Top Natural Remedies for Dry Eyes - Internal and External Applications

Thank goodness that I looked on here. I've used this site for over 20+ years. My eyes became very dry in the past month and I had a major illness. I could not resolve it remedies. I use the castor oil drops and Wala I woke up and my eyes were not dry. Thank you so much for all of your information

Hello Francisca! Can you please tell me what EPO is?

Thank you!

In my experience, Himalayan salt is more harm than good. A) Whenever I use Himalayan salt, I get a dry eye. B) Also in my experience, there is no dry eye, whenever I avoid the intake of Himalayan salt. C) Also in my experience, I have no dry eye ever since I have switched from Himalayan salt to refined sea salt from Italy. I hope this will help somebody!

Buy heritage organic, hexene free castor oil in a glass bottle, 20 bucks for 16 ounces. then buy an empty glass dropper. This will last you 6 months or more. Keep the castor oil in your refrigerator, it keeps for a very long time. you can order both glass droppers and Heritage on line or I can order it at our local health food store, Natural Grocers. Castor oil has many beneficial applications. Buying your products in glass and keeping them in glass is preferred.

Ever since covid, I have had regular issues with my eyes being red and dry and burning. Several visits to the eye Dr were not much help. All they say is looks like maybe an allergic reaction. I've never had allergies before and it's interesting that the first time this issue started, I ended up with covid two days later. But NETTLES have come to the rescue. I take 2 capsules as soon as I notice symptoms and my eyes are relieved very quickly. So far I haven't taken them more than once per day, but I may do that soon. Anyone else out there with lots of eye problems that started during the "covid" years?

Did you use hexane free and cold pressed oil?? If yes, and still burns it mean you have an issue in your eyes and it will go away. Give it a few days.

Betty, I have found Evening Primrose Oil to be very effective at relieving my dry eyes issue. I originally tried it for anti inflammatory benefit, but discovered that it fixed my problem with dry eyes. It was effective within a very short period of time, about 3 days I believe. I take one softgel a day that contains 1300mg Evening Primrose Oil, and of that, 120mg is GLA. It's an inexpensive remedy for dry eyes. I buy one bottle about every 4 months. Hope this helps.

That is an eye drop recipe from the book "The Master Cleanser" I use these drops always with great relief. It does sting so you may want to dilute with the distilled water more than the recipe calls for until you get used to it. My dry eye is seasonal so I use it when I need to and several times a day if need be. Best for you. Jami

I have dry eyes but giving up coffee which quite a few of EC readers recommend would be hard for me! So I cold brew it overnight using dark roast beans which are less acidic than light roast. Cold-brewed coffee is less acidic than regular. I limit coffee to about 4 oz / day because it's so dehydrating. Also, most days I eat a handful of raw pumpkin seeds, which are very alkaline. While I still have some dry eye and dry mouth at night only, a humidifier has helped somewhat.

Since thyroid medication for low thyroid can also cause dryness, especially if you're an elder, and since coffee and most herbs are dehydrating (some herbs more than others), hydrating foods like cucumbers and watermelons can help. When my eyes were at their worst, I put cucumber slices on my closed eyelids for about 20 minutes several times a day and on the first day there was real improvement.

On the second and third day I also ate half a cucumber and continued with the slices. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), hot and dry is associated with yang and cold and damp with yin. Not only is apartment air mostly too hot and dry in winter, chemicals in our air and water are very drying. Dry eye is an inflammatory condition with redness, heat and not enough yin fluids. So "strengthening yin" is recommended for convalescing, chronically ill or frail people. Some foods that strengthen yin are cooked string beans and beets, many whole grains, sardines, eggs, seaweed, and certain beans. Eyes are considered skin and in TCM skin conditions are linked to the liver.

Also associated with the liver are irritability and anger-- hot emotions. They resolve when the liver energy is flowing. Liver thrives on movement and dance---even moving in place when cooped up inside! Reading on EC that aloe can cure dry eye makes sense to me from a TCM perspective: aloe is cooling and mercifully soothing for inflammation, burns and severe itching. I don't use liquid aloe b/c all brands preserve it with citric acid, which I can't tolerate. So I keep aloe plants and snip off a small bit of branch when needed. I'm grateful to this plant!

Potassium supplementation for Dry Eyes

If you have had to deal with any of the COVD colds these past few years check with the doctor to find out if your potassium level is up to par. Besides Vitamin C and Melatonin, Potassium was one of the earlier supplements that helped people recover from COVD. From what I understood that condition used up or drained the body's potassium.

I am adding this thought on potassium because lately I have been trying keep up with the daily recommendation for Potassium. Articles say 3,500–4,700 mg of potassium daily and that it is safer when taken in foods. This really is not hard if you love banana, spinach, prunes etc. . However, knowing that I do not have enough potassium rich foods on hand, I take potassium supplements. I noticed that when I wake up in the morning, my eyes feel much more normal. In fact, sometimes I forget it has been sticking.

