I'm making a flax seed eye mask.....

[CathyA]

Anyone make anything like this?

I've developed one watering eye and I guess the eye doc didn't have time for an appointment, so his nurse called to understand my problem....which seems like just one dry eye problem.
I've read up on it, and many people say a heat-able eye mask works wonders for various eye problems. I've looked them all over, and decided the most natural thing for me to do is make a flaxseed eye mask.
I've bought 2# of organic whole brown flaxseed. They say the oils in it heat up and give off moisture.

I'm thinking of something like a muslin rectangular thing to hold the seed, and then a cover for it that I can wash.

Any ideas I'm not thinking about?
Thanks!

[herbgeek]

Is this the only optometrist in your area?

[CathyA]

He’s an ophthalmologist iAnd is excellent but he’s very busy and his nurse assesses things before fitting a patient into an already very busy day. I’m going to put drops in at least four times a day and if it makes no difference within a week I’ll call back and demand to see him or someone else. The nurse did a good assessment Over the phone and I have relatively no other symptoms other than over tearing. But I will call back at the beginning of next week.

[JaneV2.0]

Let me know if it works. I'm thinking of buying the USB model for a friend's birthday.

I had the same problem, but paying attention to my sleeping posture seems to have worked wonders. I would never thought about seeing an ophthalmologist for it, but you know me...:~)

[Sad Eyed Lady]

I used to make them to give to people and everyone seemed to love getting them. I bought one several years ago and it had on the label what was in it, so I decided to start making them. Mine had flax seed, lavender (actual plant not oil) and peppermint (again I used the herb). So soothing.

[CathyA]

Let me know if it works. I'm thinking of buying the USB model for a friend's birthday.

I had the same problem, but paying attention to my sleeping posture seems to have worked wonders. I would never thought about seeing an ophthalmologist for it, but you know me...:~)

Jane, in my post about my eye watering, Simplemind said she had one that used a USB port to heat it and she really liked it.
I decided I wanted to go a little more natural, since I'm easy scared off by some bad reviews and one of them said that the substance in her's that heated up, leaked a chemical from the beads and caused her pupils to be dilated for a day. But it seems like most people like them, although some said it got too hot. When I get my butt in gear and make it, I'll let you know how it does. The big challenge was finding some flaxseed that wasn't super expensive. I actually found some organic seed in the grocery store, produced in the U.S., for about $3.50/#, which isn't bad.

[CathyA]

I used to make them to give to people and everyone seemed to love getting them. I bought one several years ago and it had on the label what was in it, so I decided to start making them. Mine had flax seed, lavender (actual plant not oil) and peppermint (again I used the herb). So soothing.

oops....I forgot about the lavender. Any suggestions what I should buy since it's winter now? Is it really needed? Does the flax seed smell so much that you need a nicer scent to counteract the flax? How much flax seed did you use? Most of the online instructions used 2 to 2 and 1/2 pounds. I bought 2....but that seems like a lot. If it's too much, I can eat it. haha

[Sad Eyed Lady]

oops....I forgot about the lavender. Any suggestions what I should buy since it's winter now? Is it really needed? Does the flax seed smell so much that you need a nicer scent to counteract the flax? How much flax seed did you use? Most of the online instructions used 2 to 2 and 1/2 pounds. I bought 2....but that seems like a lot. If it's too much, I can eat it. haha

No the flax seeds don't smell, but my thinking is in the benefits of each item. The flax seeds give a little weight like accu-pressure across the eyes and face, the mint is good for inhaling for sinus, headaches etc. and the smell of the lavender is relaxing. As far as amounts I guess it depends on the size. Mine were eye pillows so maybe 8-9 inches long, 3 inches or so wide, comfortably fill with flax seeds and the mint and lavender was just crumbled up and mixed in. Maybe a couple of tablespoons or so. You could go to a health food store where you can buy loose spices and herbs and get as little as you need there. I also never heated mine, but some people I gave them to told me about putting them in the fridge to get cold when they had a headache. Strictly an eye pillow. I have made something somewhat the same that is much larger that is an herbal heating pad you can microwave. It took works great also.

[CathyA]

Thanks Sad Eyed Lady.

I did make mine and instead of using material, I just used a sock and stitched the end, then I put it in another sock.

Most of the "recipes" for this online said 1 and 1/2 to 2#s of flaxseed, so I bought that. I put 1# in, and it was just too heavy, so I opened it up and took a bit out again.

I end up microwaving it for 50 seconds on one side, and 50 seconds on the other. It feels so good.

I did what the nurse said to do.........I used drops about 4 times a day, then added using the heated flaxseed sock twice a day. It helped a little....but not enough. So after doing this for a week, I stopped it for about 3 days, and the tearing got worse. Now I'm back to just using the heated flaxseed sock to see if that's what was helping. Even though it feels soooo good, I'll probably call the doc soon, since I don't think I should be having to do this so much, and not getting much help from it.
But.....I do think I've gotten addicted to the feel of the heated flaxseed sock! :)