Top Natural Remedies for Dry Eyes - Internal and External Applications

I was on a web site and some folks were talking about castor oil for the eye. I went to youtube and saw the woman describing how you do it. So, I decided to get me some castor oil and try it. Now, just to preface, I am 57 and have been have some kind of eye problem (dry, twitch, pressure, etc. For over 30 years. In one night, my eyes feel better than they have in years. For one, they are not rolling around in pain anymore. I usually am twisting them all day. As a teacher, this makes it really difficult to focus on reading out loud, etc. Now, I am mad. Mad at all the doctors who could never suggest something so simple. I am my best physician.

Castor Oil rocks!
Mary

I too suffered from dry eyes for the first time in my life. It was awful as it prevented me from wearing my contact lenses too long and I hate glasses but foremost because my eyes became so dry during the night that they felt awful! In the meanwhile my mouth also started to feel very dry during the night. I really felt like my health was going down hill! Someone here suggested that I be tested for Sjogren's, which frightened me to death but luckily I didn't have it. Then I went to a specialized eye hospital and also an ophtalmologist. They gave me eye creams and that helped but I thought that I would have this problem for the rest of my life! A contact lense specialist advised and sold me two bottles of flaxseed oil. I also changed my contact lenses for the more expensive bi-monthly ones instead of the monthly ones. Little by little I got better but what did I discover now? I had also changed the liquid for my contact lenses and even if it didn't work right away noticeably with the time it did work.

Lately my eyes were a lot better, I don't need any cream during the night and I went back to wearing my lenses every day, even the old monthly ones without a problem but..... My new liquid finished and I went back to the last bottle of my old one (still within the date and hadn't been opened before). Surprise, surprise, right the first time my eyes burned a bit when I put the lenses in and my eyes started to get irritated again as soon as I took the lenses out, especially if I washed my face and rubbed my eyes while drying it. I bought the new liquid again and my eyes are well! Funny enough I had always used cheaper liquids which I always bought at the opticians so one expects the quality to be reasonable. Maybe I was just allergic to this brand.

Bottom line... Never buy several bottle of something you haven't tried! I used two of them, they caused my eyes a lot of problems and the last one I will just throw away! I am thrilled my eyes are normal again and so is my mouth, no more dryness during the night. No idea why it was affecting my mouth too but I could hardly sleep because I would wake up with a very dry mouth and throat. One thing that helped my mouth was to take a bit of Celtic salt instead of water! Weird but true! I also think that due to the problem in my eyes I started to drink more making me even more dehydrated so the more I drank the more problems I had!

Fish oil by mouth (orally) 1000 mg morning and 1000 mg bedtime. Took almost 5 weeks to take effect for me. Nothing else worked--tried them all.

Since I have been taking Omega super krill I do not have dry eyes.

Castor oil didn't work for my dry eyes. I tried it a few times, with different kinds of Castor Oil bought in health food shops but I woke up with swollen red eyes every time. I didn't use a droper as I didn't have one, I just put it around my eyes and let it run in a bit. But my eyes are better though although I am now living in an incredibly dry apartment (the Swiss give a new meaning to insulation.... ). I follow the advice I saw here of using more grape seed oil in my cooking and occasionally also drink a bit. I now sleep most nights without the use of a cream whether before I would wake up in the middle of the night or in the morning with very gritty eyes.

I also stopped drinking too much water and the sense of dryness in my mouth, especially at night also disappeared. I am not thirsty during the day anymore either. The more I drank the more I seemed to need to drink, not a good thing! And after years of getting up during the night to go to the bathroom although I am now older I hardly ever do that anymore!

I guess that the bottom line is: listen to your body!

Hi Skullz - I'm one of the people who has found relief from dry eyes by using castor oil drops. I bought an empty glass eye dropper bottle from the health food store and filled it with organic castor oil (also from the health food store). Every night before I go to bed, I put a couple of drops of castor oil directly in each eye. It does get on the pillowcase but it washes out very easily. I hope it works for you too. Best wishes, Bess

I'm just wondering for those of you who have used Castor oil with success. Do you buy an eye dropper and fill it up with caster oil to place it in your eyes?

