The SteamGoggle Difference

Meibomian glands are oil glands inside the top and bottom eyelids and research has identified MGD (Meibomian Gland Dysfunction) as being a leading cause of dry eye symptoms. It has been reported that over 86% of people with dry eye symptoms have some form of MGD. For people with MGD, the glands become inflamed/damaged, which can cause oil secretions to turn from an olive oil consistency to that of butter or thicker. This in turn clogs the glands and sets off a cycle of irritation, inflammation and possibly infection, that is difficult to treat due to the eye’s sensitive nature. ​​​

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Although warm compresses are constantly recommended by eye doctors to help treat this disease by melting/softening these oils, I thought the current methods/products could be substantially improved for a number of reasons.  Everyday use products like microwave compresses burned my eyelids when they were too hot and didn’t stay hot long enough. Similar for electric warming pads, you had to keep your eyes closed for the whole session, which I felt was huge waste of time when doing 1-2 times daily.    They also put unnecessary pressure on your heated cornea.  The industry standard office treatment Lipiflow actually massages the eyes' oil glands as they are being heated to help remove the stagnant oils through the oil gland opening.   I think this could work great if you could use it everyday, but at ~500-$1000 per session, it is not a solution for many people with severe cases of chronic conditions like MGD and Blepharitis. With those concerns in mind, I aimed towards replicating something like Lipiflow that combined heat and oil gland massage (Steamgoggle uses blinking during treatment) to better remove oil gland blockages, but that could be used on a continuous basis as needed.  All while being able to multitask while using the device.

​The Steamgoggle differs from other products/treatments on the market as it combines moist heat (of adjustable temperature) with blinking, which helps remove blockage (stagnant oils) through the oil gland openings during treatment (see our FAQ page to learn how our patented used of PTC heaters safely allows for highly concentrated and consistent moist heat).  Additionally, the user can multitask when using such as reading or looking at their phone.  Use it anywhere, anytime and for as long as you want, via the included power bank with over 15 treatment cycles per charge (versus paying for expensive one time office treatments such as IPL or Lipiflow). Lastly, the device is very easy to setup (simply add water to each eyecup and press power button) and clean (place entire goggle under faucet to rinse).​

The SteamGoggle was not created in a large corporation lab, adding/removing features depending the potential of each to increase return on investment. It was created by someone who has lived through and knows the intricacies of the disease themselves, who just wanted something that works to make their eyes feel better.  Learn more about the inventor's story here.​​​​