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3 Types of Eye Warm Compresses

4 min read

Written byDanielle Stoken
Reviewed by Jovi Boparai, MD
Danielle StokenEye Health & Wellness ContributorPittsburgh, PA

Bio

I was so excited when I learned about CorneaCare and am honored to share content, tips and stories about dry eye! I am a certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative nutrition so the intersection of nutrition/lifestyle and dry eye disease is one that I am particularly passionate about. Since recently becoming a mom, I care even more about my eye care and self-care and am learning so much through CorneaCare's educational resources.

Get to know me a little better!

Hobby: baking sourdough bread
Food: pasta
Superhero: my dad
Guilty pleasure: cold brew coffee (really, any coffee)
Secret power: serious facial recognition/recollection

Training:

Undergraduate: Carnegie Mellon University
Nutrition training: Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Jovi Boparai, MD
Jovi Boparai, MDCo-founder & CEO of CorneaCarePhiladelphia, PA

Bio

Dry eye disease is tough! I get it. I have struggled with dry eyes for several years from contact lens use, and from spending countless hours looking at computer screens. In college, my dry eyes got so bad that I couldn’t wear contact lenses, because of a constant “foreign body sensation” when I had them in. I had to stop reading every 30 minutes because my eyes would start to burn and my vision would get blurry. I tried a plethora of treatments and nothing seemed to work. Dry eye disease was not only impacting my eyes, but also my emotional wellbeing. It was preventing me from enjoying life, and getting in the way of my professional training. I felt overwhelmed, frustrated and hopeless.

It was only when I realized that my dry eyes were linked to my lifestyle, environment and overall health did things start to make sense. I noticed that on days when I spent less time on the computer, my eyes felt better. My symptoms would flare when it was windy, or when there was low humidity. I knew that if I wanted to get ahead of my dry eyes, I needed to not only treat my eyes, but to also address my lifestyle. I started a consistent regimen of artificial tears and eyelid hygiene. I switched from monthly contact lenses to daily contact lenses. I started taking scheduled breaks from looking at a computer. I ate a healthier diet focused on anti-inflammatory/antioxidants foods, and I bought a humidifier for my room. In the beginning doing all this seemed impossible, but over time it became part of my usual routine. Not only did my eyes feel better, but I was overall healthier and happier! Turns out what is good for my eyes, was also good for my mind and body. I carried this lesson with me as I started my career to become an ophthalmologist and ophthalmic surgeon.

Because of my personal journey and professional training, I believe dry eye treatment starts by listening to and empowering the patient. I listen for the struggles and cue in on their strengths, while picking up on their lifestyle. Only then do we together start building a treatment plan that incorporates good eye hygiene with small, but impactful lifestyle changes. Our sight is our most important sense, and it is intimately linked to our very being. I want dry eye patients to not only get their dry eyes under control, but to also enjoy good mental and physical health, and live a fulfilling life. What is good for the eyes should also strengthen the mind and fortify the body!

Get to know me a little better!

Hobby: vintage watches
Food: peanut butter
Superhero: Superman
Guilty pleasure: desserts
Secret power: has never had a headache

Training:

Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh Honors College
Medical school: Weill Cornell Medicine
Ophthalmology residency: Wills Eye Hospital.

3 types of eye warm compresses

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Table of Contents

Key Points

  • Warm eye compresses are cloths or eye masks that contain heat applied directly to the eyelids.
  • People who suffer from dry eye disease, styes, meibomian gland dysfunction and blepharitis benefit from using a warm eye compress.
  • Eyelid hygiene includes warm compress, cold compress and eyelid wipes can greatly improve overall eye health and wellness.

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    Keywords

    Blepharitis, conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, eyelid hygiene, meibomian gland dysfunction, warm compress

    Taking the First Step

    When your eyes don’t feel good, you just want relief. 

    Warm compresses, when used correctly, are an effective and easy eye treatment to help alleviate symptoms from common eye conditions. They are also a fantastic tool to use as part of a daily eyelid hygiene regimen, along with eyelid wipes in the morning and cold compresses throughout the day. 

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    Show your eyes some love and, at the same time, improve your eyelid gland function (critical in helping your eyes produce tears and stay moist) with relaxing, warm eye compresses. 

    What is a Warm Eye Compress?

    A warm eye compress is simply a cloth, pad or mask with moist or dry heat applied to the eyes. Most eye doctors recommend 10-15 minute applications for maximum relief.

    The heat from the warm eye compress aids in stimulating the meibomian glands that line the edge of the eyelid. When these glands are stimulated, oil flows easily into the eyes to help stabilize the tear film.¹ This can help slow down tear evaporation, bringing comfort to your eyes.¹

    Tear film: cornea, tear film layers, mucin layer, aqueous layer, lipid layer

    You can make your own warm compress at home, or try a pre-made version, like a warm compress mask or heating pad. 

    Homemade Moist Heat Warm Compress

    You can make a warm compress at home using a clean washcloth and warm water. 

    You can either dip the washcloth in warm water and ring it out or wet a towel and place it in a ziplock bag in the microwave for one to two minutes (Try 30-second heating intervals until you achieve the ideal temperature).¹ Be careful when handling the towel and before placing on your eyelids as it may be hot to the touch. 

