Wet vs. dry compress?

Posted , 12 users are following.

Hi, I have suffered from posterior blepharitis/MGD for several years but was just recently diagnosed and am taking active treatment steps for the first time. My ophthalmologist recommended building a hot compress into my daily routine, along with lid scrubs, which is great advice according to what I've read. He recommended a hot, wet washcloth, which I will do daily until my followup appointment next month because I'm trying to be aggressive in getting my eyes healthy. But after that, I'm wondering if a dry heating pad can be as effective? My wife has one that is microwaveable and filled with cherry pits, and holds heat very well. It does create some humidity underneath against the skin, but obviously nothing like a wet washcloth would. I asked my doctor about the heating pad, and he says stick with the washcloth, but I've seen dry products marketed for blepharitis patients (eyebag?) I feel like if I'm really going to commit to a longterm routine of doing a compress every morning, a microwaveable pad is a lot simpler and more pleasant way to go. From your experience, will this be as effective or do my eyelids need the direct hot water contact a cloth would provide? Thanks!

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  • Posted

    Hi

    I use the microwaveable eye pack. Apparantely its more effective. Heat it and put it on your eyes and it holds the heat for 10 mins......a washcloth {which I think is the same as a facecloth in the UK}smile  doesnt hold the heat....I was told to do it for 10 mins as well but as it got slightly cooler to run really hot water on it again and just keep heating it up. Apart from anything else its easier to do {microwaveable one} when its something you have to do constantly

    Good luck

    Eileen

  • Posted

    I use the microwaveable eye pack every morning.  I leave it on for 5 minutes and then continue with the rest of my eye routine, which includes pressing along the lid line, top and bottom, then washing my eye lids and using Wet Ones to clean the lash line, finishing with eye drops.  I will stop the use of the 

    Wet Ones at some point, maybe another month.  (It's been 2 months now since I started.)

  • Posted

    hi mattck i used the facecloth(uk) since 2004 plus eye drops but i have used wetones since i came on this site and it has done more for my eyes this past 2wks or there about.i have hardly any redness /puffiness/soreness.i use them 4times a day every day.i am going cut it down  to three times a day. Since using them i nearly have my eyes back!!! i depends on the individual what is best for them and which is easier? it is trial and error what works for one might mot work for another.microwavables might be handy but so is wet ones if they work  if youcan try and find lynda 59 she has some good advice she is on this site good luck and hope to hear from you soonrolleyes

  • Posted

    Hi mattck,

    You can kill Blepharitis. A friend used an antibacterial facial scrub and killed hers.

    It had Benzethonium Chloride in it. It is an ammonium salt or compound and acts as an antimicrobial.

    I could not find that product with the Benzethonium Chloride in it so looked on-line for what other products had Benethonium Chloride in the. I ended up using Wet Ones (antibacterial handwipes).

    If you are not allergic to detergents or shampoos or fabric softners or handwipes you can kill it too. It also has lanolin in it. Some are allergic to that.

    I tore each handwipe into 8 sections and used 2 on each eyelash area 4 times a day for a week and a half. I then went down to 3 times a day for a month. After that, I went down to 2 times a day for a couple of months.

    Honjon, on this site, used the handwipes in the UK that had Benzalkonium Chloride in them (both are ammonium salts or compounds). Please check it out.

    There were 3 doctors who looked into my eyes and could not find it. That included the doctor who diagnosed the Bleph. They said it would come back. I told them it had been 6 months. In this August it will be 2 years and not back.

    I do not double dip mascara wands anymore as I realized that dry eyes cannot wash out bacterial like normal eyes.

    There is more but that is a lot for now for you.  Google the words for yourself and find the info. Two of us using 2 different products kil led it. Now Honjon using a different wipe too.

    Hope this info helps you and you get relief soon.

    Any questions?

    Lynda79

    • Posted

      Lynda, when you say Wet Ones, do you mean the Antibacterial hand wipes? If so, which type do you use and do you wipe the outer eye area or the waterline as well? 

      I just actually started getting eye problems in one eye and the Doctor said it was blepharitis, i get these stye type things on the Inside of my eyelids, not the outside, do you know what would help this? They dont seem to go away with hot compress alone. 

      Also did you find mascara itself irritated it and made it worse, or was it re dipping the brush that spread it? i havent been able to wear mascara for some time now because i am scared i will make it worse. 

      So if i bought the disposable mascara brushes and a new tube of mscara would that be okay, and is there a certain type you recommend?

      Any input would be greatly appreciated, as this is all new to me, and it is getting to be pretty irritating.

      Thanks so much.

    • Posted

      Dear Kailynr,

      I think I got Blepharitis from using old mascara. I now use a new one each month. I was able to use the throw away wands and kill the Bleph too. I bought new and never doubl dipped into it. I used 1 wand for each eye.

