Created By A Dry Eye 
Sufferer

INVENTOR'S SYMPTOMS- For some quick background, I am a mechanical engineer with over a decade of experience working in R&D/Manufacturing in the medical device industry. Starting in late high school and continuing through college and my working life, I have suffered through a continuous bout of symptoms related to dry eye (I have had Blepharitis since at least grade school and used to suffer from symptoms caused by severe MGD) involving a nonstop gritty, irritated, foreign body sensation feeling in both eyes, but much worse in my left ( I also developed a large amount of eye floaters in both eyes during my college/working years).  Things like looking at computer/phone screens or reading for any length of time were unbearable at times.  There were long periods of time when it was so bad I could not think about anything else but my eyes, which basically consumed my life and left me mentally exhausted on a continuous basis.  After years of finding no relief from current products/treatments (just to name a few: numerous gland probing sessions, Lipiflow, Tearcare, Scleral Lenses, 2 Conjunctivochalasis surgeries, tear duct cauterization, Blephasteam, Bruder masks, Nulids, Eyeeco, electric amazon hot masks and pretty much every eyedrop/cleansing wipe/HCL spray that exists, I also took Accutane and had LASIK) and even flying across the country to see dry eye specialists, I was losing hope that I was going to shake this debilitating condition.

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OTHER WARM COMPRESS TREATMENTS- Although warm compresses are constantly recommended by eye doctors to help treat this disease by melting/softening solidified Meibomian gland oils, I thought the current methods/products could be substantially improved for a number of reasons.  Everyday use products like microwave compresses burned my eyelids when they were too hot and didn’t stay hot long enough. Similar for electric warming pads, you had to keep your eyes closed for the whole session, which I felt was huge waste of time when doing 1-2 times daily.    They also put unnecessary pressure on your heated cornea.  The industry standard office treatment Lipiflow actually massages the eyes' oil glands as they are being heated to help remove the stagnant oils through the oil gland opening.   I think this could work great if you could use it everyday, but at ~500-$1000 per session, it is not a solution for many people with severe cases of chronic conditions like MGD and Blepharitis. With those concerns in mind, I aimed towards replicating something like Lipiflow that combined heat and oil gland massage (Steamgoggle uses blinking during treatment) to better remove oil gland blockages, but that could be used on a continuous basis as needed.  All while being able to multitask while using the device.

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STEAMGOGGLE DIFFERENCE- The Steamgoggle differs from other products on the market as it combines moist heat with blinking, which helps remove blockage (stagnant oils) through the oil gland openings during treatment. Additionally, the user can multitask when using, (read/look at phone) and can use it anywhere, anytime, and for as long as they want via the included power bank. Lastly, the device is easy to setup (simply add water to each eyecup and press power button) and clean (place entire goggle under faucet to rinse).

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INVENTOR'S STEAMGOGGLE EXPERIENCE- At least for me, after starting to use the device, the improvements for my years long chronic symptoms were so slow that I didn't really notice improvements day to day, but after 2-3 weeks, I could begin to tell a noticeable reduction in symptoms. After a little while longer, I can happily say my symptoms faded away to the point where I no longer think about my eyes anymore (although I still use the device occasionally as maintenance). I understand this sounds like a great sales pitch, but it is true this device pulled me out of a dry eye nightmare.  To the placebo argument, I took photos (see results page) showing thick, white meibum accumulating on my lid margin (expelled from the meibomian glands) immediately following some of my early SteamGoggle sessions, which was noticeably absent following any other warm compress I had tried to that point (moist towels, usb masks, microwave masks, instant heat packs).  This documented removal of solidified gland contents did coincide with the gradual fading away of my symptoms, which I feel speaks to the device's unique ability to treat dry eye. 

GRITTY FORCED BLINK- Even more interestingly, usually only after 2-3 treatment sessions back to back, (eyes/oil-glands were thoroughly warmed up), after a big forced blink, I would occasionally have an immediate sandy/gritty sensation that would fade after a few seconds and would repeat again only after another occasional big forced blink.  Given that the amount of white meibum photographed on my lid margin was always higher following one of these gritty blinking episodes, I feel this indicates that this gritty sensation was stagnant meibum forced from the oil gland and deposited onto the ocular surface.  This also shows that this meibum was at least still partially solidified (as I could feel the grittyness), even after exposed to the SteamGoggle's concentrated moist heat (50c), showing that heat alone (without concurrent physical massage) is not enough to completely melt and clear out the contents of obstructed oil glands. 

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TO OTHER DRY EYE SUFFERERS- I can't and won't say that my exact success story will happen to everyone that uses the device (as dry eye is often a combination of many different factors and each individual's symptoms can vary widely), but based on what the device did for me, I truly believe that it has the distinct ability to help even those that have tried all other available treatments.

I hope that this device (which finally helped me after so many years of dead ends) can help you in a similar manner. 

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-David Frank​​​