Eye Masks

Eye Masks

Eye masks divide along two lines that matter more than any brand name: warm or cold, and how the warmth gets there. That is why this category is worth reading before you buy. A microwavable compress, a plug in USB mask and a soft sleep mask are three genuinely different products with three different routines behind them, and the six groups below are how most shoppers work out which one belongs on their nightstand.

The six groups

• Microwavable Heat Masks. Fabric masks filled with beads that are warmed in a microwave and reused. Bruder, Optase, Avenova and Noveha all make one. There are single eye and dual eye versions, and Bruder makes an Eyeleve version sized for contact lens wearers.
• Non-Microwavable Heat Masks. Warmth without a microwave. This covers air activated inserts like the EyeGiene Insta-Warmth system, self heating single use masks, and kits such as TearRestore, which uses heat packs and its own reactivation kettle.
• USB Powered Masks. Masks that plug into a laptop, a power bank or a wall adapter, usually with more than one heat setting. Weye and VisuScience both make one, and the VisuScience I-Relief USB mask takes a removable insert. I-Med Pharma's I-RELIEF mask is a separate product that uses ThermaBeads for hot and cold use rather than USB power.
• Cold Masks. Gel and bead masks chilled in the refrigerator or freezer, from Bruder, Optase and Oasis Medical. Several are dual purpose, so one mask covers warm and cold.
• Nighttime Eye Protection. Soft goggles and sleep masks shaped to sit around the eye rather than press on it, including the EyeEco Eyeseals, Quartz and Onyix range. These are the ones CPAP users tend to ask about.
• Mask Accessories and Refills. Replacement inserts, hygienic eyelid sheets, cotton liners, gaskets and refill packs, so a mask you like stays in service instead of being replaced.

How to choose

Three questions usually settle it. First, how do you want it heated? A microwave is fastest at home, USB is the one that works at a desk or on a plane, and self heating inserts need nothing at all, which is why they end up in travel bags. Second, one eye or both? Several brands sell a single eye version, which is useful when only one side is involved. Third, reusable or disposable? Reusable masks cost less over a year but need washing and eventual replacement inserts, while single use options ask nothing of you.

Covers, cleaning and wear time

Every mask in this category ships with the maker's own directions for heating, cleaning and how long to wear it, and those directions differ enough between brands that they are worth reading even if you have used a mask before. Look for a washable cover if you plan to use the mask daily, and check whether the model you like takes refill inserts before you buy, since that decides the running cost. If a mask is part of a routine your eye care professional has set out for you, follow their guidance on when and how to use it.