Avenova: A revolution before your very eyes
Compassionate and caring doctors are constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of patient care. Searching for state-of-the-art developments in drugs, devices and treatment techniques brings the best to my patients. I recently found an extremely useful product that is highly effective as a skin cleanser against accumulation of debris on eyelids leading to inflammation and dry eye symptoms. Avenova from NovaBay Pharmaceuticals promises to usher in a new era of responsible patient care with quality lid management to help some of the symptoms caused by blepharitis, dry eye and other diseases of the eyelids.
All of us experience burning and irritation from time to time but how would you feel if these symptoms were a routine part of your daily life? As a full time practicing ophthalmologist, over 30% of my patients complain of chronic irritation requiring some form of treatment.
Blepharitis is a chronic inflammation of the eyelids causing crusty lids, burning and irritation. It is usually invisible to the naked eye so you probably can’t see it in the mirror. But, viewing your lids in my office with powerful microscopes, I find the majority of eyelid margins are inflamed.
When you blink, tears wash across the edge of your eyelids creating excellent conditions for the growth of germs and production of toxins. Skin diseases such as rosacea and seborrhea add to the problem. Glands in the upper and lower eyelids produce oil that flows across the eyelid margin. When you blink, the material on the lid margin is squeezed onto the surface of the eye. The oil is essential to decrease evaporation of the tears. But, germs and toxins create inflammation, redness, irritation and decreased vision. This creates problems for you and I.
The current treatments include manual lid cleaning with scrubs containing harsh chemicals, topical or oral antibiotics and topical steroids. Over the counter products for cleaning lids have little or no action against germs and may be quite irritating if the chemicals get into your eye.
Avenova adds a new dimension to eye care. The ingredients are isotonic saline and Neutrox, pure 0.01 % hypochlorous acid (HOCL). HOCL is one of the chemicals produced by your white blood cells that kills germs. Laboratory testing shows that in solution Avenova kills bacteria (resistant or not) and fungi yet it is so gentle that it feels soothing if it comes in contact with the eye. Further laboratory testing shows great activity against microbial toxins and your body’s own inflammatory molecules. Resistance is not expected to this unique product. Nothing on the market is comparable to Avenova.
Avenova is packaged in a spray bottle and used with cotton balls, cotton applicators or wipes to clean the lid margin. Some patients may also use warm eye compresses, lid massage and omega 3 oils by mouth depending on the findings and diagnosis.
Lisa, a very active 37 year old patient, found no relief from her blepharitis after multiple doctors and many treatment regimens over many frustrating years. Her lids were so inflamed that she could no longer wear makeup. After 3 weeks of twice a day Avenova, her lids were almost normal. 2 months later I walked into an exam room to see Lisa with a big smile, clear lids and makeup.
We all know that good dental care includes daily brushing with periodic exams. We now recognize that the prevention and treatment of blepharitis and dry eye is a long term process similar to dental care. Avenova is an ideal product for daily use in those patients with chronic lid disease as part of daily lid hygiene therapy..
Avenova from NovaBay Pharmaceutical is a major breakthrough in the prevention and part of the treatment of blepharitis and dry eye. Laboratory tested antimicrobial and antitoxin activity coupled with extremely low tissue toxicity are unparalleled in the marketplace. Lack of bacterial resistance to this product is unique and compelling. Avenova will benefit patients for many generation to come.
For more information about Avenova, visit www.avenova.com, call 1 (800) 890-0329, or email NovaBay here.