 I started out my journey in warm compressing using microwaveable eye masks for about 2 years, but switched back to warm flannels for the last maybe 4 years mainly for reasons of hygiene and personal preference. I have finally got round to seeing if the new breed of electric eye mask is the one for me by buying testing out the Aroma Season Electric Eye Mask from Amazon! Links to where you can find this are below (Amazon UK links are on the left, Amazon US link on the right):
I chose this model because of it's excellent reviews, and because I expect the main benefits to be: - a removable cover that's washable (hygiene is key) - constant heat through constant power - no prep, just flip the switch I'll test this eye mask over the next 2 weeks to a month, and give my full thoughts then! But my first thoughts from receiving the product are: - sturdy and feels well made - the timer function seems pretty nifty - nice extended warranty options from the manufacturer You can watch me unbox this for the first time here :-):
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 In my 4 Step Daily Routine I talked about Blephasol and how I love the economy I get from this lid hygiene solution. Again, links to where you can find these are below (Amazon UK links are on the left, Amazon US link on the right):
I did a little experiment to see how long a new bottle lasts with twice daily lid hygiene, and to my surprise it lasted almost 3 MONTHS (87 DAYS), far exceeding my expectations! WARNING: I must be very clear that the Blephasol bottle recommends use for a maximum of 60 DAYS after opening, so technically I should not have used it for longer (oops!). I encourage you to set a reminder on your phone so that you’re aware when day 60 happens and don’t overshoot like I did. But this is great news, as you can be fairly certain you'll get your full 2 months worth of use of the bottle, meaning it’s money well spent. As I knew I was doing this experiment I was actually a bit more liberal than normal when applying the solution to my cotton wool pads, making me even more shocked at the results! Check out my video below as I opened the bottle unaware of how long it would last! Cost Comparison: Solution Bottles vs. Wipes  Amazon US - Blephaclean Wipes  Amazon UK - Blephaclean Wipes and Bottle Duo Blepharitis is a long term condition, so whatever I do has to be cost effective.
So let’s run some numbers to compare Wipes vs. Bottled Solution based on doing lid hygiene twice a day as I do in the 4 Step Plan. Blephaclean Wipes:
VS. Blephasol 100ml bottle:
Hope you found that useful, and as always let me know your thoughts in the comments below!!! Stay safe Taf Note: I am not a medical doctor, and none of my content including that shown here is to be taken as medical advice. I’m a fellow sufferer sharing what has worked for me! Please speak to your doctor or other appropriate medical professional for medical advice.  The warm compress is central to my and many other people’s management of their Blepharitis or Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) symptoms. It loosens the oil inside the glands, releasing moisture into the eye and controlling that pesky “sand in eyes” feeling. BUT, what is the best way to do a warm compress?! The goals of any warm compress technique are:
Method 1: Warm Compress With a Face Cloth and Hot Running Water In 2003 when I first started having issues, this is the only technique advised by my doctors, and it was completely useless! Having a tap running was stressful and a waste of water and electricity, so I would rush through the treatment. My taps temperature would fluctuate so I could never get a consistent temperature. I won’t analyse pro’s and cons on this one, just don’t do it! Method 2: Warm Compress With a Microwaveable Eye Bag (with flaxseeds) I then discovered microwaveable eye bags, and used those for 2 years. The model I used was MGDRx below, which contains Flaxseeds and requires just 40 seconds in the microwave before you can get started. So it's the flaxseeds that get heated and retain the warmth. Pro’s:
Con’s:
Method 3: Face Cloth but with a cup of hot water, instead of running water! I was on a business trip and as it happens in most hotels didn’t have access to a microwave!! I was distraught and thinking ah damn back to the face cloth. The water coming out of the sink was hot but fluctuated so I was struggling to get consistent heat. Then the simplest solution came to me, why not heat some water in the kettle and put it in a coffee mug?! I did that, got the mug to a decent temperature, folded my face cloth in half and then another half, and started dipping two opposite corners in the cup simultaneously, so that I’d create one hot patch for each eye. It worked brilliantly, and so much that I ditched the expensive eye-bag, and bought like 20 face cloths for a buck each, so that I could just use a new one whenever I pleased. Pro’s:
Con’s:
A simple facecloth like the ones below would be good enough.  Amazon US - Washcloth / Face Towel Update: Method 5: Electric Eye Mask Now this is something fairly new that A LOT of people seem to be having positive results with! I'm super excited to try this and will let you know when I do. I expect the main benefits to be: - a removable cover thats washable - constant heat through constant power - no messing around with prep, just flip the switch. See my initial thoughts from unboxing here. Links to where you can find this are below (the Amazon UK link is on the left, Amazon US link is on the right)
