Since the skin around the eyes is thin and sensitive, it is particularly prone to puffiness and strain. The swelling that causes puffiness occurs when the blood vessels close to the surface become full. Eyestrain can be caused by poor vision and overuse. Additionally, there are a number of medical conditions that can cause eye puffiness and strain, including stress, allergies, hormonal changes and fluid retention. Consult an optometrist if the steps you take to reduce puffiness and strain do not help alleviate the discomfort.
Step 1
Wet a washcloth with cold water, wring it out and lay it over your eyes. Lie down to allow the cloth to rest over your eyes without any pressure from your hands. Wet and replace the cloth when the temperature warms up.
Step 2
Use food items to draw out the excess moisture in your eyes. Many people, including models and actresses, have had great luck with cucumber slices. Slice a cucumber and place a circular piece over each eye while you lie down. Teabags that have been used and left to cool down also can draw out the moisture and relieve puffiness and strain.
Step 3
Wear a sleep mask to bed to ensure that you get a full night's sleep. Sleep masks are available with soothing herbs or cooling gel inside of them. Some are made with light, smooth satin to relieve eyestrain and pressure. Insufficient sleep because of too much light in the room can cause puffiness around the eyes in the morning and cause you to strain your eyes to keep them open during the day.
Step 4
Consider cosmetic surgery called blepharoplasty to have permanent bags removed. Excess fat and sagging skin is removed during the procedure to reduce the puffiness. Excess skin that interferes with good vision on the upper eyelid can be removed as well, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic.
Tips and Warnings
- Stay hydrated if you have a tendency to get puffy, strained eyes. Avoid salt and drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day.
- If you haven't been tested for allergies, you may want to consider seeing an allergist. The eyes are very sensitive to things you may be allergic to. Think about any new experiences or changes you've undergone recently that may have spurred the reaction, such as getting a new pet or spending time outdoors in a grassy area.
Things You'll Need
- Washcloth
- Cucumber
- Tea Bags
- Sleep mask
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