Thanks Liz, great advice! My eyes are a lot better, so is the dryness in my throat at night! I have never had an eye operation but all of a sudden my eyes got very dry, especially during the night, so did my mouth and throat. The contact lenses specially prescribed flaxseed oil 3000mg and right now I am also taking EPO and vitamin E. I can stand my contact lenses a lot better again and when I take them off my eyes don't feel so irritated anymore. Maybe next I try the flaxseed and cod liver oil.

I had lasik surgery on my eyes several years ago. Over time they became very dry and painful. I ended up taking prescription eye drops, and it helped some but they still hurt. A local eye doctor suggested that I take 1,000 mg each of fish oil and flax seed oil a day. I have been taking this for years now and no longer have any pain from the dryness. I was able to stop the eye drops in less than a month of taking the fish and flax seed oils. I will likely have to take them for life, but they have many other health benefits, so its fine with me! If I miss a few days, I can always tell - the dryness starts back up. You also need to take BOTH. I've tried each alone & it doesn't work near as well.

I hope this helps someone as much as it helped me. Thank you so much EC for being such a blessing to so many!

Hi, great news.... But I have to say that I used grape seed oil for a while a little while ago and I didn't notice any difference. I started using it after buying a very interesting book with information about grapes: treatments, beauty, cooking, etc. I use it on my face as well with a few drops of geranium essential oil as it seems to prevent or to fade brown spots. But now I will buy a new bottle and use in the kitchen for a while to see what happens to my dry eyes. I am 54 and doctors also tell me that it is connected to my age, something I don't accept so I keep on trying to find answers and solutions! My eyes get very dry during the night and also a bit during the day if I have my contact lenses on. Never had a problem till this started all of a sudden when I was 53 (only maybe a couple of days a year when it was very hot, other than that never! ).

Hi all- Went shopping at a local grocery store few months ago and they had a sale on Grape Seed Oil so thought I'd give it a try for cooking instead of the regular olive oil, never use Veg Oil or other bad oils. I used it for frying eggs in the morning. So surprised when the following day, my dry eyes were completely normal again. I'm 50 so just thought dry eye was part of aging process. Was not looking for a remedy and stumbled upon it by surprise and glad to have normal eye lube again! Thought I had to pass it on! Also use it on my skin and love the texture. I've heard it a super antioxidant. My friend now uses it on her salads and loves it as she says it is much lighter than olive oil. Best wishes to all!

Thanks for your reply Dud but I think that there is a misunderstanding here! I don't wear eye make up every day, only once in a while if I go out. As I live in the countryside mostly I don't wear any make up, even if I go for a walk and surely not when I stay at home. I do wear contact lenses as often as I put make up on which is once in a while. But of course I can give up make up alltogether and see how it goes, no problem in putting a little line under my eyes to make me look a bit better and nothing else!

Francisca;

Concerning your eye problems; a few weeks back I noticed in one of your posts that you stated that you were still wearing eye-make-up daily, around your eyes. [ I cannot remember which type]

I think that these commercial eye chemicals are the most likely cause for your dry eyes and itchiness. Why don't you give them up for 3 months and see if that cures your eye problems ?

sign me: curious

It is the application of DMSO that is the issue; not the MSM.

Thanks Louwrence, I have seen MSM eye drops sold on the Internet but never DMSO drops. I have been thinking about using them but so far I haven't dared as you never know what they are putting in them.

To David.... If you google MSM eye drops you will find a lot of sites selling them!

Hi David, thanks for all the information! Although I am not an Italian (I am Portuguese) life without tomatos wouldn't be the same! When you talk about the bicarbonate I suppose you mean dissolved in water? I will try! As far as magnesium Chloride we have Nigari here in France, no Epsom salts. I can take a bath and also drink a bit (not too much because of the awful taste and the diarrhea). I will shower after the bath then.

Actually I now have a theory where my dry eyes and throat (mouth) during the night could come from. In November last year I had a tooth implant done in Switzerland, in what seemed to be a high tech clinic. My problems started around that time, could that be related? I hope someone on this site will maybe have heard of something similar. It happens that my best friend, who has just turned 89 has been having a lot of problems with bridges put in the same clinic and she heard on the German TV that many times nowadays dentists use bad quality metal from China. I also read something similar in a book I have where the author says that the metal used in the implants can cause a lot of health problems. I am now trying to talk to the surgeon but so far he hasn't called me back. My fear is that even if he knows that the problems can be caused by the implant he will never tell me. Actually, I don't even see why he would.... He got a lot of money for it (it was so very expensive.... ) and he won't want any trouble! In the meanwhile I have problems sleeping, even with cream in my eyes I wake up with gritty eyes, have problems with my contact lenses, keep drinking water all night and fear for the health of my eyes and my teeth! I feel utterly miserable.........

