Use of Hot Compresses For Ocular Rosacea

Q: [On regular use of hot compresses] "... My eyes felt better after my routine, however I noticed that my vision would be very blurry for a few minutes and my eyes would get extremely bloodshot. ... I stopped the hot compresses 3 days ago but my eyes are bothering me much more now. ... I would like to know if it is better for my eyes to use the compresses or not."

A: "You are talking about relief of symptoms. The idea behind the warm compresses is dilating the glands that are blocked off. Anything you can do to dilate the glands and help the natural oil lubricate the eye better is going to decrease the eye symptoms. While it does dilate the blood vessels also, which can make the telangiectasia and erythema worse, the idea is to relieve the plugged glands, get those oils that are clogged up flowing again. It may feel worse in the short term, but it will be better overall once you get those glands flowing."