Relief for Dry Eyes

Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash

I went in for my annual eye exam recently.  I mentioned to my doctor that my eyes seem extra dry and scratchy in general, and it is worse at the end of the day.

Maybe you can relate?

He gave me a simple solution that has worked very well for me. Wet a washcloth with the hottest water that you can stand.  Place it over one eye, the goal being to heat up the eye socket to about 105 degrees (to liquify the oil).  As the washcloth starts to cool, you might re-heat it and repeat.

After warming your eye for a couple of minutes, remove the cloth and use your fingers to gently massage the upper and lower eyelids:  with your pointer finger and thumb, gently "tent" the eyelid skin and rub it between your finger and thumb to stimulate the oil glands. Repeat all over the top eyelid and then on the lower eyelid. Warm the washcloth and repeat on the other eye.

My eyes feel great afterward!

As a curative measure for my already-irritated eyes, my eye doctor recommended I do this once a day for a week.  Then, once a week for prevention and at the end of any day that I feel I need it.