I could not find much information to verify this, but what I did come up with is in this post. I found a post from PubMed that incudes what tears are made of in this statement"

"Methods: The model is based on mass balances of water and solutes such as glucose, sodium, potassium, and chloride."

Check it out the PubMed Article:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17453939/

Here is an article about potassium Deficiency and dry eyes:

https://healthfully.com/347415-potassium-deficiency-and-dry-eyes.html

I have always been concerned about seniors, and now that I am one, I see and feel what they are saying.

HisJewel

Dear HisJewel,

So happy to hear this report! Thanks for taking time to let us know what is helping!

Love,

~Mama to Many~

PS: To those who want to know,

For the Post nasal drip, I am using Swanson Stinging Nettle, that has 250mg leaf Extract and 67.5mg Nettle Root Extract. I have actually been using it about 10 days at least twice a day. I have just broke free two nights ago. This is my second free day, Praise the Lord! I used Member's Mark Coconut oil to oil pull.

Mama to Many,

I have been taking the Stinging Nettle and Oil Pulling with Coconut oil for about a week, and I am excited to tell you that the Post Nasal leak has all come to a complete halt.

I don't have to keep gum and candy in my mouth anymore to hide the taste of the drip. I don't wake up with a mouth full of spit and mucus. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

HisJewel

Thank you, Mama,

I was trying to figure out, what now.

I will order the Nettle and Coconut oil.

Dear HisJewel,

Great sleuthing!

You could try some nettle for your postnasal drip/sinus problem. If it is caused by an allergy, it may help a lot.

Or, if you have an infection, extra virgin coconut oil. That is our go-to for sinus infections.

~Mama to Many~

Greetings Again EC,

Further regarding my Salty Mouth, my sinus may be continually draining.

As it turns out my Salty Mouth situation, could be a sinus problem, perhaps postnasal drip. I had read about the postnasal suggestion on the Healthline site when I was first checking into salty mouth, however nothing I tried at that time for post nasal drip fixed the salty flow. Anyway, how I figured it out, I happened to pick up some Vicks Sinus LiquiCaps on sale. I had the nerve to take the two in the blister square. They are strong! They dried up all the mucus. First I noticed that the salty taste was gone. Then I realized the leak had stopped, oh how nice. Then my mouth went extremely dry, "Out of the frying pan into the pot." I did not know which was worse. A few hours later the moisture slowly returned to my mouth with less drip. Well, at least I know what I am working with now. I would Not suggest the Vicks sinus liquicaps for seniors, it is too strong and drying.

Here is some interesting Salty Mouth information.

https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/salty-taste-in-mouth

Regarding Salty Mouth:

One of the problems with a salty taste in the mouth, or I can even say it's a salt leak that comes down between my two front teeth, is that this overworks my tongue as I try to stop the leak.

Mama to Many, thank you for the Spry mints suggestion, they hide the salt taste that's in my mouth so that my tongue can rest. Not only are they good for the teeth, but they are also only one calorie. Love them!

One of the things I do to slow down the drain of salt is shape a covering for a tooth or two with tooth beads. I do have a missing tooth that I made a tooth for. This works great when I go out, and when I sleep at night. I don't hurt my tongue now, because I don't keep licking my teeth when the fake teeth are in. An Amazon customer said once they swallowed their fake tooth so make sure it fits right.

I just make it so it curves my gum a little in the front. Then all that delicious salty taste slides by my gums. If I need the fake teeth higher behind my teeth, I make some like that too. Each order has plenty of tooth beads. I added the Amazon bar so you can see what tooth beads are.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Temporary+Tooth+Repair+Kit-Thermal+Beads&i=hpc&crid=3BW5MA50L81FX&sprefix=temporary+tooth+repair+kit-thermal+beads+,hpc,150&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

HisJewel

Re dry, salty tasting mouth.
Two things spring to mind
Homeopathic remedy Nat mur often helps with: Fluid imbalances. Anaemia, crack in lower lip, palpitations, warts on palms.... see Homeopathyplus.com

Also in TCM
(Traditional Chinese medicine) such a taste would indicate deficient Kidney, spleen, heart energy.

Perhaps worth consulting acupuncturist/ practitioner of TCM.

PS: Just to be clear, the HCL that I am talking about is Betaine HCL, spelled out it is Betaine Hydrochloride. Webmed used to have a list of what people were using a product for, most of that is removed. However, they do have quite a bit of helpful reviews. The review I mentioned is on the following page.

