Dry eyes can cause discomfort, leading to difficulty in vision in extreme cases. Warm compresses are one of the common ways you can relieve such symptoms. You can try this dry eyes warm compress as a first aid treatment before seeing a doctor.
The human eye requires a certain amount of lubrication to function well. This lubrication is in the form of tears from the tear glands. There is also meibum, an oily substance that aids in the eye lubrication process by stabilizing the tear films on the eye surface. Meibum is secreted by the meibomian glands.
A dysfunction in any of these glands and how they secrete their contents is one of the primary causes of dry eyes and the associated discomfort.
Most such dysfunctions culminate in dry eye disease, a common condition that typically results in inadequate eye lubrication. In addition to not producing enough secretions, the quality of these fluids may be compromised due to other medical conditions. All these factors contribute to dry eye disease.
Other causes of dry eyes include:
-Diseases like diabetes and lupus
- Excessive use of contact lenses
-Taking certain drugs like birth control pills or some heart medications
- Very low indoor humidity
-Pregnancy and hormonal changes in menopausal women
Usually, dry eyes are a temporary condition that doesn’t require seeing an eye doctor. Some home remedies and a few tweaks to one’s daily routines can produce relief. A warm compress is the commonest home remedy for such relief. Your eyes can feel better in as little as a few minutes of administering this remedy.
A warm compress helps relieve eye dryness in the following ways:
i)Adding Moisture: Technically, your eyes are responsible for moisturizing their own surfaces. A warm compress simply increases this effect. Mild heat and warmth are soothing to many body surfaces including the eyes. This helps to alleviate the gritty feeling that comes with having dry eyes.
ii) Reducing the Amount of Clogging: Sometimes, the meibomian glands can produce way too much oil, leading to clogging. This can lead to blepharitis, swelling of the eyelids. Similarly, a tiny pimple at the eyelid’s edge (stye) or a moderately-large lump (chalazion) can also result due to the blockage of these glands by too many secretions. A warm compress helps drain these blockages by thinning the thick secretions.
iii) Relieving pain: Dry conditions and clogged-up glands that lead to dry eyes can cause pain and discomfort. A warm compress helps to ease such pain. Similarly, the pain due to muscle spasms in the eye can also benefit from the use of warm compresses.
You can easily get a warm compress at your local pharmacy or doctor’s office. These are manufactured to the highest standards and are ready to use.
However, you can use some basic home materials if you want to make your own. You’ll need:
-A few clean, small towels or washcloths
-A microwave
-A plastic bag, like a Ziploc bag
To get started:
i)Get some moderately-hot water in a bowl or container. You should comfortably be able to dip your finger in the water.
ii) Soak the small towel or washcloth in the water in the bowl
iii) Take the washcloth out of the warm water and wring it out
iv) Fold the washcloth to a size reasonable enough to cover the eyes
If you don’t have warm water readily available, you can use soak the washcloth in cold water. Proceed to put this soaked washcloth into the plastic bag without sealing it. Put the plastic bag containing the washcloth in the microwave and turn it on. Leave for 2 minutes.
Remove the washcloth from the plastic bag. Seal the bag immediately. You can use the now-hot plastic bag to warm another wet washcloth.
For the best results, ensure that you’re at an angle. This means lying down or sitting back so that your head is about a 45-degree angle to the floor. Once your eyes are closed, lay the warm washcloths to cover the entire eyes. Ideally, you want to leave the warm compress in place for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Guard against using very hot washcloths. You may want to place the washcloth on your forearm or neck to confirm that it’s not too hot.
All in all, warm eye compresses can help to relieve pain and eye dryness if used properly. Whether you use a homemade or a manufactured one, expect similar results.
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