Effect of a head strap on the function of an eyelid warming compress

PURPOSE: Warming eye masks, provide relief from symptoms of dry eye associated with meibomian gland disease along with other related eye conditions such as blepharitis, hordeolum and meibomian cysts. Certain eye mask designs use head straps to potentially improve mask retention on the face and heat transfer to the eyelids. Straps may increase pressure on the eye, the chance of tissue damage from direct heating, or pose a vision hazard for the user if they move around with the mask in place. This study investigated whether the presence of a strap clinically influences the performance of such eye masks. METHODS: The surface temperature decline of a Blepha EyeBag® eye mask (Théa Pharmaceuticals Limited,UK) placed on the facial area of a composite manikin head was measured with a thermographer following heating in a domestic microwave for 30, 45 and 60 s at a 800mw settings. Thermographic images were analyzed based on scale intensity using ImageJ software, and variations in facial temperature were plotted. RESULTS: Using a strap significantly (F = 40.451, p < 0.001) decreased the temperature of the manikin upper eyelid by on average 1.4 ± 1.9 °C and lower eyelid by 2.5 ± 2.2 °C. The upper and lower eyelids heated to a similar temperature (on average 31.1 ± 5.1 °C vs 31.2 ± 5.4 °C, respectively; F = 0.064, p = 0.805), with temperate systematically increasing with Blepha EyeBag® heating time (F = 74.027, p < 0.001). The temperature dropped with time following heating (F = 56.483, p < 0.001) in a similar manner with and without the strap in place F = 1.949, p = 0.221). CONCLUSION: The temperature transference to the eyelid surfaces was higher without the strap (on average by 1.9 ± 2.2 °C) possibly because the mask could conform to the contours of the face better when it wasn't pulled tight.