To clean the eyes we must take into account a series of guidelines and it is not worth using just any product. The eyes are a very sensitive area of the body where we should not exert pressure, or rub, or expose the area to heat or cold. Throughout this text we are going to point out some basic and very important recommendations to wash our eyes properly.
Eye hygiene is key to avoiding infections and major ills, since some can even cause loss of vision, and of course we must adapt our habits or re-educate ourselves and avoid rubbing our eyes, keeping the bangs away from our eyes, not touching our eyes. face with dirty hands and learn once and for all that the sleeves of sweatshirts are not a napkin.
Cleaning the eyes is very important, since it keeps us away from the odious conjunctivitis (which are contagious, by the way), itching and pain, as well as the legañas. We are going to have some recommendations to wash the eyes correctly.
When is it recommended to clean the eyes?
We must not wait for an infection, but we must maintain a more or less stable routine when it comes to eye hygiene. In general, washing our face daily and the area around the eyes (including the eyelids) is enough, but it is recommended to go a little further, at least once a week, and use physiological saline to hydrate and cleanse the inside of the eyeball.
In face creams it usually says that the eye contour must be avoided, and it is not because of mania, but because that skin and that contour are so sensitive that they require a different cream adapted to that area. Likewise, the components of moisturizers and anti-aging creams sometimes irritate the eyes, even if it is only the perfume of the cream or the minimal contact with the eye.
All precautions are little when it comes to cleaning the eyes and taking care of them in the correct way. Although the eyebrows have the protection function like the eyelashes, this does not prevent dust, hair, insects, sand, dry skin, etc. from entering the eye. At those times it would also be appropriate to clean the eyes with fresh water and use physiological saline.
If the discomfort increases, when it is the case of an eyelash or sand, we recommend repeating the dose of physiological saline or using artificial tears to force the eye to expel foreign bodies. To enhance the cleaning action, we can place a gauze as a patch and keep the eye closed until we feel relief.
How do you wash your eyes?
We could answer this question by simply saying: delicately. But there are many details to take into account when washing our eyes and this is what we will explain in the following sections:
Can be washed with water
A few months ago, a well-known “influencer” said that water did not hydrate, jokes and jokes aside, water hydrates the eye, but there are other more valid options. Even so, water is the fastest resource when something enters our eye, be it an insect, a hair, an eyelash, etc.
We cannot use hot water, nor very cold water, much less use ice in the areas of dark circles or eyelids. The water must be at room temperature , be potable water, to wash the eyes and face, the hands must be as clean as possible, do not use soap to clean the eyes, or any type of gel, cream, perfume, or drops lemon mixed with water. Just water without more.
Physiological serum is the best option
This serum is very cheap and they are sold in single doses that we always recommend to have some small bottles in the molso, the suitcase, the glove compartment of the car or other places at hand for situations of dust in the eyes, pollen, animal hair , etc.
Saline solution is a sterile 0.9% sodium chloride solution in water that is introduced into the eye in the form of drops. The funny thing is that its salt concentration is equal to that of our blood and it is a resource widely used in medicine.
This serum is a harmless product, that is, it does not harm our eyes, and that is why we recommend its use to wash the eyes whenever we need it. If we have allergies or conjunctivitis, it is the perfect ally for our day to day, since we can use it as many times as we need.
If we have conjunctivitis or irritated or bad eyes, it is common to wake up with blemishes and with glued eyes. In this case, we soak a sterile gauze in serum and massage the eyelid very delicately to undo the scab and open the eye. Afterwards, we clean the entire area with another gauze, we do some pressure near the tear duct and extract the extra pus or infection and we clean again with a gauze soaked in serum and, finally, a few drops inside the eye.
Artificial tears and eye drops to hydrate
If we notice that our eyes are dry we must hydrate them quickly, and for this it is best to use artificial tears. In this way we promote the automatic cleaning of the eye that it does naturally constantly.
If our eyes tend to be dry, we should not use physiological saline, since having a saline concentration, they dry out the eye even more. That is why artificial tears must be used. If we see that our eyes dry out quite often, it is time to pay a visit to the ophthalmologist.
A dry eye is more prone to infections , since it cannot hydrate itself and carry out its natural cleaning process, that is why it is such a good idea to take care of our eyes and adapt the process to each need.
Special wipes
There are some sterile wipes that are already moistened and are perfect for cleaning the eyes and around the eye. This comes in handy for people who have oily skin since scales are created and these sometimes enter the eye and can accumulate at the end of the eyelid, thus obstructing the sebaceous glands of the eye and, therefore, the eyeball can not hydrate and cleanse well.
We must clarify that these wipes are solely and exclusively for external use , we should not introduce it into the eye, as it could cause irritation.
Make-up and use of make-up removers
If we have sensitive eyes, we should avoid, as far as possible, the use of makeup, or at least with regard to the area around the eyes. We could also choose to use special products that are from natural makeup lines, such as coconut water-based mascara and similar products that do not harm the eyes (as much).
Cleaning the eyes after makeup requires special products, not putting excessive pressure on the eyeball, not using irritating cosmetics, etc. ALWAYS, and we put it in capital letters, we must remove make-up, nothing to leave it for tomorrow due to laziness.
Makeup is one of the main causes of eye irritation, infections and conjunctivitis. Cleaning the eyelid should be done in the direction of the nose, without rubbing or exerting pressure and with gauze, wipe or very soaked cotton to facilitate the task.