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientreview-312-betaine-hydrochloride?drugid=312&drugname=BETAINE-HYDROCHLORIDE

Mama to Many thank you for your thoughts on my situation,

You know I never thought about that the change in the way I eat could be the problem. I do eat much less fats then I once did. Maybe that is why I am so dry. When mother was still here, I was patient to cook, or at least buy a decent meal. When I was running south, I had to cook real meals for my aunt. Now it's, whatever. The crazy thing I noticed is that I try to make up for the missing meal by eating candy. So I will pick some Spry mints to fill in that gap and to comfort my mouth. It will certainly cut down on the sugar intake. One of the things I realized is that when I started eating more candy, I drank less water. Regarding the Baking soda and water, I was drinking it at one time. I guess I will give it another go. I was looking at some other online reviews and interestingly, someone one on Webmed said when they starting take HCL their burning tongue situation went. So, if HCL can help perhaps baking soda or both together will do the job.

On the positive note, I am getting out to find the Spry mints. I going to start back drinking more water and I will add some olive oil to my food or at least take a spoon a few days a week. I am much encouraged.

Thank you again,

HisJewel

Dear HisJewel,

Well, I will start the ball rolling on this with a couple of ideas.

Long ago, Dave Thompson talked about using baking soda for dry eyes. I have used it a couple of times myself and found it helpful. 1/3 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in a few ounces of water. Dip finger into the baking soda water and wipe over the eyelid. Then drink the water! It helps with the ph balance of the body, which may be part of what helps the dry eyes. Who knows what else it might help?

Someone recently told me that when she consumed a low fat diet her skin was drier, perhaps there is a fat connection to dry eyes? Are you getting quality fats like olive oil and coconut oil? (Not canola or soy oils.)

I like Spry mints. They have xylitol in them which is good for oral health. They might bring relief from the salty mouth and excess saliva, even if they are not a cure.

It is a puzzle and I am glad you are optimistic for the solution. Looking forward to hearing others' ideas.

~Mama to Many~

Greetings to EC,

I am going to dip back a few years as best I remember it. I am dealing with extra saliva and salty mouth presently. I think us seniors complain mostly about dry eyes and dry mouth; salty mouth and extra saliva is perhaps connected.

Really, I think this last condition came on from eating too many hard candies, (too lazy to cook). However, there were times I loaded up on over the counter supplements for a quick healing of some problems.

My first visit with dry mouth was when the news got out about Covid19 in early 2020. I was on the Amtrak South just as the United States was stopping a lot of traveling. By the time I got to my Aunt's house, I came down with a serious cold/virus. I was taking most of the supplements that I heard might help every four hours just in case it was Covd.

What happened was something acted like a water pill and drained a lot of fluid out of me. And I had my first dry eyes and some lack of taste experience at about 68 years old. The good news was it seemly fixed itself as fluid was restored to my body, or was it that drinking extra water ran out the excess medicines.

Then I experienced the dry eyes and dry mouth about a year later after another cold/virus or it could have even been COVID situation. Once again after the medicine stopped the dry mouth and dry eyes were restored to normal.

Then somewhere around my 70th birthday, the dry eyes came to stay but everything else seemed normal. I went searching for a cure, on the internet. When I read Ted's post on Earth Clinic where he mentioned L Carnosine 1000mg a day I ordered that. For it to keep working, I have to keep buying it so I am still looking for the cure.

https://ted.earthclinic.com/cures/natural-remedies-for-dry-eyes2.html

Regarding Lecithin, I would like to try that because of the Choline in it.

Ted seems to be saying that dry eyes are the result of a fatty liver and that Lecithin can help heal the liver.

"The other issue with granulated Lecithin is that it may help the liver in getting rid of the fatty liver (remember that dryness in the eye is a clue) taking one to two tablespoons a day." (Ted).

https://ted.earthclinic.com/cures/natural-remedies-for-dry-eyes.html

I read that some of the medications that we take are Anticholinergic and taking them in can cause problems for seniors. When we get older our liver and kidneys usually do not work as well as when we were young and healthy. If Anticholinergic medication does not clear our kidneys and liver, this may be the reason we end up with dry eyes, dry mouth, dementia and other unusual conditions and sicknesses.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34593340/

https://www.theseniorlist.com/medication/anticholinergic-drugs/

https://www.healthline.com/health/anticholinergics#how-they-work

I usually use granulated Lecithin when my hair starts coming out in balls. And it fixes that dry hair problem, who knows maybe that was when my eyes healed in the past. To me, the granulated lecithin has a soapy taste and is gassy, so I only take it for a few days each time.

I would love to hear your thoughts on salty mouth and excess saliva, or dry mouth or dry eyes. I know the solution is at hand.

HisJewel

Could you please share what kind of lecithin granules and the brand? I ask because some are made from sunflowers and some from soy, etc. Thank you!

I followed the instructions from video and I feel like it lubricated my eye. Thank you for sharing!