I read a while ago about Manuka Honey in the eyes. So far I haven't dared to try but maybe I will! I am desperate! Coconut oil and Castor oil didn't work for me. As you say that some people left more suggestions for me I will have a look as I have been away for a few days.

I've suffered from severe dry eyes, red, itchy, gritty eyes for years and I tried everything. I always had natural eye drops on my nightstand and throughout the night I'd have to wake up to put drops in my eyes. I had tried vitamin E and beta- carotene before but it didn't work. Well one day my husband bought Natural Vitamin E with tocopherols soft gels from GNC So before I went to bed I took four of the vitamin E capsules which total of 1600 IU and I took three soft gel natural vitamin A 8000 IU which would be 24000 IU and I put vaseline on my eye lids and around my eyes it is soothing, but of course I do not put it my eyes. By day three my dry, red, itchy gritty eyes are gone, and the swollen vessel in my eye is also gone! Also what helps is not drinking coffee because it is dehydrating , cut out sugar and flour for some people the eyes may be inflamed and they might try turmeric to reduce inflammation and then look at what your eating that caused inflammation.

Bonjour Francisca! Your first question on aloe vera, yes, use the kind you drink... A high quality one. The ones you drink that barely taske like aloe would not do much good. Also, having spent a little time lately in southern France, I think I could do well in eating without consuming too much tomato products. Now it might be a different story if you were Italian! But really you can eat about what you want IF you precede the meal with a half/or whole teaspoon of baking soda. Alkalize first, and then eat what you want. But if you do not, and you eat a highly acidic meal (red meat, sugars, hot peppers, tomatoes etc) and then later try to counter the effect with baking soda or alkalized water, then the "base" is trying to catch up with the acid already in the body.

Some other folks who wrote after you recommended various oils for the eyes; one recommended DMSO and MSM. This question to the three or four who wrote to Francisca: Are you applying the oils you recommend on the eye lid or onto the eye ball itself? Especially I'd like to know for the one who uses DMSO and MSM... How do you apply? And in what dose? I use DMSO a LOT for various needs, especially as a solvent/carrier to transport colloidal silver under the skin and into a targeted area where there may be an infection. I use the DMSO to transport Colloidal Silver. For instance, I use it to combat shingles; Bells Palsy. (See my posts on those two. ) But I've never heard of using DMSO directly on the eye and frankly I'd be afraid to do it. Please explain in detail specifics. (Number of drops in relation to MSM; frequency etc.)

Lastly, Francisca, not knowing anything about you, but if someone asked me what to do for a general dry skin condition, I'd first suggest a few hot baths infused with Epsom Salts... Magnesium cloride. Try dissolving two cups in hot water on stove. Then pour in tub of water and soak for fifteen minutes. Some dry skin is the result of a lack of magnesium.

Try that every other day for a total of three baths. The magnesium absorbs into the skin and body. This soaking should give you a sense of calm and well being if you indeed need the mineral. Another effect; getting sufficient quantities of magnesium and potassium allows you eat your food with salt (sea salt, of course). I recommend you shower off the salt residue on your body after the soaking bath.

Francisca: I don't know about the extra or intracellular stuff. I lick the salt right BEFORE taking water. It does make a difference for me. Somehow, even if I drink lots of water but without the salt, I get the feeling that the water is not doing anything in me, but with the Gerande salt, it is making me feel as if I am absorbing the water in a better way.

Hi, Francisca, I have been using DMSO & MSM drops for my eyes & can even read without glasses now & my eyes do not pain anymore.

Hi Eva, I am 54 but when the doctor checked my hormones a while ago they were hight, so maybe I am just in the pre-menopause. No, I have never tried herbal estrogen, one hears so many bad things about hormones nowadays..... I was planning on reading a few books but I have no idea whether I will be any wiser!

Francisca, I wonder if your problems are connected to menopause (dry eyes, dry skin, bladder problems)... Have you tried products that contain herbal estrogen?

