How many times a day do you put warm compresses on your eyelids for posterior blepharitis?

Question

I have posterior blepharitis in one eyelid & my eyelid always looks better in the morning when I wake up they look even until I put the warm compress then the swelling gets worse. How many times should I put the warm compress? & should I only put it at night?

James R. Gordon, MD, FACS, FAAO · Answer

Thank you for the question. It is a common problem that many people have to deal with. I suggest you apply warm compresses for at least one hour per day and do even more if you have the time. Make sure to wash your eyelids with soap and water or Johnson's baby shampoo twice daily as well. If this is not successful, you can consider oral antibiotics or topical antibiotic. Good luck.

Kenneth E. Morgenstern, MD · Answer

I agree with the other reponses, but the one thing I will add is to make sure the compress are "warm" and not "hot". I see many patients who come in and say they've been trying to get the compresses as hot as possible prior to using on the eyelids and this is not a good idea. "Hotter" is not better in this case. The eyelid skin is very thin and if the compress is too hot, you can give yourself a mild burn. Also, a compress that is too hot can actually stir up more inflammation and make the condition worse. If the wash cloth feels "hot" in your hand, it's probably too hot for the eyelid. This means you will likely have to re-warm it a few times during each treatment.

Chris Thiagarajah, MD · Answer

Four times a day for 10 minutes probably works well. You can't underdo it so the more the merrier. That being said, it can be a pain in the butt.

How many times a day do you put warm compresses on your eyelids for posterior blepharitis?

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How many times a day do you put warm compresses on your eyelids for posterior blepharitis?

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