Put a warm, moist washcloth on your closed eye for a few minutes. Warm the washcloth again with water if you need to get the gunk off. Then take damp, warm cotton balls or a corner of a washcloth and gently wipe your closed eye from the inner corner to the outer corner.
If the eyelids are red, itchy, or inflamed, they may need to be cleaned several times a day, at least until symptoms improve. While there are many over-the-counter and prescription eyelid cleansers available, it is just as effective to clean them with warm water or diluted baby shampoo.
Most of the time, blepharitis happens because you have too much bacteria on your eyelids at the base of your eyelashes. Having bacteria on your skin is normal, but too much bacteria can cause problems. You can also get blepharitis if the oil glands in your eyelids get clogged or irritated.
A clean, warm washcloth is applied over a closed eyelid for three to five minutes at a time to break down oils that may be clogging the eyelid glands. Eyelid massages. After applying a warm compress, massaging the eyelids can help move oil out of the eyelid gland.
String, White Mucus
Stringy, white mucus is often a result of allergic conjunctivitis. This allergic reaction may create deposits and material that clump together, settling inside of your eye or under your lower eyelid. People with allergic conjunctivitis may have to pull white, stringy mucus out of their eyes.
Eyelid scrubs are gentle cleansers that soothe inflamed eyelids and help treat some eye conditions. They wash away bacteria, oils, and crusts that form along your lash line. This helps ease itching and inflammation.
To prevent the build up of bacteria it is important to wash the eyelids everyday. This can be done with baby shampoo, Cetaphil skin cleanser, Sterilid or Ocusoft eyelid cleansers. These cleansers don't sting if a little gets in the eyes.
If you have dry eyelids, you should definitely be moisturizing them, but be careful — some eye creams are more targeted toward preventing wrinkles than just regular moisturizing, and so could contain ingredients that are fine for normal skin, but which your eyelids can't handle.
Daily treatment
The skin around the eyes needs hydration and care every day. Use a gentle cleanser like Total Facial Cleansing Gel to remove oil, dirt, and debris from around the eyes. Then pick a hydrating product that addresses your specific needs.
Cleaning the eyelid with a gentle cleanser like baby shampoo or micellar water is a great way to remove any build up.
Cleaning your eyelids on a daily basis is an easy and effective way to ensure that your eyelid's oil glands remain clear. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water. Place a small amount of lid cleaner (recommended by your eye doctor) on a soft cotton pad.
Nonsurgical treatments — including hyaluronic acid fillers, or injections like Botox® or Dysport® — can help you look more youthful. These treatments can smooth out wrinkles around your eyes, fill in hollows or tighten sagging eyelids.
In many cases, regular washing of your eyelids, eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair can control blepharitis. To wash your eyelids: Put a few drops of baby shampoo in a cup of water, and dip a cotton ball, cotton swab, or washcloth in the liquid. With your eyes closed, gently wipe across each eyelid about 10 times.
Blepharitis is controlled by cleaning the eyelids twice a day and may also require drops and/or ointment.
If you don't have access to an eye wash, you might be wondering if you could use a salt water solution instead. Our tears are naturally saline, so this can be an effective way of cleaning and soothing them. Salt is also naturally antimicrobial, which makes it effective against eye infections.
'Micellar waters can be bad news for people with congested skin that's prone to breakouts,' advises Kerr. 'This is because the ingredients used in micellar waters leave a surface residue on the skin which can act like a film, blocking pores and disrupting oil production.
Unless you thoroughly clean around your eye, all the dirt and debris will remain beneath the eyelid, where they become trapped. Eyelid hygiene is especially effective as a preventative measure. Someone who keeps their eyelids clean is protecting themselves from a variety of potentially serious eye conditions.
You shouldn't apply eye cream to your eyelids or too close to your lash line. This puts you at risk of getting the product into your eyes, which can be super uncomfortable. "As your body temperature rises, the product can travel on its own," explains Dr. Chimento.
Try Petroleum Jelly: A very thin layer of petroleum jelly is an effective dry eyelids treatment. Apply it directly to damp eyelids, or after a thin layer of your favorite moisturizing eye cream to seal in the moisture.
“You need an eye cream that is specifically designed for eyelid skin,” says Fine. Face serums and moisturizers may contain active ingredients, such as retinoids, that are too strong a concentration for under-eye skin.
You can wash your whole face or entire body with Cetaphil. Because it is so gentle and hypoallergenic, it can be used once or many times daily without stinging, drying, or cracking the thin delicate skin of the eyelids.