(Sept 2020) I test a lot of products. This is the first one in a long time that delivered a serious "Wow!" factor.
Before you read any further, let me caveat this by saying that I have no idea whether YOU will like it or whether it's worthwhile for you to try it. I only know I liked it a lot. I am distinctly aware of the wide ranges of likes and dislikes when it comes to warm compresses - including my own. Some compresses are large, some small, some smooth, some knubbly, some moist, some dry, some easy-wash, some scary. We all have different needs, preferences and tolerances.
The first time I tried this out, I was not expecting any surprises. But I just... felt... so... goooooood the entire time it was on. There was a very real "je ne sais quoi" factor. I lay down with this thing on my face and I just did not want to get up again. It was simply so relaxing. When I tried to analyze it, I came up with two main things: One, it sinks in and conforms super well to your eyes and face, something I look for in all compresses, but none has ever delivered this well. Two, the material, I concluded, must be a lot softer than any other type of gel pack I've used. There's a particular feel most plastic casings have on my skin and this one, in my experience, is different and better.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I loathe the hyperbole of marketing language. I feel embarrassed thinking marketing words, let alone writing them down or saying them out loud. But the word "hug" kept coming to mind, like this thing just held my face so completely and gently. Have you ever used a weighted blanket? It was also slightly reminiscent of that, somehow, but for the eyes and upper face.
I am supposed to be describing a dry eye product, not a spa or therapy session. I just can't help sharing what the experience was like. But to make this more relevant to the MGD crowd: Because of the way the compress conforms to the eyes, I actually feel confident it will do a better job delivering heat to more of the gland orifices in each lid than any other home care item I've tried. I make no medical claims for this product though (nor for any other on the site). It's up to each one of us with MGD to get good medical advice about MGD and how to treat it.
I am listing these together because, in some cases, one person's "pro" might be another person's "con", once you get past the first few!
One concern that I have with OcuTherm AND every other microwavable compress on the market is the risk of overheating and potential for burns. I hear now and then from patients whose doctor told them (about any brand of bead-filled compress, or an egg or a potato or whatever they're using) "get it as hot as you can stand". All I can say is I hope these doctors have good medmal insurance.
You can burn your cheeks, eyelids and even corneas with an overheated compress. You do NOT need scorching heat to treat your MGD. You need to raise the temperature in your meibomian glands, but... not to a slow rolling boil. In my microwave, 25 seconds worked. 30 seconds was uncomfortably hot. More than that would have felt unsafe. Your microwave will be different.
See instruction manual enclosed with kit.
The OcuTherm Essentials™ Kit includes one Complete OcuTherm Eye Compress Unit (see front and rear views in the photo gallery), as well as materials for your first 30 treatments: one package of OcuTherm Thermal Hygiene™ Sheets (30-count), and one travel-size bottle of OcuTherm Thermal Hygiene™ Solution (sufficient for 30 to 35 treatments). A full-color Instruction Manual is also included.
OcuTherm Gel is designed for superior thermal performance and relies upon our proprietary Gel formula, which maintains its temperature for an exceptionally long time. OcuTherm Gel is enclosed in a flexible FDA-cleared waterproof polymer casing, which can be wiped cleaned in seconds. Patients typically choose to replace OcuTherm Gel every 2 to 3 years; replacement is quick and easy.
30-Count resealable package. OcuTherm Sheets have a soft, non-chafing texture perfect for delicate eyelid skin, and are supplied lightly pre-treated with OcuTherm® Formula. All sheets also include our unique HeatZone™ design, which helps to focus heat directly onto the eyelids during OcuTherm treatments.
3.75-oz bottle of OcuTherm Thermal Hygiene™ solution, formulated for OcuTherm therapy, is designed to provide support for the eyelids and surrounding skin, both during and after moisturized heat treatments. Depending on use, each bottle typically provides enough solution for 60 to 90 treatments. A fine-mist sprayer ensures precise application.