Mmsg, do you lick the salt before you drink the water or afterwards? I forgot to say that in a new I have just read the author, Christopher Vasey, says that if you suffer from extracellular thirst you should drink water with salt, if it is extracellular thirst without salt. Intracellular thirst is much more common though. If you suffer from extracellular thirst and don't take salt things will get worse because of drinking more water. I feel that this is my case because, although I started adding a bit of salt when I started drinking more water I seemed to get more and more thirsty and my eyes and throat started getting drier, it was rather strange. I almost had the feeling that by drinking more because I thought that it was good for me I deregulated my body making it need water all the time while feeling rather dry all the same. Stilll the author says that if you get thirsty late at night, which is my case, you have intracellular thirst! Or did it go wrong with me because I had intracellular thirst and started drinking water with a bit of salt? It is a pity he doesn't tell how to recognize both kinds of thirst but I think that the extracellular is when you sweat a lot or urinate a lot, thus because of loss of liquids. Anyway, this is a great book with an awful lot of information: Water Prescription!

Mmsg, thanks for your advice. I have that salt at home. I tried to add salt to all the water I drank after reading Dr. Batman's book on water but I found that it didn't really help. But I am going to try it the way you say. My skin is also getting drier so it is worth trying. I too get up quite a few times at night, especially when I don't sleep well or maybe I don't sleep well because of that!

Francisca, like you, I am myopic and of a dry constitution in general. I have found that if I take a lick (on the edge of a wet finger) of 2-3 grains of the Gerande salt every time I drink water, somehow, the water "stays in" and moisturises the body better and I don't have to get up as much at night, and dry areas improve.

By the way, I do eat a lot of tomatoes and try to incorporate quite a bit of cayenne pepper in my food. A while ago I also tried a suggestion given here to take 20 drops of tabasco in a glass of water for a week. My dry eyes and mouth have steadily been getting worse but I don't remember anymore if they could be related to the Tabasco protocol. I will cut out the pepper and the tomatoes! The thing is that I am already on a low carbs, low sugar diet so if I keep cutting out more stuff one day I won't eat anything. I have already lost quite a bit of weight and I am not at all a big woman!

Hi David, I suppose that with Aloe liquid you mean the juice one drinks? I was thinking about buying it and I will try it soon. As far as the Castor Oil goes my eyes get quite swollen but as I said before I seem to be the only person here with that problem. Even if I use good Castor Oil or so I think! I went to see a contact lenses specialist today, quite informative, and he told me to take omega 3 so I got linseed oil from him right away. He said that Cod liver oil was ok as well. And I really have to clean the ducts every day applying warm tea bags or a cloth and then pressing the oil out of the rim with a q-tip. I have been trying coconut oil on the eye lids so that it goes in a bit at night and my eyes seem to be slightly less dry.

The Omega 3 seems to liquidify the stuff inside the rim of the eye which is not coming out. Anyway, although I am very myopic, which saddens me, he was amazed that he could correct my eyes to 140% (not that I am planning to do it.... ). The fact that he thought that my eyes are actually rather good cheered me up! I have had therapy with a guy specialized in sports eyesight but it never really worked. I guess that he is very technical and I am very hands on so this guy I saw today is now going to try to find me an address where I could go, have my problem properly tested and could get a program to follow at home. They don't do this kind of thing in the Eye Hospital... of course....

Hello Jc: Do you mean application topically on the eyelid with an omega oil? Or oral consumpiton of an omega capsule? Years ago I read in the book "Vita-Nutrients" that Dr Adkins suggested the omegas be taken orally for dry eyes and so I tried two capsules of high quality Omega 3, 6 and 9 daily. It did not help. So I presume, since I was talking about topical application of aloe vera liquid, that you are suggesting the same, but with the Omega. I notice in this section that many people suggest the use of castor oil dropped onto the eyeball. I tried that too, and it was also beneficial.

As for the coffee elimination (or extreme limitation since I cannot completely do without fresh ground once or twice a week), the reduced consumption of coffee goes a long way in reducing the problem of "burning eyes. " Finally, try one teaspoon of baking soda three times daily to deal with systemic (total body) acidic condition. Thus, I have actually recommended four steps to get control of "dry eyes."

