The moisture of the compress hydrates the eyes, which helps to reduce the grittiness, and the warmth relaxes the eye to relieve any pain or muscle spasms that may accompany dry eye. Warm eye compresses can soothe the eyes and provide almost instant relief. Whether store-bought or home-made, you’ll want to apply the warm compress twice daily (morning and night) for optimal results. We can recommend which brands that are most suitable for your eyes. All warm compress eye masks can also be purchased at drugstores. Warm compresses also come in a dry form, which can be heated using a microwave. Make sure to always test the washcloth before placing it over the eyes, as the skin of the eyelid is very thin and can be easily burned. You can also microwave a damp washcloth until it’s reached the desired temperature. Remove the washcloth and place it in the bowl with warm water to reheat it.Place the warm, damp cloth over closed eyelids and rest if there until it is no longer warm (about 5 minutes).Ring out the washcloth so that it’s damp, and fold it lengthwise to the size of your eye area.
Face cleansers or Epsom salts can irritate or burn the eyes and should not be added. Be sure to use clean water with nothing diluted in it. Soak a clean washcloth in the warm water.Fill a clean bowl with warm water, just hot enough to comfortably feel the warmth with your fingers.The first step in dealing with anything eye care-related is to thoroughly wash your hands with warm water and soap.How to Prepare a Warm Eye CompressĪ warm compress has been proven to be effective in relieving irritating dry eye symptoms. If you suspect that you may have dry eye or experience any of the above symptoms, speak with our doctors regarding the various dry eye treatments available to ease your discomfort and improve your condition. Do I Have Dry Eye Syndrome?ĭry eye can be caused by numerous factors, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) is now understood to be caused by many factors including pollution, allergies, too few tears or poor tear quality.įortunately, there is a safe, effective, and user-friendly method to alleviate symptoms at home: warm compresses for the eyes. If your doctor has prescribed eye drops for your condition it is best to apply them after gland expression.How To Use a Warm Compress Correctly For Dry Eyeįor those suffering from Dry Eye Syndrome (DES), finding relief from dry, red, irritated eyes may be a top priority. You do this by using a Q-tip and milk your glands by stroking with upward strokes on your lower eyelid. Repeat for other eye.ġ.Following the heat treatment outlined above you need to express your meibomian glands. In this way you can watch TV, check emails etc with eye you are not treating.
It may be easier to do this and the gland expression one eye at a time. Most patients experience a soothing effect when applying the compress. Your goal is to attain a comfortable warm termperature. Remember eyelid tissue is thinner and is more sensitive to heat than other areas of your body. Microwave the heat pack for about 30 seconds and increase or decrease time accordingly.ģ.Test the heat pack on your wrist to make sure it is not too hot. You can purchase a Tranquil eyes kit from our office or make your own compress by putting one cup of uncooked rice in a clean sock and tying off the end.Ģ. That is why heat is needed to liquify the glands.ġ. Much like if you put a cup of oil out it becomes solid.
In that case use a fresh pad for each eye.ī.Warm compresses: Are needed because the tiny oil glands located in the upper eyelids are clogged and have turned solid. Flip pad around and use the other side on the other eye unless an active infection is in one of your eyes. Open a packed and unfold medicated tissueģ. Pump a small amount of lid cleanser onto your fingertipsĢ.Close your eyelids and gently rub the foam on the eyelids in a circular motion for 10 seconds.Avoid opening your eyes.ġ. My patients prefer the eye foam because it can be done in the shower.ġ. The foam is found only in doctor's offices. The lid scrubs can be found in drug stores. This helps with eliminating bacteria that resides in the eyelid/eyelash area. Mucous discharge in the or around the eyes in the morning.Ī.Lid Hygiene- use either Ocusoft lid scrubs or Eye foam to scrub and clean the eyelids. Red or irritated eyes in the morning that becomes better with time. The following is what I instruct my patients to use to aid in the recovery and treatment of their dysfunctional tear syndrome caused by clogged or dysfunctional oil tear glands or meibomian glands.Ĭlassic symptoms include: Blurred vision, pressure feeling around the eyes. There are two types of dysfunctional tear syndrome.