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CLEAN SWEEP

DAILY LID CLEANER HELPS PATIENTS IMPROVE LID AND LASH HYGIENE

AS A CONTACT LENS specialist, I have many patients come to me with eyelid disease. In the past, I have struggled with patient compliance to different treatment methods, but Novabay’s Avenova daily lid and lash hygiene has proven to be a game-changer.

OVERVIEW

Avenova is a non-toxic, prescription cleanser made with Neutrox pure hypochlorous acid (HOCI), a naturally occurring substance produced by white blood cells to fight microbial invaders and neutralize bacterial toxins. It is designed to help treat eyelid and eyelash conditions, such as blepharitis and ocular rosacea. Because it is non-toxic, it can be used long term.

An at-home treatment, Avenova should be used twice daily. When used as directed, it takes three to four weeks to see noticeable improvement on the skin.

PROCEDURE AND TRAINING

Avenova is an at-home treatment, so patient training is a must. The product is simple to use, so training does not require extra chair time.

To use Avenova, simply spray the solution on to a cotton pad, and then wipe it over the eyelids. As shown in lab studies when tested in solution, the kill rate of bacteria that contribute to eyelid and lash medical conditions is within seconds, so patients do not have to leave it on their eye for a long period of time — a big plus for patients — in order for it to be effective.

When I present Avenova as a treatment option to patients, I make sure they fully understand the medical condition they have and the importance of eyelid hygiene to keep the balance between good and bad bacteria. To make it easy for patients to understand, I liken washing their eyelids to brushing their teeth: If they stopped brushing their teeth, bacteria would build up in the mouth, their gums would be sore and, eventually, they would develop cavities. In essence, lack of hygiene would have negative effects.

Once patients understand their condition and how cleaning their eyelids can help make them not only feel better but look better, too, it’s very easy for them to comply with Avenova.

PRACTICE BENEFITS

I strive to keep patients in their contact lenses. Avenova has helped me do just that. Millions of people discontinue contact lens wear every year because of dry eye disease (DED), and lid disease is a major contributor to many forms of DED. To have a product that keeps people comfortable, feeling well and able to wear their lenses all day is a huge practice benefit.

My patients using Avenova are very happy with their results, and many have become activists for my practice, which has brought many new patients to my practice. For example, one of my patients had such bad ocular rosacea his cornea was about to perforate. After Avenova cleared his condition, he was so excited he told his entire family, who then made appointments at my office for evaluations. It was a win-win situation for everyone involved. OM

CHRISTINE W. SINDT, O.D., F.A.A.O., is Contact Lens Service director, a clinical associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Iowa and a member of NovaBay’s advisory board. Visit tinyurl.com/OMcomment to comment.