1. Eye-lid application of aloe vera liquid. (Buy a really potent brand. ) By the way, sometimes you will actually feel a kind of "grime layer" on the eye lids when you apply the aloe. If so, take a tissue and wipe off and reapply a light coating of aloe vera liquid. (You could use aloe vera gel too but I use the liquid and apply topically and then also drink four or five tablespoons of aloe in addition. Aloe is wonderful for you.)

2. A drop in each eye of castor oil at bedtime.

3. Avoid the acidic drinks and foods; coffee (de-caff too is acidic), too much tomato products, hot peppers etc.

4. Make sure your are alkalized. If your body condition is acidic, you will have all kinds of problems; dry eye, "irritable leg syndrome, " various skin irritations... So use baking soda three times daily/ one teaspoon with each dose until you can "feel" the difference. (You will find more discussion on acidic/alkalizing issues under the section in Ailments (Earth Clinic of course) "Cancer" wherein "Ted from Bangcok" writes quite convincingly.

For Dry Eyes, my ND suggested flax seed oil and it worked. I also later learned that anything that has omega 3 will do it. So fish or CLO should help as well.

DRY EYE

Two recommendations:

I have suffered from dry eye for over twenty years and have tried dozens of various otc drops. The very best solution to the problem I have found is very inexpensive: aloe vera (I use a high quality one) annointed on the lids of the eyes. Not dropped into the eye but on the lids. Aloe is, of course, alkaline and I believe what is happening is that the aloe is netralizing an acidic condition. I was put onto the idea of putting the drops of aloe onto the eye lid by my opthomologist who had given me a prescription for eye lid drops to deal with dry eye. But I found the aloe vera worked better and at little expense. I usually apply three or four times daily or as needed.

My second recommendation is to be careful for coffee consumption, both in regular and de-caf form... The acid in the coffee is murder on sensitive eyes. I have found a direct correlation between "burning eyes" during the day and whether I've had coffee that morning. Teas don't seem to be so bad.

I used cold press castor oil and used an eye dropper.

Do you use the type castor oil that can be bought at any of the big-chain pharmacy stores, or is it a different type castor oil? And how do you apply it? (Meaning - did you buy an eye dropper?) If so, how many drops? Thanks!

I have been oil pulling and using castor oil at bedtime now for about 1 week. This has been a great relief. My eyes have been a lot whiter and not dry at all. I have been struggling with dry eyes now for about 5 years. I have tried restasis, alrex drops, plugs, fish oil, warm compresses but nothing seemed to work. I've spent a lot of money on eye drops (almost every brand) and my eyes were still dry. My only complaint was when I tried to castor oil the first day it stung a little, but the second night I had no problem. I am so grateful to have finally found something that works.

I use just"Plain"Chamomile/no honey or other additives for my dry eyes, and I drink Apple Cider Vinegar daily, it's great.

Regarding using Castor Oil for dry eyes. Suggest The Palma Christi Castor Oil by Heritage Products. It's hexane-free, certified and Pure, Cold Pressed. Must buy at health food store like Whole Foods, not GNC or a drug store. I put a couple drops in each eye before bed, and it definitely helps with dryness. I also put it on my face and hands, as it's a wonderful emollient.

How often do you have to go? Every week? Os was it a cure?

I think the castor oil people are trying for dry eyes is just great. I searched everywhere for years, I too tried many different items and they only worked temp. Then some one told me to try black cohosh sold in all herbal stores, it's sold as a capsule, I take one every morning, and it's great for every day. I also found that my dry eyes are caused from a virus. So I am working on the whole body one day at a time, one body part at a time. But good luck & I just thought I would share some extra back up info.

Hi Katsu - I'm one of the people who has had success with castor oil in my eyes. My eyes were very dry since I moved from the moist, wet West Coast (Vancouver) to dry, windy and cold Calgary. The first year here I could not wear my contacts. I tried tons of eye drops, compresses, palming (hands over eyes), fish oil, flaxseed oil, etc. The eye doctor just shrugged his shoulders and said that I had to live with it and it's very common.

