Herbal tea for eyes | The natural solution to relieve tired eyes

Red and dry eyes, tired eyes, headaches… if this all sounds familiar, you’re probably suffering from screen fatigue like us. What you need is a quick infusion of herbal plants to help you recover.

No, not that type of plant…

We’ve put together our selection of the best herbal teas for strengthening your eyesight.

The 5 best herbal teas for eyes (& 1 bonus recommendation)

1.     Chamomile tea

Also known as ‘roman chamomile’, chamomile tea is one of the most well known and probably the best herbal tea for eyesight. It’s a favorite plant infusion at Horus X, because it can be drank in the evening as it doesn’t contain any caffeine, making it a good alternative to melatonin for sleep. Plus, it tastes delicious!

Chamomile, or chamaemelum nobile in Latin if you want to sound academic and impress your friends, is soothing, helping relieve red and tired eyes and ease headaches. In the world of herbal teas, it’s one of the best for anti-inflammatory properties, letting you relax the muscles around the eyes. Basically, a chamomile tea bag has a combination of wellbeing benefits that’s the tea equivalent of an eye massage.

2.     Green tea

Generally, we recommend drinking green tea in the mornings as part of any gamer’s diet plan.

That’s because green tea leaves are rich in antioxidants (catechins and flavonoids) and contain theine, which helps protect the eyes from harmful effects like free radicals. But not from someone shooting at you in Modern Warfare.

A Green tea bag can also improve circulation and promote nutrients in the eyes, as well as the theine helping reduce inflammation. It can also be useful for preventing eye disorders and improving vision much more effectively than carrots. Although we can’t guarantee you’ll suddenly be able to see in the dark or get Homelander’s laser eyes. Instead, it improves your resistance to macular eye degeneration as you grow older.

3.     Hibiscus tea

Hibiscus flower tea bags are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which helps strengthen blood vessels in the eyes and reduces the risk of cataracts or macular degeneration. Hibiscus also helps improve blood circulation, which supports your overall eye health.

It is therefore the second favorite herbal tea for eyes at Horus X. It’s also one of the best ways to help negate the harmful effects of blue light from screens, whether that’s a computer, TV or phone screen. When we’re wearing our anti-blue light glasses (or our gaming glasses) and sipping herbal tea, we feel powerfully protected!

4.     Peppermint tea

Peppermint has cooling and soothing properties that can help soothe tired eyes and reduce inflammation. For those who spent the last five hours blasted with blue light from their TV, this can help reduce the achy feeling around your eyes.

5.     Lemon balm tea 

Lemon balm is a soothing herb that is helpful for relieving red eyes and headaches. It also has recognized anti-inflammatory properties to help soothe eyes that have spent too many hours staring at the bright colors of the latest Pokémon game.

6.     Bonus recommendation: the best herbal tea for eyes, Eyebright

Used since Ancient Greek times and in traditional Chinese medicine, Eyebright is soothing, antibacterial, antiseptic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It’s basically the medicine of tea bags.

In fact, its leaves contain a pretty crazy variety of compounds (including flavonoids, tannins, and acid-phenols) that can help reduce inflammation and irritation, improve circulation, and protect against retinal damage caused by free radicals.

Apparently flavor wise though, it might not be the tastiest as it's known for its pronounced bitter taste. At Horus X, we’ll perform our own taste test for you soon!

In summary, there are a lot of herbal solutions that help take care of your eyesight. For us, we recommend green tea in the morning with breakfast, and chamomile in the evening to help promote a healthy sleep routine.

Why is herbal tea good for eyesight?

Plant infusions have been a popular natural medicine for centuries – millennia, in fact! There has to be a solid reason for that. Even today, plant infusions are still used in both Western and, more prominently, Asian, medicine. They’re natural and highly beneficial for both your eyes and overall health. 

1. 🔥It reduces inflammation

Chamomile and peppermint tea have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce swelling and eye irritation in healthy eyes.

2. 👀Improved circulation

Certain herbal teas, like green tea and hibiscus, can improve blood circulation, which helps deliver nutrients to the eyes and support their overall health.

3. ⚡Protection from free radicals

Certain infusions, like green tea and Eyebright are rich in antioxidants that can protect eyes from the damaging effects of free radicals.

But what is a free radical?

Free radicals are the chemical reaction that makes a molecule or atom unstable. They’re associated with aging and are the cause of oxidative stress, and various age-related disorders or diseases.

4. 🥱Reduction of fatigue and eye strain

Peppermint and Eyebright have a refreshing and invigorating effect. This helps reduce eye fatigue and tension (around the eyes, not in your home generally).

5. ❤️ Strengthening blood vessels

Hibiscus is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which strengthen the blood vessels in the eyes and reduce the risk of eye disease and problems like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Extra tips for taking care of your eyes naturally

• 💦Remember to keep drinking lots of water. Even the best herbal teas don’t do everything. Keep yourself equipped with a water bottle like you’re about to walk the miles of Death Stranding yourself. Most problems with irritated and sore eyes stem from bad hydration.
• ☀️Try to soak up at least 15 minutes of sunlight per day. Of course, depending on where you live, this could be really easy or quite difficult. Those of you in Seattle—get ready to run outside the second the rain stops! Not only will it help you stock up on vitamin D, but sunlight is good for your mental health, balance, and eye health.
• 💻Reduce your screen exposure. Easier said than done, but does that crop really need to farmed right now? Put Animal Crossing down for a few hours to give yourself a break from blue light, as well as staring at a fixed object. Take regular breaks and try to avoid screens for at least one hour before bed.
• 🥦 Eat a well-balanced diet. It’s probably one of the most boring and well-heard pieces of advice, but so much of your health comes back to eating well. A good diet provides a healthy mix of omega-3, vitamins, and antioxidants. All great for your eye, and general, health.

Follow these tips and incorporate herbal tea into your daily diet for healthier eyes!