Like a Professional Clean for Your Eyelids
Think about how carefully you look after your teeth. You clean them every day, but sometimes you still need a professional clean. Your eyelids can be similar.
Over time, oils, dead skin cells, bacteria and debris can accumulate around the eyelashes and along the eyelid margins.
For some people, this build-up contributes to blepharitis, eyelid irritation and dry eye symptoms.
Regular home eyelid hygiene can be extremely helpful — but sometimes the eyelids need a more thorough professional clean. That’s where ZEST Eyelid Treatment comes in.
What Is ZEST?
ZEST is a professional in-clinic eyelid cleansing treatment. It uses a specialist cleansing gel containing an okra-derived ingredient to help clean the eyelid margins and eyelashes.
The treatment allows us to thoroughly cleanse areas around the lashes and eyelid margins where oils, dead skin cells and other debris can accumulate.
ZEST is non-surgical and designed to provide a comfortable professional eyelid-cleaning experience.
Think of it as the eyelid equivalent of visiting your dental hygienist.
You still look after your eyelids at home — but occasionally a professional clean may be beneficial.
Why Do Your Eyelids Need Cleaning?
Your eyelids do much more than simply open and close your eyes. Along the edges of your eyelids are tiny meibomian glands. These glands produce the oily component of your tears. This oil helps stabilise your tear film and slows down evaporation.
The eyelid margins are also an area where oils, skin cells, bacteria and other debris can accumulate.
For people with blepharitis or Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, keeping the eyelid margins clean can form an important part of ongoing eye care.
ZEST and Blepharitis
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelid margins. Common symptoms can include:
Professional eyelid cleansing with ZEST may form part of the management of appropriate cases of blepharitis. However, blepharitis is often a long-term condition. Professional treatment therefore works alongside — rather than replaces — good eyelid hygiene at home.
- Gritty or irritated eyes
- Itchy eyelids
- Red eyelid margins
- Crusting around the eyelashes
- Flaking around the lashes
- Burning or stinging
- Watery eyes
- Eyelids that feel uncomfortable when you wake up
What About Demodex?
Demodex are microscopic mites that naturally live around hair follicles, including around the eyelashes. In some people, higher numbers of Demodex may be associated with eyelid inflammation and characteristic debris around the lashes.
If we see signs that Demodex may be contributing to your symptoms, we’ll discuss this with you and recommend appropriate management.
Rather than assuming every case of irritated eyelids is caused by Demodex, we prefer to examine your eyelids first and determine what’s actually going on.
ZEST and Dry Eye
Eyelid health and dry eye are closely connected.
If the eyelid margins are inflamed or your meibomian glands aren’t functioning normally, the quality and stability of your tear film can be affected.
For some patients, professional eyelid cleaning therefore forms one part of a wider dry eye management programme. At Farmilo, we don’t automatically recommend ZEST simply because your eyes feel dry. We look for the cause first.
Where appropriate, this can include a comprehensive Dry Eye Assessment and meibography using our Topcon MYAH to examine your meibomian glands.
What Happens During ZEST Treatment?
1. We examine your eyelids
Before treatment, we’ll assess your eyelid margins and eyelashes and look for signs of inflammation, debris and other abnormalities.
2. Your eyelids are professionally cleansed
The ZEST cleansing gel is carefully applied around the eyelid margins and eyelashes using the appropriate applicator. This allows us to provide a thorough professional clean of the area.
3. We reassess your eyelids
After treatment, we’ll examine the eyelids again and explain how you can continue looking after them at home.
4. Continue with your day
ZEST is a non-surgical in-clinic procedure. There’s no surgical recovery period, so you can normally return to your usual activities afterwards.
How Long Does ZEST Take?
Will My Eyes Feel Better Straight Away?
Treatment generally takes around 20 minutes, although appointment times can vary depending on your individual needs. Some patients may notice that their eyelids or eyes feel cleaner or more comfortable following professional eyelid cleansing. However, everyone’s eyes are different.