Hello everyone. I would greatly appreciate a response from anyone who has tried pharmaceutical eye drops during the day and pure castor oil drop at night in the eye - want to know whether it is safe and has no interactions.

I have had very dry eyes for the past couple of months. Also, have cataracts. Recently went to a doctor who has asked me to use Systane Ultra and Ocumed Plus eye drops during the day and VIscoear gel at night for dry eyes. Used them for a couple of days. Then I started using organic castor oil 1 drop in each eye 10 days ago. I read someone comment somewhere that we should not use pharmacy drops and castor oil drops on the same day (even with many hours gap), so stopped using the Obama drops and gel. But my eyes are quite dry and don't know whether castor oil is helping with the cataract or not.

Just curious, has anyone used pharmacy drops during the day and castor oil at night? Is it ok to put all these in the eyes on the same day with a few hours gap? I can skip the Visco tear gel.

The following keeps my eyes feeling good after having been dry for 10+ years:

TMG (Trimethyl glycine)
Sinus rinse with three drops of emulsified vitamin A (along with the salt and baking soda)
Dextrose (no other form of sugar)
Castile soap, fragrance-free for shampoo and everything (regular soaps irritate my eyes)

The following make my eyes feel worse:

Straight Sugar and foods with it (all other forms other than dextrose... however, a certain clear soda would temporarily make my eyes better)
Diets too low in starchy foods, such as G.A.P.S. (starches are needed to convert to glucose)

Yes, Rob, I can attest to the efficacy of the baking-soda-in-water eye wash. It helps for itchy eyes, red eyes and probably for some other eye woes.

I have redness in the corner of my left eye. I have had it over a year. My eye also produces and lot of sand and grit. My left eye always feels tired even after just waking up I read about adding 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to an 4 ounce glass of water and splashing it in my eye and drinking it. After doing this, almost immediately, my eye felt better! Can't recommend it enough:)

I have dry eyes. Lately my eyes were worse and with cold weather didn't help. Went to the eye Dr. due to the furnaces running more because of really cold weather. I tried cold pressed castor oil without hexane. One drop in each eye at night. Couldn't believe it! Two days later and ever since unbelievable great results. Will always use it. Hope this can help someone. else.

Flaxseed oil is amazing for dry mouth & dry eyes - I noticed a difference within just a few days - I highly recommend this remedy if you are suffering from these issues like I was.

L-Carnosine for Dry Eyes

Ted was right on point with the L Carnosine for dry eyes. L-Carnosine or Carnosine is expensive, but it works hilariously. I used 1000mg a day (two capsules) the first 2 weeks then went down to 500mgs a day because of the cost, my eyes are still loving it. I no longer have to rub castor oil on my eyelids at night. May the cures continue to be revealed.

HisJewel

I felt instant relief, back to normal. I feel I don't even have eyeballs.

Yes, I found that using castor oil in the eyes made mine swell too,so I have stopped it. I haven't tried the olive oil (I do use it for any problems with ears) but having problems with my eyes right now so will give it a go - thanks👍

Maqui Berry supplements worked for me! I have suffered from dry eyes for two years. The condition is worse in my right eye for some reason, and also worse in the middle of the night. I had been waking up and reapplying eye drops and ointments several times each night. I read from another testimonial that Maqui Berry supplements increase tear production, and wow!!! I recommend giving it a try. I'm now seldom need eye drops and don't wake up with gritty eyes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M23E30mqG0Y&ab_channel=ChrisSavage

This guy seems honest and genuine! He recommends DMSO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XEt0n6LPrk&ab_channel=Clintclinton

Dr. Stanley Jacob recommended it for a wide range of health conditions.

Scientists in Japan, found that maqui berry extract help dry eyes, the did a small study of 13 people that took maqui berry extract one capsule a day ( 30-60 mg) for thirty days. The concentrated maqui berry extract each day increased tear production by roughly 50%. Apparently, MBE restores tear secretion capacity. Dry eyes can be caused from several things: allergies, menopause - hormone Imbalance , thyroid issues, and if the hyroid is not working right then might need iodine which is important to secretory glands.. Food allergies especially gluten, dairy and sugar can cause issues, Inflammation in the body can be caused from unhealthy diet, dehydration, lack of sleep, and smoking. Any good eye vitamin supplement vitamin is beneficial and I read that CQ10 is important and of course the Omega oils.

My dry eyes are feeling so much better of late. As my vegetable garden is coming in, I decided to take Dr. Wahls' advice, which is to get my nutrients from food. I have stopped taking supplements completely. Without a lot of experimenting, I have no way of knowing which pill was causing the extreme dryness, but if I ever resume supplements, I will start them slowly and more thoughtfully. I also wanted to add that my eyes always have felt great when I'm gardening, and I think it is because I bend over quite a lot. I can see how Sasha (April 28, 2019) below got her eye relief from an inversion table.