Warm compresses are a time-honored, go-to treatment for a number of eye-related issues.

Warm compresses can be used for conditions varying from styes to dry eye and beyond.

Here’s what you should probably know to get the most from this helpful home remedy.

Man with his head tipped back and a warm compress washcloth over his eyes.

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The last thing you want to do is to injure the ocular surface.

Also, the skin of the eyelid is very thin and can easily be burned or damaged.

In this case, you want to limit the heat to just 104 degrees.

This can be either dry or wet heat.

It can also help relieve muscle spasms and pain.

The improvement in oil flow can in turn slow down tear evaporation and stabilize thetear film.

The process takes just a few minutes.

One tried-and-true method involves using a large bowl or water basin.

With this method you should:

Another possibility is to heat a couple of moist towels in the microwave.

However, this can risk scalding or burning yourself as it’s easy to overheat the towels.

Here’s how it works:

Who Can Use a Compress?

Use of warm compresses is a home remedy that is accessible to anyone.

This is something that you’re able to fairly easily do yourself at your own convenience.

This improves the tear film by slowing evaporation and stabilizing it.

It is recommended that warm compresses be applied daily.

The compresses can also soothe the eyes and keep them healthy.

It’s important that this be allowed to happen on its ownwithout your squeezing it.

It usually only takes a few days for styes or chalazion to begin to shrink.

A warm compress can help clear any discharge building up on the eyelids.

If this feels at all painful, remove the mask immediately.

The last thing you want to do is injure the ocular surface or your eyelids.

Such warm compresses can bring more circulation to the area and help to soothe pain.

Making a warm compress is something that anyone can do.

This can provide relief in many instances and may be just what you need.

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Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ice packs vs warm compresses for pain.

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NYU Langone Health.Home treatment for stye.

New York University Langone Health.Home treatments for conjunctivitis.