I use organic castor oil and I've put it in an eyedrop bottle. Every night, right before I'm ready to go to sleep, I add a few drops in each eye (I blink and roll my eyes a bit). The pillowcase gets oil stains on it but that's a small price to pay. I've been doing this for about two years now and I can wear my contacts with no problems. I also drink ACV in water (3 TB in 1-1/2 litres of water). I don't know if that makes a difference. The castor oil I use is imported from India (bottled in Canada). The importing company is Innov'Import from Montreal. It says it's cold pressed and hexane free. It's in a glass bottle and had a plastic sleeve over the cap so no tampering there. However, I did notice today when I went to the health food store, that all the rest of the castor oil (non-organic) were in plastic bottles and didn't have the plastic protection sleeve. Good luck with your eyes. I hope it works for you!

I have put castor oil on my eye lids many times to help me sleep and it works great. Any oil that leeked to my eyes cleared up by blinking or putting eyedrops to act as an eyewash. My eyes get polluted from air pollution and eye drops helps, also Dr. Shultz' Eyebright formula.

Hi Katsu, I am no expert on this but because my eyes are becoming very dry and I have difficulties with my contact lenses I tried the put Castor Oil in my eyes. I started putting it on my eyelids as it also seemed to make you sleep better but the only thing it did was to make my eyes look swollen and strange. After awhile I tried to put a bit on the eye rim and they only got worse, quite red and swollen. I went to the Eye Hospital and the doctor told me that the tear ducts were blocked. Did it happen because of the Castor Oil, were they blocked before, I don't know. Anyway, I got some drops to wet the eyes and have to put warm black tea bags on them twice a day and do some massage to make the grease component of the tears come out. They were better and looking quite normal but yesterday I decided to put a bit of CO on my eyebrows, it ran into my eyes and the troubles have started all over again so I won't do it again or else I will put very little just on my eyebrows.

I use a cold pressed CO bought in a health food shop which has a pump so the oil is not in contact with the air. Before that I used another one and the result was the same. Maybe I am allergic to CO or maybe you shouldn't put it in your eyes, no idea. I am afraid of trying the Manuka Honey although some people seem to have had good results with that. I am also going to try either MSM drops or CanC drops. I don't want to give up my contact lenses.......

To Elise from Perth and anyone with the expertise; Just like you I have struggled with dry eyes for a long time I can't wear contact lenses period and my condition seems to be getting worse, my ophtalmologist put me on Restasis, I've tried oil pulling, take omega3 2000mg, warm compresses you name it... And nothing seems to work. Last night I bought a bottle of pure, cold pressed, top quality Castor oil from the organic store, it says on the bottle that is good for the skin and perfect for health promoting packs, it is hexane free & certified (I don't have a clue what that is??) it came without any kind of wrap around plastic or quality seal inside or outside the bottle all you got to do is twist the cap to open it, so I'm hesitant to try it in my dry eyes, I may sound paranoic but someone could've easily mess with the content inside the bottle, Anyways, my question here is should I expect to see a sealed bottle? and did I buy the right kind? please help, I really need to try this asap. Thanks.

For some reason my eyes have been getting very dry. It all started after the plane trees near our house shed a lot of cotton wool like stuff last year. My husband has problems too. As I wear contact lenses I got very worried and reading about Castor oil for dry eyes on this site I decided to try. The only thing it did was to make my eyes swollen. As we were leaving on a trip I went to the Eye Hospital and the doctor told me that the tear ducts were blocked. The liquid tears were still coming out but no fat. Now I have to put warm black tea bags on my eyes twice a day and then squeeze them a bit all around for the fat to come out. They are better now but still try. I have read about the Manuka Honey but I have to confess that I am afraid to try. By the way, the Castor Oil I used comes from a health food store and as it has a pump is not really in contact with the air. I only put a little bit on the riem of the eye twice a day for a few days.

Im so glad to hear that you have found relief using the castor oil! Made my day :)

YOU CANNOT USE CASTOR OIL YOU BUY FROM WALGREENS! THEY ARE LAXATIVES.

YOU NEED "COLD PRESSED" 100 PERCENT PURE OLIVE OIL! COLD PRESSED IS THE KEY WORD HERE! You can find them at HEALTH STORES or YOU CAN BUY THEM FROM AMAZON!

There is a YOUTUBE VIDEO about using castor oil to cure dry red eyes. Just type those key words. (dry red eyes castor oil) THE LADY USES "HOME HEALTH" (brand name) COLD PROCESSED, COLD PRESSED CASTOR OIL! You can find them on AMAZON!