Benefits of Eye Lid Cleansing
20th April 2022
Authored by TK&S Optometrists
Looking after your eyes is vital for your vision and to avoid or relieve eye health issues such as dry eyes and anterior blepharitis (inflammation of the eye lids). Eye lid cleansing is one of the easiest ways to take care of your eyes.
Cleansing the eye lids will help prevent the millions of tear glands that line the lid becoming clogged and dirty. Without this cleansing, essential oils may not be released into the tears, leaving the surface of the eye at risk and increasing the likelihood of developing a bacterial eye infection.
Ensuring that you have cleaned the eye lids will also benefit the skin around the eye area, which is thinner compared to the rest of skin on your face. This area is constantly shifting every time you move your eyes or blink which causes tension and strain. This skin can end up becoming sore and may crack, which is why cleansing the eye of bacteria, dust, or discharge, for example, is essential.
Pollen can also accumulate on the eyes. Removing pollen is highly beneficial for people with allergies to help relieve their symptoms such as itchy and inflamed eyes. Leaving make up on your eyes can also lead to issues including inflamed eye lids, red eye, and dry eyes. Therefore, cleansing the eye lids and removing make up is advantageous and sensible.
Cleansing the eye lids is arguably more important if you wear contact lenses. Dust and make up, for example, left on the eye lids can enter the eye and get into the contact lenses, leading to further problems other than dry eyes.
Computer Vision Syndrome is a common eye issue for people who spend a large proportion of their time starring at screens. People do not blink as much as usual when looking at screens, causing the tears which coat the eye to evaporate quicker, once again leading to dry eyes. This high amount of exposure to computer screens can also cause tired eyes.
Around 70 per cent of people will suffer with dry eyes in their life, with around 80 per cent of those finding relief and benefiting after cleansing their eye lids. Wipes are a great and simple way to cleanse the eye lid, however if cleansing does not work, it is suggested to use eye drops or lubricants to help dry and tired eyes.
According to research, massaging the eye lids along with cleansing them can have benefits for eye health too. It promotes the unblocking of ducts and removing thick, waxy meibum. This technique of cleaning the eyes can be improved by using warmth, for example a warm compress. Particularly, dry eyes and gland dysfunction, can be relieved using this process.
Dry eyes is one of the most common issues which cleansing can relieve. However, you can find which of our specialist dry eye treatments would best suit you here or call us today on 01604 714413.