How to Get Bright White Eyes

Last Updated: February 16, 2021 References Approved

The whites of your eye are called the sclera, and these can indicate a person’s overall health. Having yellowish or reddish sclera can be challenging in terms of personal vanity, since they can make a person look older or tired. They can also signal health issues related to allergens, toxins in the body, and even more serious liver problems. There are several remedies that can treat or counteract redness or yellowness in your eyes, ranging from using eye drops to changing your diet to applying makeup strategically.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using Eye Drops

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Use regular eye drops like Visine or Clear Eyes. These eye drops are used to reduce redness in your eyes and give them a bit of moisture to counteract irritants or otherwise dryness in the eyes. Visine, Clear Eyes, and other brands can be purchased at grocery and drug stores, as well as larger stores like Target, Walmart, and so on. Put 1-2 drops in the affected eye. Consult the instructions on the bottle for additional information.
- Don't use eyedrops like Visine or Clear Eyes too often. While they give good immediate results, when used regularly, they actually prevent your eyes from creating their own natural lubrication, and your eyes may become chronically dry, red, and dependent on the drops. A safer option is saline drops or gentle eyedrops like Systane that mimic natural tears.
2
Try thicker viscosity eye drops. A Japanese brand of eye drops called Rohto is a product that is thicker than natural tears. They have cooling properties that relieve burning eyes and they reduce redness as well. These are available at grocery and drug stores. If you have not used any eye drops before, these might not be the best ones to start with, as they can feel a little harsh to the eye.

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3
Try blue eye drops. A company from Switzerland, Innoxa, makes eye drops that are actually colored blue. In addition to relieving burning and redness symptoms, Innoxa Blue Drops also coat your eyes with a light film of blue, which counteracts the yellowish tinge in your eyeballs to make them appear whiter.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Changing your Health Habits

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Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, pumpkins, lemons and oranges, contain vitamins and antioxidants that will help keep your eyes white. Eating green, leafy foods like spinach and kale also have a positive effect on your eye health. Nuts like almonds, walnuts and peanuts also contain minerals that promote eye health.^{[1]
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- These fruits and veggies will also help to detoxify your liver. A healthy liver will help keep the whites of your eyes clear and bright. If your liver is full of toxins, then it may not be able to process foods and vitamins as efficiently as it should. Detoxify your liver by drinking a glass of beetroot juice on an empty stomach, or eating carrots and spinach. ^{[2]
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Reduce refined sugars and carbohydrates in your diet. Reducing the amount of foods that contain refined carbohydrates and sugars, as well as wheat, can help your body process foods better and detoxify your liver.^{[3]
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Research source} Decrease the amount of unhealthy foods you eat, particularly at night, which can interfere with a good sleep pattern.
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Take supplements. Your eyes depend on good levels of Vitamin A and C to maintain their health. In addition to eating foods rich in these vitamins, take a supplemental vitamin every day. Also boost your level of omega 3 acids by taking 4 capsules every day of omega 3 or fish oil supplements.
4
Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Getting enough sleep every night will ensure that your body is rested and consequently that your eyes are rested and restored to their natural white color. Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. If you are having trouble falling asleep, try soothing music or 10 minutes of meditation before going to bed to ensure that your body knows that it’s time to sleep.
5
Drink plenty of water. Bright white eyes rely on adequate hydration, and keeping your body hydrated will help replenish your body’s fluids, thus reducing puffiness and redness in your eyes. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of plain water every day, or approximately 64 ounces.
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Cut down on alcohol and caffeine. Both of these will dehydrate your body and add to puffiness and redness to your eyes. They also can interrupt good sleep patterns, which may interfere with you getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
7
Avoid irritants like smoke, dust and pollen. Smoking irritates the eyes and can cause redness. It can also dry out the eyes. Eliminating smoking from your daily habits can help your eyes restore their natural color and hydration. Dust that can be found both outside and inside can also irritate your eyes and make them prone to redness. Pollen and other allergens might also contribute to eye irritation.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Rajesh Khanna, MD
Board Certified Ophthalmologist
Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.} Use an air purifier indoors to reduce these irritants if they are hard to avoid.
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Reduce eyestrain. Working on a computer all day long can take a toll on your eyes, but it might not be an option to reduce the amount of time you spend on the computer. If you must work on a computer for several hours every day, then you should address ways to help reduce eyestrain. These can include installing proper lighting, changing your computer’s settings so that your monitor is the same brightness as the rest of the room, blink more often, exercise your eyes, and so on.^{[6]
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Wear sunglasses when you are outside. UVA and UVB rays can damage your eyes over time, and exposure to sunlight contributes to yellowing your eyes. Wear sunglasses that protect your eyes from UVA and UVB rays. Most sunglasses available today will have this feature, but be sure to check the label. Try to wear sunglasses whenever there is even a little glare outside.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Rajesh Khanna, MD
Board Certified Ophthalmologist
Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.} There doesn’t need to be blue skies and sun for you to need sunglasses. On cloudy days, there may be quite a lot of glare that can strain and damage your eyes.^{[8]
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10
Visit your doctor. You may have a medical condition called jaundice that contributes to yellowish eyes. Jaundice is a condition when hemoglobin in your blood is broken down into bilirubin and does not clear through your body properly. If the bilirubin builds up in the skin, it causes the skin and eyes to appear yellow. Jaundice can indicate a medical issue most commonly having to do with the liver, gall bladder, or pancreas.^{[9]
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Research source} Talk with your doctor to rule out jaundice and any underlying diseases or conditions that may be contributing to yellowish eyes.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using Natural Remedies

