A new class of dry eye therapy, based on patented EyeSol technology, “can be used for extended periods, spreads easily and feels good in the eye,” according to optometrist Dr. Allan Ared from Omni Eye Centre in Kogarah, NSW.
Distributed by AFT Pharmaceuticals, NovaTears treats the symptoms of primary lipid deficiency due to meibomian gland dysfunction.
“There are several types of dry eye as any optometrist knows,” said Dr. Ared. “But many are surprised when they discover that evaporative dry eye (EDE) is actually the commonest type by a long way.”
According to Dr. Hartley Atkinson, pharmacologist and CEO of AFT Pharmaceuticals, the epidemiology shows that nearly 50 per cent of patients with dry eye disease have EDE alone and a further 36 per cent have a combination of EDE and aqueous deficiency.1 “So you need a product that can either be used as monotherapy or to augment aqueous replacement,” he argues.
“Obviously you have to exclude serious causes, such as autoimmune disease and keratoconus, but with EDE, a key clue is change in vision during the day. Research has shown that the core problem is usually a primary lipid deficiency due to meibomian gland dysfunction. If we treat this condition solely as aqueous deficiency, patients are not going to be helped as much as they could be.”
“You really need a long lasting product, which patients can use for extended periods, spreads easily and feels good in the eye. I’ve found the new technology in NovaTears works well,” says Dr. Ared.
Dr. Atkinson described NovaTears as “water free, which means it can be used after opening for around six months with no need for preservatives.”
He said the novel technology allows NovaTears to have the same refractive index as water which means it doesn’t cause blurred vision. Additionally, it has a low viscosity and surface tension, meaning it can easily spread across the eye to reconstitute the lipid layer of the tear film, slow evaporation, and allow natural regeneration of the tear film.
“Clinical studies of evaporative dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction patients have shown significant improvement in objective signs and subjective symptoms.2,3 This is truly innovative technology and we encourage optometrists either to stock NovaTears or contact us for samples so they can see for themselves,” said Dr. Atkinson.
