Honey is one of the common sweeteners used in every household. But did you know honey can be an excellent remedy for your eyes? Yes! Honey is a perfect replacement for sugar that adds sweetness to your food and is beneficial for treating many eye conditions like inflammation, improving vision, etc. This article gives you detailed information about how honey is beneficial for your eyes.
Benefits of Honey in Eyes:
Honey works as an exceptional treatment for several eye conditions since it has the soothing ability with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Application of speciality-grade honey topically in and around your eyes or skin can work as a perfect home remedy.
1. Treats Eye Infection:
Whether they are caused due to bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms, honey is considered one of the best remedies to cure all types of eye infections. In addition, the antibacterial properties of honey make it an essential treatment for eye infections, according to research (1). You need to mix boiling water and honey in equal amounts and use a cotton ball to apply this solution to your eye.
2. Reducing Inflammation of Eye:
You will be able to reduce irritation and inflammation by applying honey topically. In addition, it helps kill infection-causing bacteria reducing inflammation efficiently. But before you try any remedies to the sensitive areas like eyes, consult the doctor.
3. Reduce Dry and Itchy Eyes:
Dry eyes in today’s electronic age are more common than we can imagine. When your eyes cannot produce the required amount of tears needed for lubrication, it leads to a common condition called dry eye. Blurry vision, itchiness, pain, reddening of the eye are some of the symptoms associated with dry eyes. Honey will help you treat the dry eye condition efficiently (2)(3).
- Prepare an eyewash using warm water and honey.
- Use this eyewash to clean your eyes thoroughly every alternate night before sleeping.
- It will help reduce dryness and itching in your eyes naturally.
See Also: Can I Eat Honey While Pregnant?
4. Honey Can Help to Lighten Eyes:
Many of you might be surprised, but you can lighten your eye color naturally by using honey. You need to have correct ingredients in proper proportions and a lot of patience to lighten your eyes naturally.
Ingredients:
- Raw honey-one drop.
- Warm bottled water-five drops.
Procedure:
- Combine one drop of honey in five drops of water and mix them well.
- For storage purposes, you can use a 1:5 ratio of ingredients.
- Use a clean bottle to store the solution.
- To lighten your eye color, put three drops of this solution in your eyes every morning and evening.
NOTE: Consult your doctor before taking the step of using honey drops in your eyes. It might lead to loss of vision if you put anything in your eyes without consulting the doctor.
5. Improving Eye Sight:
Honey has various essential vitamins and minerals and a rich source of antioxidants making it an effective treatment in improving your eyesight (4)(5). In addition, the proper functioning of optical nerves needs an adequate amount of zinc. Therefore, you can protect your vision by using honey eye drops regularly.
6. Reduce Eye Wrinkles:
We all are terrified of the premature signs of aging, irrespective of gender. However, honey is fantastic in reducing fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes apart from treating eye disorders with its emollient and humectant properties (6).
- Apply some honey to the affected areas under your eyes.
- Let it stay for about 15 minutes.
- Use warm water to wash it off.
7. Help Lighten Your Dark Circles:
Honey helps improve blood circulation that lightens your dark circles considerably. In addition, it reduces the dark circles associated with aging by boosting collagen production (7).
- Apply a tiny amount of honey under your eyes overnight.
- Then, rinse your eyes early in the morning.
See Also: Does Honey Lighten Skin?
8. Remedy for Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye):
Pink eye or conjunctivitis is a condition that is more prevalent than we would like to accept, and to prevent it from spreading, many are forced to wear glasses. This condition makes your eyes watery and itching, and it is prevalent more in children, making them agitated. Honey is considered an effective cure for conjunctivitis, according to several studies (8).
9. Keratoconjunctivitis:
Keratoconjunctivitis is a condition where dryness causes inflammation in the cornea and conjunctiva. The artificial tears containing honey were an effective treatment for Keratoconjunctivitis, according to a study involving 60 participants (9). This chronic condition tends to appear with the onset of allergies.
10. Blepharitis:
The condition in which you have swelling and burning around your eyelash line is called Blepharitis. A study to identify manuka honey as a treatment for Blepharitis is conducted on rabbits (10). Manuka honey appeared to be a more effective treatment than commercial-grade honey for Blepharitis, although there is still a need for human trials (11).
11. Corneal Problems:
The sores on the surface of your eye’s outer layer are Corneal ulcers. The antibacterial properties of honey will accelerate the healing of ulcers themselves while fighting the infections that cause sores. Thus, honey is uniquely suited to treat these kinds of ulcers with its wound-healing properties and antimicrobial effects (12).
See Also: Natural Honey Brands in India
Side Effects of Honey:
Although there are many potential uses of honey for not only eye conditions and health issues. But the possible side effects are not much known. Although honey is considered natural, it doesn’t mean using it can be a good idea. Here are some tips you need to keep in mind.
- Direct application of raw honey in your eye is a big no. Instead, use manuka honey eye drops or prepare sterilized honey drops at home.
- Combine sterilized water and honey, and you can experiment with the ratios. For cooling sensation, refrigerate the mixture before application.
- Speak to your doctor before you consider honey to treat any eye conditions since eyes are susceptible.
Steps to Make Honey Eye Drops:
Here are some simple steps you can follow to prepare honey eye drops:
- Take fresh comb honey and distilled boiling water in proportionate amounts and mix them thoroughly.
- Depending on the density, use the solution twice or thrice a day.
- Once you apply the solution, you might experience an itching sensation, and it will gradually reduce.
We all use honey in many ways in our daily lives, but did you know the effectiveness of honey for your eyes? We hope the benefits of honey for the eyes mentioned in this article are helpful and easy to include in your daily routine. Don’t forget to let us know if this article was helpful!
See Also: Top Health Benefits of Honey
Disclaimer: The content presented in this article is based on research and is informational and educational purposes. It is not a replacement for medical advice, and consult a professional before considering this information as to treatment.
FAQ:
1. How Should We Store Honey?
Ans: Keeping honey in moderate temperatures, either in your pantry or kitchen shelf, is recommended. However, it is not advised to store honey in a refrigerator might cause semi-solid mass.
2. Is Crystallized Honey Safe to Use?
Ans: Crystallization of honey is nature’s way of preserving honey, and there is no need to throw it. All you have to do is place the crystallize honey bottle in a bowl of warm water. Then, keep stirring it until the honey liquefies.
3. Is There a Chance of Honey Going Bad?
Ans: If you make sure to store your honey correctly, there is no chance of honey going bad or getting spoilt.
latha
I’ve never heard of using honey as a treatment for dry eyes. If it works then I am very willing to give it a try. Even though the drops are only 16% honey it would still be weird to me at first because you are putting honey in your eyes. Thanks for the great article.
harikha
i cant believe it, it’s amazing uses…………………..