      I now use 1 wand for both eyes but never double dip as the Bleph is gone.

      My husband had little white bumps on his eyelash line and thought it was allergies. Doctor said it was Blepharitis. He started using the wipes and he is amazed how fast it is working.

      I tore the wipes into 8 sections so that only a small piece went over the fingertips. I rubbed on the eyelash line. It does get on the eyerim area too that way (where my husband's bumps were).

      If your eyes are really bad, try and use the wipes a day or two then go back to your mascara.

      I washed my mascara off when I got home too. I didn't leave it on until night.

      Hope this helps,

      Lynda79

    • Posted

      Lynda, a huge THANK YOU! It is only barely a fortnight and I am rid of blepharatis symptoms of any kind. It was impossible for me to see for the tears and itch. I am a graphic designer so work was a nightmare. I use a heat pad, massage and Wet Ones Be Gentle which I discovered are alcohol free. Three times a day and no make up has done the trick.

      Those little white bumps are cists in the lubricating glands due to blocking (click on the image below to enlarge) and now that you mention them I remembered I had one for ages. I just checked and it is gone. Which points to my having had blepharitis for a long time before this flair up, I suspected that much.

      I shall go on with this treatment for three months and then ease up as you suggest. It is quite pleasant, as a matter of fact I look forward to it, a chance of relax and recharge!

       

    • Posted

      Dear Martha,

      Thank you for letting me know how it is working. This keeps me going.

      Yes, please don't skip doing it at least 2 times a day for months as this is hard to kill.

      When I stopped after 3 months it itched once or twice and I used the wipes for just 2 days each time and then it was gone for good.

      I am still careful when using mascara. I do use preservative free eye drops for dry eyes too.

      Please let me know in a couple of months how things are going.

      Lynda79

    • Posted

      Dear Martha,

      Thank you for letting me know how it is working for you.

      Yes, please don't skip a day as this is hard to kill.

       Please let me know how you are doing.

      Lynda79

    • Posted

      Thanks for the reply Lynda79 

      I havent worn mascara for quite a few months now, i did however just go buy a new one that creates the tubes on your eyelashes and comes off with wter, i might try it soon, Im not sure if the wet ones would work for my eyes as i have the posterior blepharitis, but get the Chalazions inside my eyelid beyong the lash line/water line. With a larger one on the top lid inside quite a hard round bump inside, that has been there for a while, and on the bottom inside my lid is a lump with inside discolored and red. 

      Does your eye ever kind of ache or hurt? 

      Is it safe for the wet ones to get in the actual eye? i am concerned to try because they are for disinfecting and seem like they may be harsh on eyes, no?

      Hav you tried "Lid care" wipes? or the polysporin drops for infections/bacteria in the eye?

      Thanks for all the help Lynda, if you dont want to reply to it all dont worry about it, 

      Or if anyone else has any help they might want to share please do as well smile 

      Thanks

    • Posted

      Dear Lynda;

      I will keep in touch, hopefully with good news. Thank you so very much again

    • Posted

      Dear Kailynr,

      My Blepharitis is gone. It took over 3 months using the wipes. My husband has those white things on his eye above the lashes and he is amazed how fast the wipes worked on it. He thought it was allergies.

      Yes, I did use antibiotics in the eye 3 times. I asked the doctor why in the eye when the problem was on it. He said some of the medicine gets on the lashes.

      If a person is not allergic to shampoo, detergents, fabric softeners etc they can probably use them as it only bad for sensitive skin. There have been many including myself who are the human testing element.

      I can only vouch for the Wet Ones, US, with Benzethonium Chloride in them. They can be ordered online from drugstore sites (chemist UK) online.

      Some have used store brands and have said they were harsh or not working very well. Some of these have less Benzethonium Chloride in them.

      I did not put the wipes in the eye only on the eye. If you get some in your eye just put some water in.

      Benzalkonium Chloride is in the UK wipes and they use this Quat for the preservative in eye drops at .01%. I now use preservative free eye drops for lubrication.

      These wipes are not to be used forever. It takes 3 months or a little more to kill it. It is an every day thing. Some have felt better and quit after a couple of week and it comes back.

      Let me know if I missed anything and be sure to use 1 mascara wand for each eye (throw away).

      Lynda79

    • Posted

      Hi Linda I’m curious are you still using the wipes? And did it ever come back? I was just recently diagnosed with bleph and would love to hear that there’s a cure! 
    • Posted

      Dear Mia,

      I answered your private message.

      Lynda79

    • Posted

      Hello,

      Has Wet Ones worked for anyone with posterior Blepharitis? 

       

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