A notification pinged up on my phone this morning praising me for a whole 43 minutes less screen time than the week before. That may not seem like a lot, but I’ll take it as a win, even if it’s a minor one.
I hadn’t paid much attention to my usage until I went for an eye exam and was admonished for the Sahara-dry spots across my ocular surface.
In the age of on-screen everything, tales of parched eyes are far from rare. While many believe it strikes at older women of pensioner age, Dry Eye Zone has reported an alarming rise in the condition in children, ranging from 5.5 per cent to 23.1 per cent.
I blame endless doom-scrolling, but work doesn’t help either. Like millions, I work on a computer and am terrible at taking screen breaks. And who hasn’t come home and parked in front of a flatscreen to relax in the evening? It’s all bound to take its toll.
According to Thea UK, the eyecare expert, some 34 per cent of people have dry eye disease, an advanced stage of the eye condition.
While I’m not quite in that category (yet), the eye visit prompted several drastic changes to avoid entering it at all. I no longer wear contact lenses for the duration of my waking moments, which, after a few weeks, my eyes are starting to feel grateful for. I carry eye drops everywhere, and have started taking fish oil supplements, as recommended by my vision expert.
The most instantly relieving change? I’ve started giving my eyes’ oil glands a helping hand by adding Peep Club’s Heated Eye Wand LED+ to my routine.
Peep Club Heated Eye Wand LED+ key specs
- Modes: five, including heat compress
- Heat range: 37-45 °C
- Heat-up time: 1 minute
- Timer: 5 minutes
- Rechargeable?: yes, USB-C
Design
The wand is a slim design with rounded edges, about the same size as an ear thermometer.
The heated head sits at the top - this is the only part that will touch the eyelids - and about halfway down is a small round screen on which to set the temperature through the simple controls underneath. It’s incredibly light and USB-C rechargeable too, which I’m grateful for because who has the time and money to keep buying batteries?
An exciting extra benefit is that, alongside the hot compress feature, the wand offers three modes of visible light. There's a red LED for improving laughter lines, a green LED for calming inflammation, and an amber LED that is designed to reduce redness and dark circles.
Results from the LEDs depend on continued use, but I found that the heat element was most useful for alleviating dry eyes.
Performance
Turn the wand on, adjust the temperature, and wait around a minute for the tip to heat up before gently gliding it from the inner corners of your closed eyes to the outer, taking about 15 seconds for one run, per Peep Club.
Going this slow gives the heat a chance to work on opening up the oil glands. Work methodically over the top lashline before moving the device along the lower lashline, all while keeping your eyes closed. Don’t push hard - you may damage the delicate ocular surface - you want gentle pressure that feels comfortable.
The wand runs on a timer of a few minutes - you should be able to detect when the heat has dropped and the countdown is over before you move onto your other eye.
An Instant Relief eye spray comes with the purchase, which you should spritz over your closed eyes before you start the heat therapy. It’s worth doing: it feels cooling and avoids dragging the delicate periorbital skin.
Cost - is it worth the money?
Peep Club’s Eye Wand is my new favourite pre-bed BFF. I felt the extra moisture flooding in my peepers instantly, and the heat, coupled with being forced to close my eyes for a few minutes, helped my relaxation levels before lights out. I moved the wand higher up my eyelids for a wider regional massage and felt twinkly-eyed afterwards. Before bed, it’s a little TLC I can give my long-suffering eyes, but I’ve used it first thing in the morning to get the oil glands going before I start my day.
The fact that it’s small enough to stow in my handbag is great, but I’ll take antibacterial wipes to ensure it’s clean before use as I don’t have a case for it yet. It will be one of the first things I pack in my hand luggage on my next trip away - cabin air on aircraft is notoriously dry and this is a natural way to keep my eyes hydrated in a way that won’t eat into my 100ml liquids allowance, like eye drops might.
The jury is still out on the light therapy side of things, but if it’s something you’re into, it’s a great extra benefit of the wand. If all you want is a reliable level of heat to help treat dry eyes, look to the Original Wand, which is £20 cheaper at £65.
Verdict
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Peep Club Heated Eye Wand LED+
With five modes, including light therapy and a warm compress that goes up to a toasty 45°C, Peep Club’s eye wand is an excellent tool for anyone suffering from dry eyes.
The heat should be applied to closed eyes along the lash line, gliding so slowly that it takes around 15 seconds to go from the inner corner to the outer eye. Done correctly, eyes feel hydrated and twinkly after a session, which should only be a few minutes in total.
It’s small enough to keep in your bag for fast relief from hot, tired eyes when you’re on the go or travelling and is USB-C rechargeable.
Buy now £85.00, Peep Club
