold one arm straight in front of you in a loose fist. Point the thumb up. Now focus on the thumb. While focusing on the thumb slowly move thumb towards your nose until you can no longer focus on thumb. Then take a deep breath. Repeat the exercise 10 times a day. This helps the vision as well as releases stress on eyes.
9. Eyes rolling: Sit up in a straight position and without moving head roll your eyes up and down and sides. Then slowly circle your eyes in clockwise direction. Repeat the process 3 times and relax the eyes. Next time circle the eyes counterclockwise direction.
10. Blinking: Take a break from your work and blink few times. Repeat this few times in a day.
11. Massage: Gently, using your fingertips massage your upper and lower lids 15 to 20 seconds. While massaging upper lids, massage the muscle above the eyes and similarly when massaging lower lids massages the muscles and cheeks beneath.
12. Early morning sun rays: Stand in a place where early morning Sun rays falls on your face. Close eye lids and let sun rays fall on your eyes for few minutes. Feel the warmth and slowly open and close your eyes and roll the eyes up – down and sideways. This helps in relaxing eye muscles and reduces strain. Don’t wear sun glasses or eye glasses while doing this exercise.
13. Massage between two eye brows: Using finger tips gently massage the space between the two eye brows. Hold finger on the center and gently press and release to take out any tension as tension can also be the reason for your eye stress.
14. And, with all these tips try to get enough sleep every day. Sleep is a good remedy for tired eyes!

Grandma’s tips: www.werindia.com

Image credit: Photo by Quinten de Graaf on Unsplash