- Compresses. Apply warm compresses to your eyes, gently washing your eyelids with baby shampoo afterwards. This can help release the oils in your tear glands, improving the quality of your tears.
- Humidifier. Use a bedside humidifier during colder weather, and add one to your furnace as well. This will put moisture back into the dry air, greatly reducing your symptoms.
- Get out of the wind. Fans, hair dryers, and wind make eyes dry, so people who are suffering with dry eyes should avoid the air movement created by each of these. Sunglasses can help you protect your eyes from windy conditions.
- Artificial tears. There are many brands available on the market, and they can really be helpful in relief of dry eye symptoms. Lubricating gels are another option, too. They are of a thicker consistency and can create blurred vision after use, so application should be done before bedtime.
- Pass on the sweets. Cutting down on artificial sweeteners and sugars can help prevent dry eye, and anyone with diabetes will want to ensure that their blood sugar levels are kept within the recommended range to avoid eye damage. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily can also be beneficial.
- Don’t smoke. If you smoke, please stop. If you don’t, please don’t start.
- Supplements. Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D are all helpful in decreasing your dry eye issues. Omega 3 can be found in salmon, sardines, flax seeds, and anchovies, vitamin A is found in orange and leafy green vegetables, and vitamin D comes mostly from fatty fish, fortified milk and sunlight. Discuss the use and dosage of nutritional supplements and vitamins with your doctor.
The team here at Classic Vision Care understands how important the gift of sight is, and we strive to provide the best possible eye care to each and every one of our patients. Classic Vision Care serves patients from our offices in Kennesaw and East Cobb / Marietta. To learn more about the services we offer, you can schedule a consultation online or simply call our offices. We look forward to speaking with you!
What are the best dry eyes remedies, and is sugar and water safe for your eyes?
Do not put sugar water, salt water, or any homemade solution in your eyes. Homemade mixes are not sterile, and foods are not sterile either [2]. They can carry germs that cause serious eye infections. Never put anything in your eye that a doctor has not approved [2]. That includes sugar and water solutions for eyes shared online, honey, and homemade saline. The FDA warns never to use homemade saline or tap or distilled water with contact lenses [3]. Tap and distilled water are linked to a hard-to-treat corneal infection [3].
Dry eyes remedies that are safe to try at home
The National Eye Institute lists simple steps for dry eye [1]:
- Take breaks from screens. Blink fully during each break.
- Avoid smoke, wind, and air conditioning blowing on your face. Point car vents and ceiling fans away from you.
- Use a humidifier, especially when Georgia winters and furnace heat dry out your home.
- Wear wraparound sunglasses outside, including on windy days and during Cobb County pollen season.
- Drink plenty of water and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
- Try artificial tears. These drops are the most common treatment for mild dry eye, and you can buy them without a prescription [1].
A warm, not hot, compress on closed eyelids can also feel soothing. Test the warmth on your wrist first.
When home remedies for dry eyes are not enough
See an eye doctor if dry eye gets in the way of daily life, or if your drops stop helping [1]. Severe dry eye that goes untreated can damage the cornea [1]. Call the same day for eye pain, light sensitivity, sudden blurry vision, or discharge. This matters even more if you wear contact lenses.
Dry eye care in Kennesaw and East Cobb
Dry eye has more than one cause, so one remedy rarely fixes it for everyone. Our dry eye evaluation checks your tears and eyelids to find out what is driving your symptoms. From there, Dr. Patel or Dr. Hothersall builds a plan. That plan may include at-home steps, prescription options, or in-office dry eye treatments. Bring the drops you use now so we can review them with you.
Related reading: dry eye evaluation and treatment, why eye drops stop working, dry eye in Georgia's changing seasons, book the right visit.
Sources
- National Eye Institute, "Dry Eye" (last updated August 6, 2025)
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, "Pink Eye: Quick Home Remedies" (October 27, 2026)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, "Contact Lens Risks."
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