Name: The Dry Eye Relief Kit from Hammacher Schlemmer
What it is: A kit with adjustable soft-cup eye goggles and two foam inserts, two gel packs with protective sleeves, and a mesh pouch. After warming the gel packs in the mesh pouch in a cup of hot water or in a microwave, you insert the packs into the goggles and wear them over your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes. The heated packs stimulate tear production and increase humidity to moisturize dry eyes. The packs also can be put in the freezer to reduce eyelid puffiness and inflammation. The gel packs last for 50 treatments and can be reordered.
The good: I suffer from dry-eye syndrome, so the dryness of an airplane sometimes make my eyes burn from dehydration. To use the kit on a plane, I ask a flight attendant for a cup of hot water. After immersing the gel packs for a minute in hot water, I put them on and often fall asleep, because these soft goggles are the most comfortable blackout mask I’ve found. The goggles are adjusted by tightening a soft fabric band rather than elastic, so they are very comfortable. Using the goggles in a hotel room helps me fight dry eyes caused by allergies, heat and air conditioning.
The bad: I wish the kit included two gel packs that get hot instantly, like hand-warmer gel packs used in skiing.
Cost: $49.95
Available from: hammacher.com
