Rice Baggy (spare)

PRODUCT FEATURES

• Soft, dye-free organic cotton
• Comfortable and soothing
• Retains heat for 10-20 minute use
• Low-hassle, effective alternative to “warm washcloths”

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Rice Baggy is based on a simple, classic homemade tool used over the years by many of our Dry Eye Zone members who have dry eye symptoms due at least in part to chronic meibomian gland syndrome or blepharitis.

Our Rice Baggy is a soft oblong organic cotton ‘bag’ partially filled with uncooked rice. It is heated briefly in the microwave, placed in a luxurious cotton knit slipcover (sold separately or in the Rice Baggy Kit), and then placed over the eyes. Its purpose is to heat the eyelids enough to loosen up thickened oil secretions (meibum) plugging the oil glands so that the oil in the glands can once again flow into the tears and perform its vital role of slowing evaporative tear loss. It can also be used, warm or cold, for its soothing effects.

REBECCA'S REVIEW

I first discovered the Rice Baggy concept when an ophthalmologist friend gave me one! Regular compresses with a baggy have been part of my standard eye ‘maintenance’ ever since. It was so simple and I found it very effective. When I get a symptom flare-up for no obvious reason, it’s typically because I have slacked off my heat regimen.

There are a number of us ‘rice bag connoisseurs’ on Dry Eye Talk and I’ve found there are many ways to make and use them. Homemade disposable rice baggies are easy to do (see below).

However, for those who would prefer a ready-made, longer-use product, I finally decided to try to design something and add it to the Dry Eye Shop. (I figured, there must be many people out there who, like me, are simply too lazy to do-it-themselves.) So, I went back to the maker of my original Rice Baggy – a nice lady in a small town in west Texas where everyone has dry eye – and asked her to work with me on some ideas. What we ultimately came up with is intended to combine practicality with a touch of luxury. The fabric of the baggy and the cover are all dye-free organic cottons. The luxurious cotton knit slipcover was an innovation to improve hygiene (wash as often as you desire!) as well as comfort. All in all I’m very happy with how it came out. I’d love to get your feedback though – any suggestions for improvements would be most welcome!

Why heat? Many people have dry eye symptoms as a result of chronic meibomian gland dysfunction (often called evaporative dry eye). That is, the oil glands in the lids do not secrete sufficient oil onto the tears, so the tears evaporate rapidly, resulting in classic dry eye symptoms even if the lacrimal glands are producing plenty of tears. (Want to know more? Or struggling with medical jargon? See our Dry Eye Encyclopedia.) When the meibomian glands start to become disabled, the oil secretions thicken, creating “plugs” in the gland orifices and preventing the constant flow of oil that is so crucial to a healthy tear layer.

Heat treatment with warm compresses is a classic, frequently prescribed way to improve meibomian gland function by softening/loosening hardened oil secretions. (Some people combine this with lid massage or manual gland expression; please do not attempt this without medical advice and careful instructions first.) The most frequently suggested method of heat treatment is warm washcloths. While this seems to work well for some users, it never did anything at all for me – other than sometimes it just felt soothing on a bad eye day. The washcloths did not stay warm long enough; it was a nuisance to keep getting up and running them under the tap; and doing compresses frequently seemed to irritate my skin. For me, dry heat, with some weight to it, is simply more effective.

PENNY PINCHER?

You can make your own rice baggy very simply. Check out Cindy’s directions for homemade compresses on our Warm Compresses page in The Dry Eye Encyclopedia.

CAUTION!

Talk with your doctor before using heat treatment on your eyelids.

Exercise extreme caution when heating a Rice Baggy. The eyelids are very thin and not only is there risk of burning the lids and surrounding skin, but even the corneas. Rice Baggies should be heated a little at a time and tested carefully before being applied over the lids.

Some people experience temporarily blurred vision after using a Rice Baggy, either because of oil or because of the weight of the rice. You may find it most convenient (and beneficial) to use it just before bed.