There are a number of techniques you can use to get rid of puffy eyes, starting with caring for your eyes to reduce the amount of puffiness you experience in the first place. If you have a crisis, skip ahead to the third paragraph for some fast-acting tips. In the event this condition accompanied by blurry vision, pain, soreness, headaches, or general discomfort, you should see a doctor, as your eyes may be injured or infected. If puffy eyes persist for several days or grow worse, it is also time to see a doctor.
Puffy eyes are caused by a variety of things, including allergic reactions, lack of moisture, and strain. Keep your body well hydrated to avoid the condition, and reduce your sodium intake if your eyes feel puffy a lot and especially avoid salty foods before bed. Sleeping with your head elevated can help, as can getting a good night's sleep. Also always remember to remove all eye makeup at night, no matter how tired you are. Your makeup can cause irritation which could lead to puffiness and potential infection.
If you want to fix puffy eyes fast, cool compresses often work. You can use a variety of things as compresses; some people, for example, like to keep a gel eye pad in the fridge and put it on first thing in the morning for 10 minutes or so to reduce puffiness. You can also use chilled slices of cucumber, apple, or potato, along with cold tea bags. Some people like to use chilled milk compresses. Dip two cotton balls into a dish of cold milk, apply the cotton balls to your eyes, and repeat the process when they start to warm up. Change the compress a few times to bring the swelling all the way down. In addition to reducing puffiness, the compress is also good for your skin.
The application of a soothing eye cream can also help. Creams with vitamin E and aloe tend to be especially effective, and for an extra kick, keep eye creams in the fridge. Massage the cream gently into the skin around your eyes every morning to keep the skin hydrated and cool. Some people find hemorrhoid cream to be very effective, but make sure to keep it out of your eyes, as it can irritate them.
If your puffy eyes are caused by allergies, identify the allergies and get treatment for them. They may cause other health problems like a runny nose, so you want to make sure that you know what is causing the allergic reaction so that you can avoid it. If you have seasonal allergies to things like pollen, consider taking allergy pills or shots to make your allergic reactions less intense.