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This may be a silly question but seriously, how do you keep a compress warm? I have a stye in my eye (who knew that rubbing your eye with dirty hands is not good...?) and everywhere it says soak a washcloth in warm water and apply for 15 minutes. I can't even get it to stay warm for 3 minutes! Should I soak it again every 2 minutes? Is there a fabric that stays warm longer?
This may be a silly question but seriously, how do you keep a compress warm? I have a stye in my eye (who knew that rubbing your eye with dirty hands is not good...?) and everywhere it says soak a washcloth in warm water and apply for 15 minutes. I can't even get it to stay warm for 3 minutes! Should I soak it again every 2 minutes? Is there a fabric that stays warm longer?
Couple of suggestions: Fill a hot water bottle...wrap that in the wet washcloth. Use two washclothes...heat a covered ceramic bowl of water in the microwave and soak a washcloth in it. Repeat with the other when it cools. Or, heat a gel heat pack or bag of rice in the microwave and wrap that in the wet washcloth.
Get some Hot Hands. Shake to activate, then put in a ziplock baggie. Wet washcloth with warm water...wring out. Then put on eye, and put ziplock with hot hands in it on top.
I'm new to this hot compress eye thing too. Had the same experience with a hot damp rag cooling off too fast. I switched to the gel filled packs that you heat in the microwave. Nuke it for 15 seconds and it is about the right temperature. I place a dry cloth over it as insulation. That combo provides good heat for about 15 minutes and I don't have wet rags to deal with.
I am going to pick up some of those gel packs as well. It's gotten worse since the LL replaced the water heater and lowered the temp to 120. I do it for dry eyes/Meibomian gland problems (when I remember).
My retired eye doc --- told me to hard boil an egg! It really does maintain the heat. Careful.
Or he said wrap a washcloth around a wooden spoon dip in your very hot water...tie it on.
Also worked.
Another eye tip from him - buy a small Baby Shampoo - wash your eyelashes! He said their is a build up of dry skin (in this dry climate here, winter it can be dry everywhere with the heat on)
and that bacteria hang out there.
I haven't had a problem in 25 yrs now!
Of course woman - have clean eye makeup applicators, etc.
I am going to pick up some of those gel packs as well. It's gotten worse since the LL replaced the water heater and lowered the temp to 120. I do it for dry eyes/Meibomian gland problems (when I remember).
I always keep a couple of microwaveable gel packs in a bathroom drawer and a couple of cold packs in the freezer. Never know when you'll want either one.
My eye doctor told me to boil an egg and wrap it with a damp washcloth. Apparently the egg holds heat for a long time.
Edit: miss hepburn beat me to it.
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