Conclusion If Blepharitis has taught me anything, it's that everyone is unique, and different things work for different people so experiment with different options for yourself. That said I clearly personally prefer Method 3 for now which I still use since the last 2 years or so. I started basic, complicated things, and then went back to basics with a small but MAJOR improvement! Seems like a metaphor for life! What do you use? What has worked for you? Please let me know in the comments!! Note: I’m not a medical doctor, and so none of my content including that shown here is to be taken as medical advice. I’m a fellow sufferer sharing what has worked for me! Please speak to your doctor or other appropriate medical professional for medical advice.  Around 2003, when I first started experiencing problems with my eyes, not a lot was known about Blepharitis by community doctors and the general public. I turned (big regret!) to eye whitening drops as the only solution – my doctor even recommended I use them without limit! Sustained daily use of eye whitening drops for 12 years completely ruined my eye health. My regular blepharitis symptoms were: Severe discomfort, and a “sand in eyes” feeling. A constant sense of having particles in my eyes and scratching against my eyelids, but never visible to actually remove. Often this was so bad I couldn't sleep and though the day was a constant reminder to me of my issues! Severe redness. This was made worse by an addiction to eye whitening drops (used 5 or 6 times a day) that began to cause "rebound redness". This redness had the biggest impact on my self esteem and often people thought I must be high! I stopped looking people in the eye and found myself looking down more and more. The impact of Blepharitis on our mental health is often overlooked, but it's real! Constant infections. At the peak around the 2004/2005 I found myself suffering from allergic conjunctivitis about every month or two. I would have crusts around my eyes and often swollen eyes. This resulted in regular prescription of steroid and antibiotic eye drops. EYE DROPS, EYE DROPS, EYE DROPS! Some were so strong I could even taste them in my mouth after applying! Multiple Solutions, None of Them Worked! Every bout of conjunctivitis brought with it a doctors visit, where I re-explained my symptoms. Alongside steroid drops for conjunctivitis, I was also prescribed various other drops for my general redness. Repeatedly these drops made me look like even more of a freak (in my mind) and increased my self-consciousness. I began to rely on over-the-counter eye whitening drops in 2003. Then there was less advice given against these drops, and when I asked my doctor if could use them for a sustained period and she said “yea sure, of-course you can!”, almost mocking my concern. I should have stopped when I noticed myself that these were making things worse, but I was ADDICTED. It was an addiction in every sense of the word, and I fear that there are many others out there stuck in that cycle. I was even referred to the prestigious Opthamology Unit at Adenbrooks Hospital in Cambridge (in the UK where I lived at the time) and they correctly diagnosed the Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) or Blepharitis. This was my first correct diagnosis, but their recommendation of lid hygiene using baby shampoo and water just didn’t work, and the instructions given were not clear enough. Finally Saved! In April 2014 I went to the opticians in my usual heightened discomfort, but seeking nothing more than a pair of glasses. I was fortunate beyond words, as the optician I was seen by on this occasion immediately noticed my condition, and had herself long suffered from severe blepharitis. I could tell straight away that she would have the answer by her deep knowledge of the condition, and her crystal clear eyes which proved whatever she was doing was golden. This began my discovery of proper lid hygiene and management, which I have perfected over the years and fine tuned into the 4 Step Process available here. Note: I’m not a medical doctor, and so none of my content including that shown here is to be taken as medical advice. I’m a fellow sufferer sharing what has worked for me! Please speak to your doctor or other appropriate medical professional for medical advice.   Update on 12 November 2025: 5 years since I wrote this blog post to help others, this routine is still working amazingly for me. My eyes gradually became so naturally hydrated that I now only do this routine once daily in the morning instead of twice, and I no longer need to follow step 4 (eye drops). I hope you find this routine as useful as I have. Leave a comment if you have any questions, and I'll do my best to answer you. Original Blog Post: By doing this blepharitis treatment routine daily, I was able to get rid of my most frustrating symptom (sand in eyes sensation) in just 2 weeks. My other symptoms of dryness, redness, and constant infections were also alleviated. I don't offer medical advice - as a fellow sufferer I'm sharing the routine that's worked wonders for me for the last 5 years! I used to do this 10-15 minute ritual twice daily – after waking up, and before going to bed. As my condition is now controlled, I do the full 4 steps in the morning, and at night I only do Step 3 (lid hygiene) as minor maintenance. The general idea is to heat and massage the glands to remove any blockage and promote natural lubrication of the eye, and then clean the eyelids to tackle bacterial sensitivity and remove debris. The 