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How to Deal With Swollen Eyes After Drinking Alcohol

You may be prepared for a hangover after a night of drinking, but what you might not expect is having to deal with puffy, swollen eyes after drinking alcohol. That’s right, after drinking, you may find yourself with red and puffy eyes.

Why Does This Happen? 

Alcohol can cause gas to form in your digestive system, and when this becomes trapped, pressure builds up in your stomach, causing bloating in the body and face, Paula Simpson, RNCP, nutritionist, holistic skincare expert, and co-founder of Zea Skin Solutions, tells Fox News. The eyes become bloodshot because tiny blood vessels on the eye surface become red and inflamed.

Not only that, but alcohol reduces the quality of your sleep by messing with your sleep rhythms. That means that after a night of drinking, you may wake up feeling unrested. Lack of sleep is another cause of eye puffiness.

If this has happened to you, what do you do? How do you deal with swollen eyes after drinking alcohol?

Try these six tips and tricks to reduce redness and puffiness.

  1. Apply cold green tea bags. If you wake up with puffy eyes, put some green tea bags in the refrigerator for an hour. Once they’re cold, apply them directly to your eyes. The cold temperature, along with antioxidants in the green tea, may help reduce redness and swelling.
  2. Alternatively, try applying cool cucumber slices to your eyes to reduce swelling.
  3. Apply coffee grounds to the under-eye area. Stimulating your skin with caffeine may help wake up dull skin and increase blood circulation, which may help decrease inflammation.
  4. Witch hazel may help reduce swelling and repair broken skin, so it’s the perfect thing to reach for when you’re looking to reduce swelling under your eyes. Just be sure to avoid contact with your eye socket or eyeball.
  5. Make sure that you are drinking enough water. When you’re dehydrated, your body holds onto excess water weight. That leads to more puffiness. If you’re drinking, be sure to have a glass of water between each glass of wine or beer. And the next day, make sure you’re chugging water as well. For additional skin support, mix 8 ounces of cold water with ¼ cup of halved berries of your choice and two basil leaves. The cool, refreshing drink will help encourage hydration, and will provide you with a boost of antioxidants, and electrolytes.
  6. And finally, prevention. We’re not saying you need to cut out alcohol altogether, but it’s worth repeating that the best way to avoid puffy eyes from drinking alcohol is to limit your alcohol intake to one drink a day (for women) and two drinks a day (for men).

And when you’re looking to reduce eye puffiness or to maintain overall eye health, try supplements and products from Wiley’s Finest, Genestra, and Clear Conscience.

Wiley’s Finest

Whether you’ve been drinking or not, supplements from Wiley’s Finest may help further support your eye health. Try Wiley’s Finest Value Pack, which comes with Peak EPA Wild Alaskan Fish OIl and Bold Vision Proactive to provide comprehensive support for healthy vision. Bold Vision Proactive contains essential nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin to build macular pigment density, protect from and reduce eye strain and contrast glare discomfort, and improve visual acuity over the lifespan. It also contains bilberry, which, along with lutein and zeaxanthin, reduces digital eye fatigue, and zinc, vitamin E, palmitoleic acid (omega-7), and astaxanthin, which provide cellular nutrition, protection for eyes, and support for clarity of sight. 

Genestra

Supplements from Genestra may also support healthy eyes and vision. Try Bilberry Young Shoot, a plant-based herbal supplement that offers antioxidant support to promote vision and cardiovascular health. Or try Bilberry, a simple but ideal supplement for your individual needs. Bilberry helps to support healthy vision, which may result from its ability to promote healthy levels of rhodopsin, which is a retinal pigment involved in vision and the adaptation to low-light spaces. 

Clear Conscience

If you wear contacts, or deal with red eyes, then Clear Conscience is the brand for you. For red eyes, try their Redness Reliever Eye Drops, a glycerin-based liquid eye solution, supporting eyes against temporary, occasional redness, or irritation. Or if you’re a contact lens wearer, try their Multi-Purpose Contact Lens Solution, a chemical- and cruelty-free, natural, isotonic contact solution for cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting, removing protein and storing soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses.

How do you deal with swollen eyes after drinking alcohol?