Blephasteam: A Soothing Bath for Dry Sore Eyes

Soothe dry eyes and relieve the symptoms of blepharitis quickly and easily with Blephasteam goggles, under the expert care and supervision of an optometrist.

Do any of these sound familiar:

• Red, sticky, and swollen eyelids
• Crusty buildup on your eyes first thing in the morning
• Itchy or burning eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• The need to blink constantly because it feels like you’ve got something in your eye

These could be the early signs of blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelids that usually affects both eyes (1).

Not only is blepharitis unsightly and uncomfortable – if left untreated, it may lead to other complications and Dry Eye Disease. Fortunately, there is a modern treatment available right here in Brisbane.

In healthy eyes, the tear film cleanses and protects the eyeball from bacteria each time we blink. These watery tears also help to keep our eyes well-lubricated and our vision clear.

Sometimes, however, these tear glands (called “meibomian glands”) get blocked, a condition known as Meibomian Gland Dysfunction. While a warm compress helps soothe irritated eyelids, Blephasteam has been found to be more effective (2) in treating Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

Who invented Blephasteam Goggles?

British eye specialist Dr J R Fuller was visiting his brother in New Zealand (so the story goes) when he noticed how quickly his vision cleared up after a steam bath. Studies have since shown that gently applying heat and pressure to eyelids helps to unblock the meibomian glands, ease irritation and improve tear film quality (3).

Traditionally, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction has been treated by placing a hot towel on the affected eyelids for a few minutes. The towels must be heated to between 40 and 47°C (and then reheated every 2 minutes), otherwise, the compress quickly loses its effectiveness (4).

Blephasteam is a more modern treatment option that has been proven to improve the quality of tears, decrease eyelid redness, and ease the symptoms of Dry Eye (2).

How do Blephasteam goggles work?

Blephasteam allows your eyelids to bask in warm moist air at the optimal temperature to melt waxy buildup in the meibomian glands. Sessions usually last about 10 minutes, during which time the Blephasteam goggles distribute heat evenly and safely to the eyelids.

Who could benefit from treatments?

If you are looking for relief from Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, Dry Eye, contact lens intolerance or Blepharitis, call or book an appointment with one of our optometrists to find out if Blephasteam or other treatments such as Blephex or IPL might be suitable for you.

References:

1. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/blepharitis
2. https://journals.lww.com/djop/fulltext/2022/23020/Effect_of_eyelid_warming_device_on_meibomian_gland.1.aspx
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1367048419301195
4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/aos.15052