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Try Ayurvedic remedies. Ayurvedic medicine originated in India about 3,000 years ago and uses natural remedies and practices to prevent and treat health conditions. Triphala is an herbal mixture used in Ayurvedic medicine that can treat a number of conditions, including improving eye health and eye whiteness. It accomplishes this in part by detoxifying the body.^{[10]
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Research source} Triphala can be purchased at Indian food import stores as a powder or in tablet form.
- Use triphala as an eye wash. Dissolve one tablespoon of the powder in 8 ounces of water overnight. Strain this mixture and then sprinkle it over your eyes or use as an eye wash.^{[11]
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- A word of caution: triphala is also used as a laxative to correct constipation, so proceed carefully with using it.
- One of the main ingredients in triphala is Indian gooseberry, the juice of which can be dropped directly into your eyes at night to improve their whiteness.
2
Rub carrot juice on your eyelids. Eating carrots will improve your eye health, and so will topical application of the juice. Wash and dry several carrots, and chop off their ends. Process several carrots through a juicer to get healthy carrot juice that can then be applied on your eyelids. Leave the juice on your eyelids overnight. Be careful not to put the juice directly into your eyes.
3
Use a cold compress on your eyes. Putting your skin in contact with something cold will help reduce puffiness, but it can also help whiten your eyes as well. Soak a washcloth in ice water, wring it out, and lay the washcloth over your eyes for 5-10 minutes. The redness in your eyes should diminish after repeating this a few times over the course of a day.^{[12]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Makeup

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Brighten the area under your eyes. Dark circles under your eyes will make your eyes appear dull. Brighten up the area under and around your eyes by applying concealer. Dab several small dots of concealer across the bottom of your eye and gently tap across the dots to blend them with the rest of your skin.^{[13]
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Use blue tones of eye shadow and eyeliner. Adding navy or indigo blue colors around your eyes will be somewhat softer than the drama and harshness of black colors. Also, the blue tones will help to counteract yellowish colors that might show up in the whites of your eyes, which will make your eyes appear brighter and clearer.
3
Use eyeliner. These days white eyeliner could be easily found in market. Just a swipe or two of white eyeliner on your eyelid will not only make them brighter will also make them wider. You can also take little white eyeliner near corner of your lids and blend it, this will give an angel like look. Your face will look dewy and very fresh.
4
Use brown mascara on your bottom lashes. Making your eyes stand out can help them appear whiter. Using black mascara on both top and bottom lashes will make dramatic eyes, but they do not help your eyes look whiter. Instead, try brown mascara on your bottom lashes. This softer color will help draw the attention upwards to your top lashes, which will make your eyes appear wider, more alert and whiter.
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Try a light-colored eyeliner. By using a light bone-colored or flesh-colored eyeliner, your eyes will attract and reflect light, which will help make it seem like your eyes are larger. Outline the inner corners of your eyes with the eyeliner to give the illusion of being brighter.^{[14]
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- Apply a shimmering white or light-colored eye shadow in the inner corners of your eyes to attain a similar effect.^{[15]
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- Try to refrain from using a white eyeliner pencil to outline your eye, as this can be hard to blend in properly and may look too "staged" or artificial.
6
Use an eyelash curler. An eyelash curler, which is readily available at drug stores and grocery stores for about $5 to $6, will clamp your eyelashes and bend them upwards in a curl. Curling your lashes upward will make your eyes appear to be bigger and more open. They can also draw attention to your eyes by making your eyelashes appear longer.^{[16]
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Use a bit of pink blush. Apply pink blush to the apples of your cheeks, your lips, and across the highest point of your eyebrows. This will lighten and brighten your entire face, which will help make your eyes appear brighter and whiter.^{[17]
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Warnings

If your eyes are puffy, red, irritated or swollen, you may be suffering from a medical condition, such as a stye, conjunctivitis (pink eye) or an eye injury. If you suspect any of these or other medical issues, consult your physician.

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