About the LASIK Goggle
- Secure protective goggle for night use
- Available with clear or grey lenses
- The foam on this goggle is latex-free, but the goggle frame itself contains latex
Description (by Rebecca)
This product is sold as a post-surgical eye guard for temporary use. I've found that since it is designed for night wear and has a foam lining, it doubles nicely as a moisture chamber for certain special cases where nothing else fits the bill.
This is a low-cost, moderate-quality item, not the most comfortable in the world, and not intended for long term use, but it may suit your need in a pinch.
Its most important characteristics from a dry-eye-night-protection-niche standpoint are
(a) Rigidity (nothing can press down on your eyes)
(b) Security (it stays put)
(c) Transparency (you don't have to take it off to see in the night)
Here are some of the uses that this seems to match best:
- Elderly patients who need to be able to see when they get up at night due to risks of falling (as opposed to an opaque mask or goggle)
- Floppy eyelid syndrome patients - people who rub their eyes on their pillow and get abrasions. Nothing else will stay on as well at night that I know of except the disposable Medtronic bubble eye bandages which get very costly. The LASIK goggle is almost always my first choice for FES patients.
- Anybody who wants something cheap and transparent. The only other clear options are the disposable bandages (NITEYE, Ortolux) which get costly very quickly, and Quartz and EyeSeals 4.0 Clear.
I first came across the LASIK goggle while scouting for products for people who really need eye protection at night but can't stand waking up with something over their eyes that they can't see through. It's a simple product, but it works OK. I have tried out other lasik eye guard type products, but found most of them too stiff to be comfortable for routine wear, or the foam lining too inflexible.
Like most nightwear, this goggle probably won't be equally comfortable for everyone (e.g. side and front sleepers), but it may well be worth a try for those looking for clear-fronted alternatives in this category. This is not a high-end product and the foam isn't the most comfortable in the world - though let me tell you, the other post-surgical goggles I've tried were worse. For a budget-conscious simple product, this does the job.
Note that the foam does not go around the entire perimeter - there is a gap of about 1" at the far sides, e.g. approx. 2 to 4 o'clock position on the right side and 8 to 10 o'clock on the left. One of our customers found that by placing an extra piece of foam there (weatherstripping or something similar), they were able to get a really good full seal.
You could also try this during the day for computer use, reading, TV, etc. !
Description (from the manufacturer's literature)
This product is designed for the patient's healing following bilateral LASIK - or refractive - eye surgery. The patient's eyes are protected post-operatively, primarily at night from accidental eye contact or rubbing.
The exterior is made of a soft vinyl material with an adjustable, elastic strap to hold the guards in place. The lens and frames have venting holes, permitting air exchange that prevents fogging. The edges that contact the skin around the eye's orbit is an extremely soft foam, assuring a comfortable fit.
