Disposable warming masks offer effective relief for dry eye sufferers

Disposable eyelid warming masks have been found to be an effective and safe alternative to traditional hot towel compresses for treating dry eye disease caused by Meibomian gland dysfunction, not only improving symptoms and eye health markers more significantly but also offering a more convenient option that may enhance patient adherence to treatment.

The randomized, controlled trial involved 144 patients, who were assigned to either the mask group or a traditional hot towel group, with treatments administered twice daily over 12 weeks. Patients were assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks, with evaluations focusing on both subjective symptoms and objective signs of DED.

Out of the 134 patients who completed the study, those using the disposable masks showed significantly better improvements in symptoms and eye health markers compared to the hot towel group. The mask group experienced a greater reduction in ocular symptom scores, ocular surface disease index OSDI scores, and corneal fluorescein staining CFS at both the 4-week and 12-week marks. However, both groups reported some adverse events, though none were serious.

Reference
Wang DH, Guo H, Xu W, Liu XQ. Efficacy and safety of the disposable eyelid warming masks in the treatment of dry eye disease due to Meibomian gland dysfunction. BMC Ophthalmol. 2024;24(1):376. doi: 10.1186/s12886-024-03642-z. PMID: 39187788.