If your symptoms are also being caused by dry eye, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction or another condition, additional treatment may be required.
That’s why we prefer to assess the cause rather than promising that one treatment will solve every symptom.
Why Not Just Clean My Eyelids at Home?
You should. Home eyelid hygiene is an important part of managing many eyelid conditions. But there’s a difference between regular maintenance and professional cleaning. It’s similar to looking after your teeth.
You brush your teeth every day, but that doesn’t necessarily replace the role of a dental hygienist. The same principle can apply to your eyelids. Home cleansing helps maintain them. Professional eyelid cleansing allows us to provide a more thorough clean when appropriate.
Good eyelid care isn't one or the other. The two can work together.
How Often Should I Have ZEST?
There isn’t one schedule that’s right for everybody. Blepharitis and other eyelid conditions are often chronic, which means debris and inflammation can recur. Some people may benefit from periodic professional cleaning, while others can maintain their eyelids effectively with good home care.
We’ll recommend repeat treatment based on your symptoms and what we see when we examine your eyelids.
Who Might Benefit From ZEST?
ZEST may be considered for people with:
The important thing is establishing whether your eyelids are actually contributing to your symptoms.
- Blepharitis
- Persistent eyelid debris
- Crusting or build-up around the eyelashes
- Inflamed or irritated eyelid margins
- Some forms of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
- Dry eye associated with eyelid problems
- Gritty, irritated or uncomfortable eyes
- Eyelids that remain difficult to manage with home cleaning alone
ZEST as Part of Our Dry Eye Clinic
Sometimes professional eyelid cleaning is all that’s required. Sometimes it isn’t.
If your symptoms are part of a wider dry eye problem, we can investigate this through our specialist Dry Eye Clinic.
Depending on what we find, your treatment plan might include:
You won’t necessarily need all of these treatments. Our job is to determine which are appropriate for your eyes.
- Home eyelid hygiene
- Appropriate lubricating eye drops
- Warm compresses
- Professional eyelid cleaning
- ZEST
- BlephEx
- IPL
- Low-Level Light Therapy
- Contact lens advice
- Lifestyle and screen-use advice
- Ongoing monitoring
Frequently Asked Questions
ZEST is designed as a gentle professional eyelid-cleansing treatment. Most people tolerate the procedure comfortably.
No. Both are professional eyelid treatments, but they use different methods. BlephEx uses a rotating micro-sponge to mechanically exfoliate and clean the eyelid margins. ZEST uses a specialist cleansing gel and applicator to provide professional eyelid cleansing.
We’ll advise which approach is more appropriate based on your eyelids and symptoms.
Demodex can contribute to certain eyelid conditions.
If we identify signs suggesting Demodex may be involved, we’ll discuss appropriate management with you rather than assuming professional cleaning alone is the answer.
Blepharitis is often a chronic condition, so we don’t describe professional eyelid cleaning as a cure. ZEST can form part of an ongoing management programme alongside appropriate home eyelid care.
Yes. Professional eyelid cleaning isn’t intended to replace appropriate home eyelid hygiene. We’ll explain how to look after your eyelids between appointments.
How Much Does ZEST Cost?
ZEST Eyelid Treatment — £150
We’ll assess your eyelids and symptoms to determine whether ZEST is appropriate before recommending treatment.
ZEST Eyelid Treatment in Leicester
If your eyelids regularly feel gritty, irritated or uncomfortable — or you have persistent debris around your eyelashes despite cleaning them at home — a professional eyelid treatment may help.
At Farmilo Optometrist, we’ll examine your eyelids first to understand what’s contributing to your symptoms.
If ZEST is appropriate, we’ll provide a thorough professional eyelid cleanse and explain how to maintain good eyelid health at home.
And if your symptoms are part of a wider dry eye problem, we can investigate and manage that through our specialist Dry Eye Clinic.
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Farmilo Optometrist — Leicester
ZEST Eyelid Treatment — £150