Warm and cold eye compress (hydrotherapy)
EyeFit calls this step hydrotherapy: you alternate a warm washcloth and a cold one over your closed eyes, 30 seconds each, then finish with a gentle massage using a dry cloth. The contrast is what most people find refreshing.
It is the one EyeFit exercise that needs some setting up, so the runner gives it a longer slot — usually 3 to 5 minutes, often at the end of a routine.
How to do it
Alternate warm and cool compresses over closed eyes for a refreshing break.
- Prepare: one bowl of ice-cold water, one bowl of hot (not scalding) water, three washcloths.
- Dip a washcloth in hot water, close your eyes, hold it against your eyes for 30 seconds.
- Dip a second washcloth in cold water, hold it against your eyes for 30 seconds.
- Alternate hot and cold every 30 seconds for the full duration.
- When finished, gently massage your closed eyes with the dry washcloth.
Tip: The hot water should be comfortably warm — never scalding; test it on your wrist first. The cold water should be ice cold.
Watch the demo
What you need
- A bowl of comfortably hot (never scalding) water
- A bowl of ice-cold water
- Three clean washcloths
When to stop
- Test the hot water on your wrist first — it must never be hot enough to scald.
- Use clean cloths and fresh water each time.
- Skip it if you have an eye infection, a fresh injury or recent eye surgery.
Do it with a guided timer
EyeFit runs this exercise inside timed routines — each step counts down, beeps when time is up and shows the steps and demo on screen. Free, in your browser. It appears in:
- Presbyopia & Hyperopia routine — 30 min total, this exercise 5 min
- Myopia routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 min
- Astigmatism routine — 30 min total, this exercise 3 min
- Lazy Eye & Crossed Eyes routine — 22 min total, this exercise 3 min
- Eye Floaters routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 min
- Dry Eye Syndrome routine — 25 min total, this exercise 3 min
- Cataract routine — 28 min total, this exercise 5 min
- Eyestrain routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 min
- Macular Degeneration routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 min
- Glaucoma & EpiRetinal Membrane routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 min
- Keratoconus routine — 25 min total, this exercise 5 min
More eye exercise guides
- Palming
- Near-far focus
- Tromboning
- Clock Rotations
- Eye Rolls
- Slow Blinking
- Squeeze Blinking
- Blur Zoning
- Shifting
- Eye acupressure
- All guides
EyeFit on Android
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