Whether you are suffering from chronic dryness, inflammation, redness, foreign body sensation, eye debris or other eye irritations, an herbal compress and eye wash can offer quick relief. Certain herbs are know for their ability to cleanse the eyes of minor ailments and infections. Before embarking on an eye cleanse, consider the severity of your eye condition; if you are experiencing pain of any sort, see an optometrist or ophthalmologist as soon as possible.
Step 1
Pour 3 cups of filtered water into a clean saucepan and add 1 tbsp. each of the dried loose herbs of eyebright, lavender and calendula flower. Set the heat on "high" and allow the water to boil for two to three minutes. Remove the saucepan from the burner and cover it with a lid; allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes or until room temperature.
Step 2
Strain the loose herbs from the eye cleanse mixture by pouring the saucepan's contents into a 32-oz. glass container with a mesh strainer positioned above the mouth of the container. Set the strained herbs aside and bring the mixture to a place where you can comfortably lie on your back.
Step 3
Remove any eyeglasses or contact lenses that you are wearing and prepare the eye cup and cotton balls near your head. Ensure that the herbal eye cleanse mixture is at room temperature, then dip a clean eye cup into the mixture. Slowly pour small quantities of the mixture into your eyes while looking upward with your pupils. Begin with small drops and quantities and hold the liquid in your eyes for as long as you can before blinking.
Step 4
Use at least 1 cup per each eye. When finished, gently dry your eyes by patting a towel against your closed eyelids.
Step 5
Dip two cotton balls into the herbal eye cleanse mixture and place them on your closed eyelids. Gently press each ball so that a small amount of the mixture enters your tear ducts. Allow the compresses to rest on your eyelids for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 6
Wash your eyes with filtered water using a clean eye cup. Cover your eye cleanse mixture with a lid and refrigerate for future use.
Things You'll Need
- 1 tbsp. organic loose eyebright herb
- 1 tbsp. organic loose lavender herb
- 1 tbsp. organic loose calendula flower
- Eye cup
- 2 cotton balls
- Saucepan
- 32-oz. glass container
