What Is Eyelid Hygiene?
Proper eyelid hygiene is an important part of your daily routine. Yes, you read that right. Cleaning your eyelids is a critical part of maintaining eye and vision health and comfort, while minimizing infection risk. You should be cleaning and massaging your eyelids each day! (If you aren’t, it’s OK. I’m going to tell you how. Keep reading!)
The Importance of Cleaning Your Eyelids
Unfortunately, failure to perform regular eyelid cleaning and care can cause significant discomfort and pain. It can also lead to potentially serious eye infections and diseases. Despite this importance, most people remain unaware that the eyelids must be cleaned. Even fewer have been taught how to do it. So, let’s get right to it.
How to Clean Your Eyelids
3 Steps to Cleaner, Healthier Eyes & Eyelids
A daily eyelid cleansing procedure is necessary. This process is intended to remove accumulations of crusts and meibomian wax from the eyelid margin and eyelash areas. These types of waste and debris can promote discomfort, as well as Demodex infestations, Staphylococci infections, and other types of eye infections.
Ah! Let’s Get Clean, Fresh Lids & Lashes
Heat – Massage – Cleansing
The face should be washed before proceeding. The eyelids should first be cleared of any excessive crusts, oils, dirt, and other foreign materials. Heat is applied to help loosen scales and melt any meibum present so it can be massaged and cleared from the meibomian glands. This is followed with a careful targeted cleansing of the eyelid surfaces:
STEP 1: APPLY MOIST HEAT
Prepare a comfortably hot dampened face cloth or compress.
Apply by gently pressing to the closed eye for about 5 minutes.
Moist heat therapy may also be applied with an eyelid warming device approved by your eye doctor.
STEP 2: MASSAGE
After the eyelids have been warmed to help loosen and melt any meibomian secretions, eyelid massage should be performed. The goal is to remove any waxy obstructions from the glands.
EYELID MASSAGE TECHNIQUE
To express waxy secretions from blocked meibomian glands, use a warm compress to massage the eyelid from the root to the margin. Alternately, you may massage the eyelid with a gentle pinching action from root to margin.
STEP 3: CLEANSING
With a cotton bud or other applicator, gently rub the lid margin and the area just inside the lid with an appropriate cleanser, being careful to avoid contact with the eye.
EYELID CLEANSING SOLUTION
1 Drop of Tear-free Baby Shampoo
1 C. of Clean, Warm Water
Unless your trusted medical care provider has advised you otherwise, you can prepare a fresh eyelid cleaning solution just before cleansing the eyelids. Any leftover solution should be discarded immediately. Convenient commercially prepared eyelid cleansers and wipes may also be available. Ask your eye doctor for additional recommendations.
Benefits of Cleaning the Eyelids
Contact Lens Wearers, Dry Eyes & Blepharitis
Everyone should clean the eyelids daily to reap the maximum benefits. Practicing regular eyelid hygiene is particularly important for contact lens wearers. Those with certain types of eye-related medical conditions may need to perform more intensive, careful, or specialized methods of eyelid cleaning. These conditions include meibomian gland dysfunction (when ducts are clogged with keratinized cells), dry eye and dry eye disease, allergies, blepharitis, infections, dermatological conditions, and many others. This procedure is especially beneficial for helping enhance the stability of the eye’s lipid layer. It may also help improve symptoms of dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction.
Before starting a new eyelid hygiene practice, ask your trusted eye care provider for advice and any recommendations that may be relevant to your specific situation.
Contact Wise Eyes Optical
Your Hometown Vision Center Serving Central Pennsylvania
Your local Wise Eyes Optical hometown vision center is here to help you achieve the best possible vision for life. Eyelid hygiene is only part of a comprehensive eye care program. Make an appointment today to schedule an eye screening, risk assessment, or patient education consultation. At Wise Eyes Optical, our team is here to help patients learn and maintain practices related to routine eyelid care and overall eye and vision health that provide lifelong benefits. We also offer expert eye and vision care including eye-related medical care, custom fitting of eyeglasses and contacts, eyeglass repair, and much more. If you have questions or would like to learn more, reach out to your nearest Central Pennsylvania Wise Eyes Optical office. For assistance, call (717) 242-1915.
