Eye pain can feel like a dull ache, a sharp poke, or as if something is stuck in your eye. It often happens because your eyes are dry, you’ve been looking at screens too long, or something in your environment is bothering them. Even mild pain can make it hard to go about your day, especially if it sticks around.
Many types of eye pain can be managed at home with simple, effective methods. These steps help soothe your eyes, reduce inflammation, and aid healing.
But before you try any home remedies, it’s important to know what’s safe to do on your own and when you should call your eye doctor instead.
What Is Eye Pain?
Eye pain just means your eyes hurt, either on the surface or deeper inside. It can show up in a few different ways, like:
- Burning or stinging
- Sharp or stabbing
- Throbbing
- Like pressure behind the eye
- Like something is stuck in the eye
Eye pain can appear with symptoms such as:
- Redness
- Tearing
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision
- Swelling
- Itchy or gritty sensation
Most of the time, eye pain is mild and goes away on its own. But if your pain comes on suddenly, is strong, doesn’t get better, or you notice changes in your vision, see your eye doctor right away.
Sudden vision loss, severe pain, new or worsening symptoms, or pain following an injury or chemical exposure require immediate medical attention, as these may indicate a serious underlying condition.
How to Treat Eye Pain at Home?
Here are some safe and easy things you can try at home to help your eyes feel better. Eye doctors often recommend these steps.
1. Try a Warm Compress
A warm compress is a simple way to soothe tired or sore eyes. The gentle heat relaxes your eyelids and increases blood flow to your eyes. It can also help loosen up any oily stuff along your lashes that might be making things worse.
To make a warm compress, soak a clean washcloth in warm (not hot) water and wring it out. Lay it over your closed eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. You can do this a few times a day if needed.
A warm compress tends to work especially well if your discomfort is linked to:
- Eye strain after long screen hours
- Blepharitis (inflamed eyelids)
- Dry, gritty eyes
- A developing stye
This simple step can make your eyes feel much better.
2. Use Lubricating Eye Drops
Artificial tears are the first-line home treatment for:
- Dryness
- Burning
- Redness
- Gritty sensations
If you frequently use artificial tears, choose preservative-free formulations to minimize the risk of irritation.
Don’t use redness-relief drops every day. Using them too much can actually make your eyes feel worse.
3. Rest Your Eyes
If your eyes start to hurt after lots of screen time, reading, or close-up work, you might just have eye strain from overuse.
The 20-20-20 rule can help give your eyes a break and reduce strain.
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
This technique helps relax the eye muscles and may decrease fatigue or discomfort.
4. Improve Your Environment
Making adjustments to your environment can help alleviate eye discomfort.
- Increase ambient lighting when reading.
- Lower the brightness of your screens.
- Utilize anti-glare filters on your devices.
- Position your monitor at an arm’s length distance and slightly below eye level.
- Using a humidifier at home can help reduce dry air, which may relieve dry-eye symptoms.
When you’re outside, wear sunglasses that block UV light to protect your eyes.
5. Try Simple Eye Exercises
Gentle eye exercises can help if your eyes feel tired or strained.
- Roll your eyes slowly in all directions.
- Blink firmly 10–15 times.
- Focus on a near object, then a distant one.
- Cover your closed eyes with the warmth of your palms for approximately 30 seconds.
These exercises can help relax your eyes and maintain a moist, comfortable ocular surface.
6. Give Your Eyes a Break From Screens
Using your phone or computer for a long time can make your eyes tired or sore. Screens make your eyes work harder, sometimes before you even notice.
A few easy changes can help your eyes feel better:
- Increase the text size on your devices to reduce eye strain while reading.
- Turn on night mode or use a warm color filter to reduce glare.
- Take a break every 20 to 30 minutes and look at something far away for a bit.
- Keep some lubricating eye drops handy in case your eyes start to feel dry.
These simple changes can help reduce digital eye strain and give your eyes a break.
7. Keep Good Eye Hygiene Habits
Keeping your eyes clean can help prevent irritation and lower your risk of infection. Many eye problems caused by poor hygiene can be avoided.
Try to:
- Wash your hands before touching your eyes or applying drops.
- Try not to rub your eyes, even if they itch. Rubbing can make things worse or bring in germs.
- Throw out old eye makeup, especially mascara, to lower the risk of germs.
- If your eyelids become crusty or irritated, gently clean them.
- Follow all lens-care instructions if you wear contacts.
Not cleaning your contact lenses properly is a common cause of eye pain. If you wear contacts every day, make sure you clean them as your doctor recommends.
8. Get the Rest Your Eyes Need
When you’re tired, your eyes usually feel it first. Not getting enough sleep can make even small irritations worse. Try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, especially if you use screens a lot.
A good night’s sleep helps your eyes:
- Recover from strain
- Produce healthier, more stable tears.
- Calm inflammation
If your eyes feel gritty or sore at the end of the day, getting better sleep may help.
9. Avoid Allergens and Irritants
If allergies trigger your eye pain:
- Keep windows closed during high-pollen days.
- Wash bedding frequently
- Wear wraparound sunglasses outdoors.
- Avoid smoke, fragrances, and dust.
- Use artificial tears to rinse allergens from the eye surface.
Effectively managing allergies can help decrease burning and itching sensations in the eyes.
10. Stay Hydrated
Not drinking enough water can make your eyes dry and uncomfortable.
Try to drink six to eight glasses of water a day. Cutting back on caffeine can also help keep your eyes comfortable.
When Home Treatment Is Not Enough
Seek immediate medical help if you experience:
- Sudden vision changes
- Severe eye pain
- Pain after an injury
- Chemical exposure
- A foreign object stuck in the eye
- Intense light sensitivity
- Halos around lights
- Nausea + eye pain (sign of acute glaucoma)
If your eyes are still dry after a few days, or you notice changes in your vision, more pain, or new symptoms, see your eye doctor soon. Don’t wait if your pain starts suddenly, is very strong, or happens after an injury or a chemical gets in your eye.
Conclusion
Most mild eye pain can be managed with simple steps at home, such as applying warm compresses, drinking enough water, resting your eyes, using artificial tears, and taking breaks from screens. If your pain doesn’t go away or comes on suddenly, see your eye doctor to protect your vision.
Taking care of your eyes and watching for early warning signs can help you avoid bigger problems later. Clear, comfortable vision often comes down to healthy habits every day.
FAQ
1. What is the fastest way to relieve eye pain at home?
A warm compress is often the quickest way to relieve eye pain. It relaxes the eyelids, increases blood flow, and soothes irritation. Lubricating eye drops and rest can also be beneficial.
2. Can eye pain go away on its own?
Mild eye pain caused by dryness, strain, or irritation typically improves with rest, adequate hydration, and artificial tears. If your pain worsens, persists for more than two days, or affects your vision, consult your eye doctor.
3. What home remedy works best for eye strain pain?
The 20-20-20 rule can help relax your eyes: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Making the text larger, lowering the screen brightness, and using lubricating drops can also help reduce eye strain.
4. When should I NOT treat eye pain at home?
Do not attempt to treat eye pain at home if it is severe, begins suddenly, follows an injury, is accompanied by vision loss, halos, or nausea, or if a chemical or foreign object enters your eye. In these situations, seek medical attention immediately to protect your eyes.
5. Do artificial tears help with eye pain?
Yes. Artificial tears can help relieve dryness-related pain, irritation, allergies, or pain from excessive screen time. If you use them a lot, pick preservative-free ones.
