How to Use Herbal Tea Bags for Eyes

Tired, dry, or inflamed eyes? You could use tea bags for eyes to get relief. A quick and inexpensive home remedy, tea bags enable you to take advantage of the healing properties of plants.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the benefits of using tea bags for the eyes. We’ll also show you how to safely use them to relieve the symptoms of common eye ailments.

Benefits of Tea Bags for Eyes

A stye, dark circles, puffy eyes, or eye inflammation? Tea bags could help you alleviate the symptoms and recover faster. Here are some of the best reasons to apply tea bags to your eyes.

• Tea bags can act as cold or warm compresses, both of which are beneficial for the eyes. They are easy to prepare and just the right size.
• Flavonoids in green tea have proven anti-inflammatory effects. The same is true for tannins in black tea.
• Green, black, white, and yellow tea has caffeine, which may reduce swelling and dark circles under the eyes.
• Tea contains polyphenols, antioxidants, and other compounds that can soothe the skin, fight infection, relieve inflammation, and have other health benefits.
• Tea bags can provide moisture to the eyes, helping to soothe dry eye symptoms.

How to Use Tea Bags for the Eyes

Using tea bags as a quick, at-home eye treatment is easy. Here are the steps you need to follow.

Important: Use organic tea bags. Tea that is not organic may contain traces of pesticides and other chemicals that can irritate your eyes and cause other symptoms.

1. You’ll need two tea bags. Steep them in hot water following the instructions provided on the package. For example, green tea has a shorter steep time (usually 2 to 3 minutes) compared to chamomile tea (5-10 minutes or longer).
2. Wash your hands with soap before moving on to the next step.
3. Remove the tea bags from the water and squeeze the excess liquid from them.
4. To make a warm compress, let the tea bags cool down a bit at room temperature. To make a cold compress, refrigerate them for half an hour or so.
5. Remove contact lenses or makeup before applying the tea bags.
6. Place the warm or cold teabags on your eyes for 15 minutes.
7. Wash your hands after removing the spent tea bags and avoid touching your eyes.

Warning: Avoid using tea bags that have undergone a bleaching process or that contain metal staples.

Using tea bags for eyes rarely causes any side effects. If you experience irritation or pain during this treatment, remove the tea bags and wash your eyes with clean water.

So far, we’ve covered the main steps of this at-home eye treatment. Now let’s look at what tea bags you can use to treat specific eye conditions.

Tea Bags for Stye

A stye is an inflamed lump on the outer edge of your eyelid. Caused by bacterial infection, it’s often filled with pus. You may be tempted to pop it, but that may make it worse or spread the infection to other parts of the eye. You could use a tea bag for style instead.

Tea to use: Black

Why it works: Black tea is high in tannins, giving it analgesic and antibacterial properties that soothe the irritation and reduce swelling.

Tea Bags for Dark Circles

The skin under your eyes is delicate. Lack of sleep can make it paler so that the blood vessels and darker tissue beneath it show up. If you also have puffy eyelids, the circles will seem even darker. You can apply tea bags under the eyes as a home remedy to dark circles.

Tea to use: Green, black, or white.

Why it works: Caffeine in tea can have a narrowing effect on blood vessels, constricting blood flow. In this case, the effect is positive.

Note: Cool the tea bags before using them for best results.

Tea Bags for Eyes That Are Dry

Environmental factors, prolonged computer use, and lack of key nutrients for eye health can lead to dry eyes. When you have dry eyes, you may also experience redness, sensitivity, and irritation, among other symptoms.

Dry eyes occur because tears don’t lubricate the surface of your eyes as they should, or because of imbalances in the tear film.

Tea to use: Lavender, eyebright, and black tea.

Why it works: Teabags for eyes can provide moisture and soothe dry eyes. They can act as a quick and simple remedy. But bear in mind that not all teas will have this effect.

Note: Teabags for eyes that are dry should be warm but not hot. After taking them out of the water, let them cool a bit at room temperature.

Tea Bags for Eye Infection and Inflammation

Eye infection symptoms can include pain in the eye, light sensitivity, watery discharge, and redness. Bacteria and viruses are often to blame. Applying tea bags under the eyes can help treat mild eye infections and speed up healing.

Tea to use: Green tea. You can also use black, rooibos, and eyebright tea.

Why it works: Certain teas have antioxidants such as flavonoids and tannins which have anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Note: Cool down the tea bags and use them as a cold compress.

Good to know: Using green tea bags on the eyes can also help with conjunctivitis, puffy eyes, and red eyes because of green tea’s anti-inflammatory properties.

Tea Bags for Eye Bags

Eye bags are often a sign of aging. But they may have many other causes including lack of sleep, allergies, smoking, infections, iron deficiency, or taking in too much caffeine. A quick home remedy for eye bags is to apply green tea bags on the eyes.

Tea to use: Green, black, eyebright, or rooibos tea. Chamomile tea bags for eyes may also help with puffiness.

Why it works: The teas above have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-aging properties. When eye bags are caused by inflammation, bacteria, or wrinkling, tea bags can help.  

The Wrap Up

You can use tea bags to treat specific eye conditions. You can also use them whenever you need to give your eyes a rest. Applying tea bags to dry eyes can help soothe symptoms and help your eyes produce more lubricating teas.

If dry eyes are a recurrent problem for you, don’t forget that the right mix of nutrients for eye health can also help.

SightC from Sightsage is a full-spectrum eye health supplement packed antioxidants and phytonutrients. Made from natural ingredients, it can complement any diet.

Learn more about SightC.