    Homemade moist warm compresses only stay warm for about five minutes, so you will need to reheat and reapply for maximum benefits. 

    Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Dry Heat Warm Compress

    Dry heat warm compresses are another option for applying heat to your eyes without water. 

    Typically, you’d use a microwavable warm compress mask, heating pad, or a sock filled with uncooked rice. Place the pad, mask, or sock in the microwave for a few minutes (again, heating at 30-second intervals). Remove carefully and apply to the eyelids. 

    If you suffer from dry eyes, you may find that dry heat is not for you. Moist heat allows for more hydration to the eyelids and surface around the eyes and may be more comfortable.

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    Convenient Self-Heating Warm Compress

    CorneaCare’s Rest Self-Heating Warm Compress Masks provide constant warmth at approximately 104° – 110° F for up to 30 minutes. 

    You can use these convenient warm compresses anytime, anywhere – no microwave required. Even better, they contain only four ingredients that deliver hydrating comfort to the eyelids. 

    To use:

    • Get comfortable!
    • With clean hands, open the packet and unfold the eye mask.
    • Free the ear loops.
    • Close your eyes, and gently place the mask on your eyelids while placing the loops around your ears.
    • Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes while listening to your favorite music, book or podcast. 
    • Remove the mask and rinse your eyelids with water or a gentle cleanser if desired. 

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    When to Use Warm Compress on the Eyes

    You really don’t need a specific reason to use a warm compress. Applying warmth to your eyelids and face is a wonderful way to wind down before bed each night. 

    However, eye doctors recommend warm compresses for some eye conditions to alleviate symptoms and stimulate the natural oils and tears in your eyelid glands. 

    Warm Eye Compresses for Eye Conditions

    • Dry Eye Disease: A chronic condition (also known as dry eye syndrome) caused by unstable tear film that affects more than 30 million Americans. Dry eye symptoms include burning, pain, watery eyes, itchy eyes and a grittiness feeling. The heat from a warm compress helps to open the meibomian glands to improve oil gland function which helps stabilize tears and improve tear production.¹
    Key Symptoms of dry eye disease
    • Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD): A group of disorders where the meibomian glands are damaged, blocked or don’t function well, and thereby under-secrete the oil necessary for your tear film secrete too little or too much oil, resulting in dry eye symptoms and eyelid discomfort.³
    • Chalazion: A swollen and blocked oil gland at the eyelid margin that forms a small lump under the eyelid. Chalazion can occur commonly in people with MGD. ⁵
    • Hordeolum (Stye): When a chalazion becomes inflamed, it’s called a stye, which causes pain and redness of the eyelid. A stye may also be caused by bacterial infection.² 
    • Blepharitis: A noncontagious eye condition that causes dry eye symptoms and leaves dandruff-like flakes on your eyelashes.⁴ It is caused by MGD, bacteria and mites close to the eyelashes.⁴

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    • Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye): Can be contagious (caused by a virus or bacteria) or non-contagious (caused by allergies, called allergic conjunctivitis).⁶ Classic pink eye symptoms are burning, red eyes, and sticky discharge.⁶ With pink eye, a crust forms on the outer eyelid, sometimes making it difficult to open your eyes in the morning.⁶ It is important to note that while a warm compress will help loosen the discharge that has formed on the outside of the eyelid, a cold compress may bring more relief and reduce inflammation.⁷ In addition, your eye doctor may prescribe eye drops to clear up the infection if a bacterial source is suspected .⁶

    Putting it all together

    Many home remedies, like warm compresses, are easily accessible and can make a significant difference in helping your symptoms. 

    Whether you suffer from an eye condition or just want to pay more attention to your eye health (we sure hope everyone does!), warm compresses are the perfect addition to your eyelid hygiene routine. Taking 5-10 minutes to wind down at night with a warm compress, cup of tea and your favorite music impacts your eye health, and helps reduce stress.

    Our eyes are finally joining the self care revolution!

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    What’s next

    To learn more about eyelid hygiene, check out this article.

    Bibliography

    1. Lazarus, Russel. “Can Warm Compresses Help Dry Eyes? – Optometrists.org.” Optometrists Network, 13 December 2020, https://www.optometrists.org/general-practice-optometry/guide-to-eye-conditions/dry-eye/natural-remedies-for-dry-eyes/can-warm-compresses-help-dry-eyes/. Accessed 7 April 2022.
    2. “Hordeolum (stye) | AOA.” American Optometric Association, https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/hordeolum?sso=y. Accessed 7 April 2022.
    3. Galor, Anat. “Meibomian gland disease: the role of gland dysfunction in dry eye disease.” NCBI, 1 November 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5685175/. Accessed 7 April 2022.
    4. “Blepharitis.” National Eye Institute, 31 August 2020, https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/blepharitis. Accessed 7 April 2022.
    5. “Chalazion | AOA.” American Optometric Association, https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/chalazion?sso=y. Accessed 7 April 2022.
    6. Boyd, Kierstan. “Conjunctivitis: What Is Pink Eye?” American Academy of Ophthalmology, https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/pink-eye-conjunctivitis. Accessed 7 April 2022.
    7. CONJUNCTIVITIS “PINK EYE”, https://uhs.nd.edu/assets/165768/conjunctivitis_brochure_2011_233k.pdf. Accessed 7 April 2022.

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