Tea Tree Oil & Cliradex instructions: How to use Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil & Cliradex instructions

I have been prescribing Tea Tree Oil (TTO) for my patients, friends, and family members who have dry eye symptoms, foreign body sensation, irritation, chronic burning, rosacea, ocular rosacea.  Tea Tree Oil comes from Australia from the Tea Tree Oil plant, though some companies have created a version of this in the lab.

Cliradex (which is Tea Tree oil in a little towelette)  can be used every day, once every other day or as needed. My goal is to provide tools for you to use when needed to restore your eyes to its natural health, and to teach you when to use particular goals to help you easily treat your eye symptoms. Full strength TTO  can also be used: see dilution instruction below. I do not have stock in the company (though I wish I did 🙂

Tea Tree Oil & Cliradex instructions:

1. Clean the base of your lashes (where the meibomian glands are located) with hot/warm water (as hot as your eyes can tolerate without burning skin) with Ocusoft foam/pads or diluted baby shampoo. 

2. If you are having symptoms of dryness, burning, irritation, foreign body sensation, pain due to a blocked meibomian gland, an early stye or chalazion, then apply a warm compress (as hot as you can stand it without burning or hurting your skin) for as long as you can as many times a day as you can: minimum 2-3minutes, 2 times per day: the more often, the better in terms of opening the orifice of the meibomian gland and allowing its oily secretions to be expressed and prevent clogging, inflammation, and chronic scarring (which leads to dry eyes in many patients).

2. Close eyes (and KEEP EYES CLOSES OR IT CAN BURN BADLY: You may need to dilute TTO towel if burning too much) and use the Tea Tree Oil/Cliradex wipe to clean the base of the eyelashes, where the meibomian glands are located, in a sweeping motion avoiding pressure on eye. It may be used to clean skin but can cause a burning sensation. The goal is to get as much of the tea tree oil to the base of the eyelash where dirt, debris, and sometimes bacteria and mites enter into the meibomian gland. 

3. Allow Cliradex to air dry for 1 minute if no significant burning. If significant burning present, wash eyes, prior to opening eyes. If burning is significant, you can dip tip of towel into warm water to dilute it. You can cut Cliradex towelette into 6 pieces and store in a ziplock bag to keep them moist till use. They are naturally antibiotic, naturally anti-inflammatory, naturally anti-angiogenic so there have not been any case reports to my knowledge of an eye infection caused by re-using your own Cliradex wipe.  

4. Most patients prefer the Cliradex as it is faster, but you can also use diluted TTO. Just be careful with dilution so as not to burn your eyes.

See dilution below:
(1) Cliradex is fastest, easiest (I have no stock in the company or any of the companies listed in this blog). 
(2) Lid scrub with 50% Tea Tree Oil (TTO): use 1 ml of pure tea tree oil and 1 ml of water or 2 drops of TTO and 2 drops of water.
& daily lid scrub with Tea Tree Oil shampoo (1 part in 50 TTO shampoo in warm water). 
Note:
Burning, itching, redness can occur with TTO: can be allergy or death of demodex mite; decrease frequency; stop any of above if intolerable & let us know.

Remember Step 1 (Lid Hygiene) is key. Continue periodically even if your eyes feel better. The heat opens the meibomian glands to help its Lipid come out to help your tears stick on your eye longer. If you get tired of step 1, look at step 8 IPL, LF, IDP;
Other Tips:
-Some patients find it helpful to before a ocusoft foam/pads/diluted baby shampoo regimen in a hot shower. —
-Some use rice in a clean sock, placed in the microwave for a hot pack. Gel packs work well too; hot tea bags, etc. After a basic cleaning, the goal of the heat pack is to apply as much heat to the meibomian glands without damaging surrounding skin. 

See Tiered Step Ladder post for more information on Tea Tree Oil/ Tea Tree Oil Shampoo

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