4 Steps Are: Step 1: Warm Compress Step 2: Lid Massage Step 3: Lid Hygiene Step 4: Apply Preservative Free Eye Drops Now to the specifics! STEP 1: Warm compress with a face cloth (7-10 minutes) My choice of a face cloth is old school but deliberate. A major reason is hygiene as I just keep a big stock of face cloths that I can alternate frequently, and at low cost! Different compress methods work for different people, but either way, do a warm compress somehow, it's essential! I also listed the other options here, maybe you can experiment with a couple. Heat one cup of water in a microwave or a kettle (do not use boiling water! Aim for very warm/ just above warm, if you find it uncomfortable mix in more cool water). I then fold my face cloth in half, and then a quarter, and dip two corners into my cup of warm water. I then apply the each warm corner on each eye and relax. When the face cloth cools all I have to do is quickly dip the corners again in the cup of water immediately in front of me. By using a big enough cup or mug, I can heat a big enough body of water to make sure it's warm throughout. I do this for 7 to 10 minutes or until the water cools. Be careful not to make the water too hot and burn yourself. Update: Electric Eye masks like this one are fairly new and A LOT of people seem to be having positive results with them! I bought this one and I'm super excited to try it out, expecting benefits to be: - a removable cover that's washable (hygiene is key) - constant heat through constant power - no prep, just flip the switch I wrote a post for my unboxing of this eye mask, and look forward to sharing my thoughts from using it in a later post! Still I recommend you to try different compress options and see what works for YOU! STEP 2: Gentle massage of the eyelids (30 seconds) Now that you’ve heated the oil in your glands, a gentle massage will move it around and help your glands to express excess oil. Here’s what I do: a. I start with brief gentle circular moments with my index figure on each upper and lower eyelid. b. then I make gentle stroking motions downwards on the upper eyelids, and a rolling motion upward on the lower eyelids. As I’m doing this I imagine that I’m gently squeezing the oil out of the glands. Remember to be GENTLE! STEP 3: Lid hygiene (2 minutes) The aim of this stage is to clean the bacteria that can cause inflammation and constrict glands, as well as remove excess oil and debris from steps 1 and 2. To do this you need a solution and cotton, the solution is key to effective cleaning as it helps to kill bacteria The solution I use is Blephasol eye hygiene solution. Around 2005, there were no eye hygiene solutions and baby shampoo + water was the recommended way. I’m surprised to see that some people still use this but I would not recommend it. It’s a huge effort for daily treatment and I didn’t find it comfortable. Buying a solution is definitely the way forward. I’ve used Blephasol for the last 5 years and have zero complaints. It's preservative free, lasts for 2 months, and as long as I don't put too much it causes me no irritation. It's shown here (Amazon UK link on the left, Amazon US link on the right):
 Now I take a cotton bud, and a cotton pad to clean the eyelids as below: a. Take cotton bud, and dab some Blephasol on each end. After this I carefully run the cotton bud along the inside margin of the eyelids, top and bottom. b. Take cotton pad, dab some Blephasol on and wipe the outsides of the eyelids and eye lashes. I either use a different cotton pad for each eye, or the other side of the same pad. Either way, don’t use the same surface area on both eyes! This can result in the spread of infections. I’m always surprised how much dirt I see coming off on each of these stages. Why do lid hygiene in two ways? I do this in order to deal with both anterior and posterior blepharitis. I used to only clean the inner margins of my eye lids, however, when I learned about anterior blepharitis caused by bacteria on the skin of the eye lids, I added Step B with the cotton pad, and my rate of getting eye infections went right down! I figure I must have a combination of the two main types of blepharitis, which is why I could never shake all my symptoms. As simple as it sounds, just adding that extra cleansing to my blepharitis treatment has made my condition very stable. Eyelid wipes/ scrubs like below are also sold as an alternative. These are pre-packed pads soaked in the same solution as you get in the bottles. I've used them and they're ok for emergencies (e.g. when travelling light) but personally find a cotton bud much easier to manoeuvre for eye lid cleaning, and also more cost effective. That said, links are below if you want to try this option for yourself (Amazon US , followed by Amazon US link):  Amazon US - Blephaclean Wipes  Amazon UK - Blephaclean Wipes (sold as duo with bottle) STEP 4: Preservative Free Eye Drops If it’s morning time I put one drop of Hycosan preservative-free eye drops in each eye, to wash away any debris, hydrate, and because it just feels good! At night I don’t do this as I find the eye drop liquid dries on my lashes over night, but that’s just me. I've been using Hycosan drops for over 6 years now. I highly recommend them as they give great hydration. Other benefits of Hycosan: - Awesome Bottle: The bottle is syringe-like, and pushing down releases one perfect drop! So no waiting around for the drop to fall or accidentally getting a stream of fluid! - Long Life: After opening, the drops can still be used for 6 months (per the packaging)! In addition to normal Hycosan Original (in a blue bottle) there is now Hycosan Extra. I honestly cannot tell the difference having used both for long periods, but I just go with Extra as the price isn't that much more. These drops, used once or twice a day tend to last me about 2-3 months. Hycosan is less available in the US, but Systane is a comparable alternative. Again, links to where you can find these are below (Amazon UK links are on the left, Amazon US link on the right):
