7 days ago
These $7 Motion Sickness Glasses Actually Work
At age seven, while bumping along in the back of my parent's VW bus and thoroughly immersed in Roald Dahl's 'The BFG,' I was struck with an overwhelming wave of nausea that culminated in tossing my cookies on the side of the interstate highway. Thus began my very long and arduous relationship with motion sickness.
Fast-forward to recent adulthood, when I came across some bizarre-looking glasses that promised to deter motion sickness, thanks to the magic of their cartoonish shape. Tired of being sick every time I traveled, I decided to put these glasses to the test, no matter how ridiculous they made me look.
I'll cut right to the chase and say that these things worked. Like, shockingly well.
And while they usually retail for around $10 at Amazon, they're currently only $6.99 when you use the promo code to redeem the 30% coupon. (You'll see two individual coupons — one for 20% and one for 30% off — on the product page, but the discounts can't be combined, so we say go with the 30% discount for the best savings.)
The flexible frames of these spectacles are made up of four circles filled halfway with a blue liquid that, when worn, can only be seen in your peripheral vision.
In the name of science (and at the risk of my stomach), I wore the glasses sitting in the backseat of the car, while reading, as my partner drove around. Normally, and especially under these circumstances, it would take less than a few minutes for the nausea and headaches to hit. But this time, my symptoms never came.
To find out, I spoke with Dr. Neil Bhattacharyya, board-certified otolaryngologist and professor of otolaryngology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School. He explained that motion sickness is caused when a disconnect occurs in the brain's ability to detect where the body is in motion.
Although Bhattacharyya can't say for sure all the reasons the glasses are effective, he thinks that the liquid sloshing back and forth inside the rings helps the eyes to recognize movement and create an artificial horizon, allowing the brain to bridge the gap between motion and stability.
If you or your child experiences a similar struggle, it might be worth your while to grab yourself a pair before your next road trip, plane ride or cruise.
Here are some promising reviews from Amazon:
Get them from Amazon for $6.99 (available in four colors; use promo code "DBPPR5PX" on product page for this price).
