Can essential oils safely be used for eye pain relief? Yes, they can! I’m someone who suffers from eye pain and I’ve used essential oils with success all the time! In this article, find out 4 safe essential oils for eye pain and essential oil based remedies for instant relief.
Eye pain is a condition characterized by a sharp ache behind the eyeballs, which sometimes causes tearing up of the eyes. Below, let’s explore the causes of eye pain:
Causes of Eye Pain
The most common causes of eye pain include:
- Eye problems: For people with myopia or other eye problems like presbyopia, astigmatism, cataracts, eye pain is a common occurrence.
- Staring too long at LED screens: People who stare too long at the computer, smart phone, TV or any gadget can suffer from dry eyes, itchy eyes, red eyes, eye strain and eye pain, because these gadgets have LED screens which emit bright white light that irritates and damages the eyes.
- Reading a lot: People with sight – intensive desk jobs which require reading through a lot of documents, especially those with tiny font sizes, can suffer from eye strain, eye pain and blurry vision problems. Avid novel readers and book enthusiasts can also suffer from eye pain due to the eyes being strained and concentrating on a limited range of vision for too long.
- Sinus congestion: Congested sinuses can cause puffy, swollen eyes as well as eye pain.
- Eye diseases: Some diseases of the eye can also cause mild to severe eye pain.
- Headaches or migraines: A headache can travel down to your eyes causing an aching pain at the top of your eyeballs, deep within the eye sockets.
Caution when Using Essential Oils Near the Eyes
► First off, do not use essential oil on or around your eyes. These essential oils should only be applied on the forehead and temples to get relief. When applied on and around the eyes, it’s very risky because there is a very high chance that the oil will seep into your eye and cause severe burning sensations.
► Another reason not to put essential oils on or around your eyes is because they are highly volatile and their vapors can reach the eye and cause them to water and burn. Even when you put the oil on your forehead, you may experience mild versions of these symptoms because the vapors will reach your eyes.
► Secondly, the skin constantly produces sebum which is designed to remove impurities from the skin in addition to moisturizing it. So if you applied the oil to your forehead, ensure to wipe it off after the tingling or stimulating sensation of the oil disappears. If you do not do this, the sebum mixed with the oil will gradually enter into your eyes, causing burning sensations.
4 Essential Oils for Eye Pain
All the essential oils below have analgesic properties that alleviate all sorts of pain. When applied on skin (diluted first), they provide cooling and tingling sensations that helps numb eye pain. The essential oils also have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation. If you want to manage your eye pain naturally and fast, try out one or more of the essential oils below!
My favorite pick is eucalyptus oil! I personally use it anytime I get eye pains or headaches and it works like a charm!
List of 4 safe and effective essential oils for eye pain:
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Peppermint essential oil (where to get it)
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Eucalyptus essential oil (where to get it)
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Vetiver essential oil (where to get it)
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Lavender essential oil (where to get it)
How to Use Essential Oils for Eye Pain
Below are four essential oil remedies for eye pain. You can use one or more of these remedies for instant relief!
Recipe #1: Roll – on Blend for Instant Relief
What you need
- 5 drops peppermint oil
- 5 drops eucalyptus oil
- 3 drops lavender oil
- Grapeseed oil (where to get it)
- 10 ml roller bottler (where to get it)
Method
- Add the essential oils, drop by drop to the roll – on bottle.
- Top up with grapeseed oil.
- Roll onto forehead, temples, back of neck and on shoulders for relief.
Recipe #2: Pain Relief Salve
What you need
- 1 drop vetiver
- 1 drop lavender
- 1 drop peppermint
- 1 tsp coconut oil (where to get it)
Method
- Mix the essential oils in the coconut oil.
- Gently massage this blend on your forehead, temples, shoulders and back of neck.
- Lie down for at least 15 minutes to let the salve work its magic.
Recipe #3: Cold Compress
What you need
- 2 drops eucalyptus or peppermint
- 2 drops lavender
- Soft microfiber cloth (where to get it)
- Bowl filled with ½ cup of ice cold water
Method
- Fill a bowl with ½ cup of ice cold water. You can even add ice cubes.
- Now add the essential oils and stir well with the washcloth.
- After the cloth is saturated, wring it out and fold it into a rectangle.
- Hold it to your head for some time.
- Keep repeating the steps until relief is felt.
Recipe #4: Facial Steaming
This is good for sinus congestion – related eye pain in particular but works good for other types of eye pain too.
What you need
- A pot of 3 – 4 cups of water
- 3 drops peppermint oil
- Heat source
Method
- Boil a pot containing 3 – 4 cups of water until it gets steamy.
- Then turn off the heat and carefully place the pot over a place mat on a table.
- Sit in front of the pot and create a tent over your head and the pot.
- Let the peppermint – infused steam work its magic for 15 minutes. You can keep your eyes closed.
- Once done steaming, you’ll feel so relieved, trust me! Wash your face in cold water and off you go!
Do you suffer from constant eye pain or headaches? Will you try using any of the above essential oil remedies? Share your thoughts below!