Personal hygiene is how we take care of our bodies. Keeping clean can prevent us from getting sick, something as simple as washing our hands can help prevent millions of germs and viruses from attacking us. For the majority of people, cleaning our ears with Q-tips, using a toothbrush to brush our teeth or washing our hair with shampoo are habits instilled in us at an early age. But what about the way we wash our eyes? Perhaps many of us take eyelid washing for granted, however complications can arise by not keeping this area free of debris. In this article I will share with you my eye cleaning routine. Although it is geared more towards Blepharitis sufferers you can still benefit from these steps to maintain healthy eyes.
Blepharitis and dry eyes are chronic conditions, so even when you think you have a treatment nailed down, symptoms usually find a way to creep back up to the surface. The idea behind my routine is to try and keep the symptoms under control as much as I can by finding the right techniques. Below is a step-by-step guide that I have followed each and every time I’ve experienced flare-ups for the last several years. It’s worked better for me than anything else. I hope it helps you.
Step One: Clean, Clean, Clean.
To begin, give your hands a very thorough washing. Think about doctors going into surgery – all the tools are sterilized and you could pretty much eat off of their hands. Adopt the same mentality when it comes to cleaning your eyes. Keep everything super clean and safe from possible contamination. I always clean my eyes at night. I have a fairly pale complexion with very sensitive skin, so my eyelids are inevitably lobster red at the end of a thorough cleaning. After I apply heat and give them a good scrub, it takes a couple of hours for the redness to subside. By morning, they are pretty much back to what I consider “normal.”
Step Two: Heat
An electric heated eye mask is my go-to choice for heat these days. I’m probably a little biased here because of how much I enjoy my Comfylids mask but the problem with washcloths is they get very wet, which makes my rosacea flare up (plus, the water dripping down my face is annoying). I had a good run with microwavable masks for a while, but the heat didn't last long enough, and I found myself continuously running back to the microwave. The right electric heated eye mask is the new and improved way of applying heat directly to your eyelids as part of your routine.
My blepharitis and dry eyes are considered moderate-to-severe, so I prefer a greater amount of heat; my eyes are completely used to it by now. The temperature you choose will mostly depend on your symptoms and what you find comfortable. In terms of how long I use the mask, my sweet spot is anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes. I lie down, relax, and let my Comfy mask do the work. How often you are supposed to clean your eyes is another question I get a lot. I might sound like a broken record at this point, but I’ll say it again: It depends. Twenty years is a long time, and I would be lying if I said I cleaned them every day. If I have a bad flare-up, my eyes get a little more attention than usual, cleaned twice a day. If I feel like my symptoms are more under control, I aim for two or three cleanings a week.
People who have blepharitis and dry eyes are often recommended to stick to a consistent cleaning routine even if they’re not experiencing symptoms. Easier said than done, right? Just keep in mind that you will always be better off if you clean them more often than not.
Step Three: Preparation
At this point in the process, my oil glands are now ready to be primed! While my eyes are closed, I gently rub each eye in a circular motion with my index fingers for about 30 seconds, basically trying to expel any excessive oil I can in preparation for the cleaning. You can also try gently pushing up on your bottom lids as well.
Step Four: Wash & Rinse
Now it’s time to remove the oil and crusty debris.There are a ton of different lid wipe solutions on the market. The main one I use at the moment is MediViz, though I have also tried Cliradex, Systane, and lid-care towelettes. Again, this choice comes down to personal preference. Try different ones to see which works best for you. Some may burn your eyes more than others, or you might feel like you get better results from a certain brand. For me, Cliradex worked really well but was overly expensive and I didn’t think the burning sensation it gave me was worth it.
I used to just apply lid wipes directly to my eyelids, but I found that the material was too smooth; I needed a rougher surface, so I use either reusable bamboo cleaning pads or basic washcloths to scrub my eyelids. Since the flakes can be pretty stubborn to remove, it’s important to rub firmly enough on both the upper and bottom lids. Once my washcloth is wet and rinsed with lukewarm water, squeeze a portion of the cleaning wipe solution onto the cloth and start wiping the edges of my eyelids – first my upper lids and then my lower lids – spending about 30 seconds on each eye. Please remember not to use the same area of the cloth or the same makeup remover pad in different areas of your eyes. You don’t want to transfer any of the bacteria from one eye to the other. Once you are finished, rinse your eyes a few times with lukewarm water until you feel you have removed all of the soap solution.
Step Five: Medication
I also have a prescription eye drop that I sometimes use called Fluorometholone. I like to think of it as the ace in my back pocket, and I use it only after cleaning. It’s a steroid that helps deal with the redness of my eyelids. I have really weaned myself off of it over the last couple of years since it's not terribly good for eye pressure, but I still hold onto it in case of emergency flare-ups so it could be worth talking to your doctor about it.
There you have it! A simple yet efficient way to keep your eyes feeling healthier than ever.