Good News for Tired, Irritated Eyes Ivan Mac, MD MBA One of the most common ailments my patients complain of is redness, irritation, and a burning sensation in their eyes. Typically this is near the eyelid margins at the root of the eyelashes - a gathering ground for microbial deposits that cause a condition known as blepharitis. A new treatment solution called Avenova™ is an extremely effective way to treat the disorder, and an excellent alternative to traditional treatments. Blepharitis, a common condition causing inflammation of the eyelids can affect the inside or outside of the eyelids, and is challenging to manage as it recurs. Over 23 million patients who walk into an Optometrist or an Ophthalmologist’s Spring 2015 office have symptoms consistent with moderate to severe anterior or posterior blepharitis. difficult for patients to follow the routine and sometimes the symptoms do not go away quickly. I have noticed my own patients who suffer from this inflammatory condition usually complain of itchiness, redness, flaking, and crusting of the eyelids. I find that it affects both children and adults alike, and is common in all ethnic groups, across all ages. Debris deposits on the eyelids, lashes and sensitive skin on the eyelid contain microorganisms; this, in turn, causes irritation, inflammation and sometimes infection. The new approach: Avenova - an easy and quick acting bottled solution. It utilizes Neutrox™, a pure 0.01% concentration of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in a saline. While acid on your eyes sounds frightening (not to worry, Neutrox is completely safe) such acid is a bactericidal component of the innate immune system. It’s actually produced by your neutrophil white blood cells to fight infection. However, when the irritation and infection is severe enough, and one's own defenses are unable to do so, the engineered formulation found in Avenova is an effective solution to cleanse and remove microorganisms associated with blepharitis. Traditionally, it has been treated with different treatments ranging from warm compresses to dabbing baby shampoo on the eyelid where the redness and soreness occurs. I recall a 35-year-old male patient who had a chronic form of the disease and had tried baby shampoo scrubs, which actually made his symptoms worse; he had to be maintained on a low-dose intermittent topical steroid for relief. He had failed oral doxycycline therapy and OTC lid hygiene products did not improve his condition. In addition to intermittent steroids, the patient was using hot compresses up to four times a day and an over the counter eye drop. It is a cumbersome regimen, but in the case of this patient, the symptoms were relieved. However, the patient complained of very dry eyes. It's often Next Page Packaged in a glass bottle with a spray top and dispensed onto a cotton pad or cotton round, the solution actually scrubs and cleans the lashes and lid surface known as periocular skin. It is non-toxic to human tissues and non-irritating. Avenova may be used twice daily: in the morning and at bedtime. In my experience it has resulted in consistently positive results with complete resolution occurring for some patients within 2 weeks. Most patients feel it is very effective and report a "refreshing" feeling after application. You may not think that burning and irritated eyes are so debilitating, but they can be. One of my patients, a 75-year-old man, was quite active in his retirement. Some of his activities included cycling and amateur photography - both which relied upon his eyesight without any distractions or other irritations. He suffered from classic blepharitis. It had gotten so bad that he couldn't engage in these hobbies. When he came into my office, like so many other patients, he was seeking relief. Not wanting to detract from his quality of life, he used a regimen of Avenova. Within a month the symptoms and the condition were greatly relieved. For him, Avenova was a vast improvement that helped him return to his normal lifestyle and hobbies, free from the irritations of blepharitis. He uses Avenova as a daily maintenance therapy once a day and continues to do well. For more information about Avenova, visit www.avenova.com, or call 1 (800) 890-0329. avenova.com Spring 2015
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