How to Reduce Eye Swelling After Crying

Red, puffy eyes after crying are something no one wants. Fortunately, you can reduce puffy eyes with just a cold pack. On the other hand, if your eyes are chronically swollen and swollen, some small lifestyle changes can help.

Table of Contents

Swollen eye treatment

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Wash face with cold water. If you are in a hurry or are in a public place, you can go to the restroom to wash your face. Fold the paper towel twice to form a square, then dip in cold water. Gently press on the eyelids for about 15 seconds on each side. Look up and place the tissue just below your lower eyelid, pressing gently for another 15 seconds on each side. Wait for the skin around the eyes to dry. Repeat if necessary.

Do not rub your eyes or use soap to wash them.
Some people think that it is possible to mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of fine salt with 1 cup (240 ml) of ice water to wash your face. However, you should not use this method if your skin is red and irritated.

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Apply a cold washcloth to your eyes. Dip a soft cotton towel in ice cold water. Squeeze out the water and place a towel over your eyes for about 10 minutes. The cold sensation constricts blood vessels around the eyes, helping to reduce swelling.

Applying an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas can be equally effective. You can make your own cold pack by stuffing rice into socks and then putting them in the freezer. Do not use crunchy and too large bags of vegetables because vegetables cannot move flexibly around the eye area.

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Apply a cold spoon to your eyes. Choose two small metal spoons that can fit your eyes. Place the spoon in the freezer for 2 minutes or in the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Then, take the spoon out and gently press the sides of your eyes. Wait until the spoon is warm.

If you have time, you can freeze all 6 spoons. Replace the spoon with a new one when the old pair of spoons warms up. Only apply a maximum of 3 times to avoid damaging the skin due to prolonged exposure to cold.

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Lightly pat your eyes. Gently patting the swollen eyelids with your ring finger can help increase blood circulation and push away the accumulated blood around the eyes.

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Massage along the bridge of the nose. Close your eyes and massage along the bridge of your nose. Focus on the skin on either side of the nose, where the eyeglasses are supported. This can help relieve sinus pressure that builds up when you cry.

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Lie down and raise your head. Place 2-3 pillows underneath to raise your head higher than your body. Lie down with your neck straight, close your eyes and relax. A little rest also helps lower blood pressure.

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Apply cold moisturizer. Put the facial moisturizer in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes and then gently apply it to the skin. The cold will help reduce swelling, and the cream will help soften and brighten the skin.

There is still a lot of controversy surrounding the use of specialized eye creams. It is not clear whether a specialized cream is more effective than a regular face cream. ^{[1] X Research Sources}^{[2] X Research Sources}
Avoid flavored or mint creams. These ingredients may irritate the skin.

Prevent eye swelling

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Get enough sleep. Even if swollen eyes are caused by crying, other factors can affect the severity of the swelling. You should sleep at least 8 hours a night to reduce puffiness and eye swelling.

The recommended amount of sleep for teenagers and adults will vary. It is best to ask your doctor for advice.

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Provide enough water. Salt buildup around the eyes can cause water retention and swelling. You need to drink water to reduce this condition.

In addition, salt and caffeine consumption should be reduced as these substances cause dehydration.

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Allergy treatment . A mild allergic reaction to an allergen, dust, animal, or food can cause eye swelling. Avoid consuming foods that make your eyes itchy, swollen, or uncomfortable. Take allergy medication if exposure to the allergen cannot be avoided. See your doctor for further advice.

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Go see an ophthalmologist. Frequent eye swelling could be due to an underlying cause. An optometrist can test your vision and guide you with eyeglasses or contact lenses to reduce eye strain. An ophthalmologist can check for eye problems (if any).

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Give your eyes a break from looking at a computer screen and reading a book. You should take a break every 20 minutes when using a computer, phone, or book. During these 20 minutes, you should focus your eyes on something around the room. While eye strain is not the most common cause of eye swelling, avoiding eye strain will help with overall eye health.

Using ingredients at home

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Use cold towels instead of tea bags. Many people often apply cold, wet tea bags to their swollen eyes. This works simply because of the cold temperature. On the other hand, many doctors say that consuming black tea, green tea or other herbal teas is beneficial. However, these teas have not been studied and caffeine – the ingredient that seems to be most effective – has not worked. ^{[3] X Source of Study} Using a cold washcloth was equally effective and was associated with a lower risk of infection.

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Avoid food ingredients. Sliced cucumber is the most common treatment for swollen eyes. This method works, but only because of the coldness of the cucumber. ^{[4] X Research Source} It’s best to use cold towels or ice packs to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

If you want to use food, you should use washed cucumbers to be safe. Avoid potatoes, egg whites, yogurt and acidic foods like strawberries and lemon juice.

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Avoid contact of irritating medication with eyes. Some medications are dangerous when used around the eyes due to the risk of serious pain or damage. Do not treat swollen eyes with hemorrhoid cream (Preparation H), Heat Rub cream (BenGay, Icy Hot), or hydrocortisone. ^{[5] X Research Sources}^{[6] X Research Sources}

Advice

If crying smears your makeup, you should use a Q-tip cotton swab soaked in makeup remover to wipe your tears. If you don’t have a makeup remover, you can dip a tissue in soapy water.
White eyeliner to line the inner eyelids can help make the eyes look less red.
Use a light concealer or a blend of concealer and liquid highlighter to cover puffy eyes.

Warning

Wiping tears can cause eye swelling. You should wipe your tears instead of wiping them.

Steps

Swollen eye treatment

Prevent eye swelling

Using ingredients at home

Advice

Warning

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