Before I started doing this treatment I would use hydration drops throughout the day to combat dryness. Since this method I find the glands express so well that I'm getting enough natural hydration to not need constant top ups. Sometimes I can actually FEEL the expressed oil in my eyes when doing Step 3, which is amazing. In Closing It can be hard to stay motivated and keep up with a new routine. I found keeping a diary at first helped me stay accountable and track changes - you're welcome to print this free 14 Day Checklist Diary, if you want to try this habit. This blepharitis treatment routine has changed my life and I no longer obsess about my eyes during the day. Some days are still better than others, but my core symptoms are definitely controlled and in my grasp. I recommend to continue this ritual daily even when your eyes are great, always remember that Blepharitis is chronic and what we do is MANAGE the condition! Good luck! What's worked or not worked for you? Or do you have a question, or just want to say hi? Drop a comment below!! (Purchasing the stuff I use from the links shown here means, at no extra cost to yourself, you get to support me keeping this site running for others to also get advice and help. Thanks for your support!) Note: I’m not a medical doctor, and so none of my content including that shown here is to be taken as medical advice. I’m a fellow sufferer sharing what has worked for me! Please speak to your doctor or other appropriate medical professional for medical advice. Before you start trying all sorts of treatments for Blepharitis, it's important to first understand what Blepharitis is, and especially that it’s multifaceted. Some treatments only deal with one aspect but you need to deal with all of them to be successful.
I am not a medical doctor so please do not take this as medical advice. Merely sharing the understanding I have gained from doctors and research through the years 😊. So here’s my simplified explanation: There are two types of blepharitis, anterior blepharitis, and posterior blepharitis. Anterior Blepharitis: This can be caused by a chronic staphylococcal infection, where some people are more sensitive to bacteria on the skin of the eye lids and eye lashes which cases infections, and can (I believe) also contribute to the restriction of glands. Posterior Blepharitis: This is most associated with malfunction of the meibomian glands. Your eyelids contain glands that secrete a thin layer of oil over the eye, which helps to prevent moisture (from tears) from leaving and increases comfort. In cases of Blepharitis these glands become blocked, thereby failing to provide this protection and creating a feeling of constantly dry eyes. More crucially, they can start working against the eye as trapped oil builds up in the glands, eventually drying or forming solid pieces and breaking off into the eyes, creating a “sand in eyes sensation”. Hence the term Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), often used interchangeably with Blepharitis. So when dealing with Blepharitis, it's important to tackle all potential causes! In other words not just the blockage of glands but also potential for bacterial intolerance. Hence why I advocate the dual approach of a warm compress to unblock the glands, and lid hygiene to remove bacteria that could be a part of the problem, as detailed in my 4 step routine here. What were my symptoms? It might be useful for us to compare symptoms, so here were mine: 1. “Sand in eyes” feeling. I had constant sense of having particles in my eyes and scratching against my eyelids, but never visible to actually remove. This was the worst of them all, often to the point where I couldn't sleep! 2. Dry eyes. No matter how many eye drops of different types I pumped in, this persisted. It's obvious in hindsight given that my tears were not being retained due to my dysfunctional glands not proving that tin film of oil to keep moisture locked in. I work in mainly front of a computer which I'm sure only exacerbated things. 3. Constant Allergic Conjunctivitis Attacks. This happened once a month at the height of my symptoms. If I woke up with crust around my eyes, I knew it was conjunctivitis time! This meant another expensive prescription for more eye drops, some of which would make the redness worse. 4. Severe redness. The truly demoralising type, and sometimes traffic light red! All the rubbing of my eyes when I had the feeling of "sand in eyes" definitely didn't help 5. Poor Mental Health: No-one ever talks about this, but all of this really ruined my self-esteem over the years. I plan to tell more about this in a full post, but it's fair to say I'm still undoing some of the damage to my confidence caused by going 12 years without a suitable treatment for my blepharitis. So that's my understanding gathered through the years. I hasten to repeat that I AM NOT and medical doctor. Just a person who's spoken to countless doctors over the years. Please do share what you've learned in the comments below!! |
