New solution for Dry Eye Syndrome

London: Clarymist is the first product of its kind to offer fast, effective relief from Dry Eye Syndrome, a rapidly increasing problem. Current options are messy and inconvenient – but now with this great new treatment – one quick spray with Clarymist gives instant relief.

Dry Eye Syndrome is one of the most commonly treated eye conditions in the world and is now one of the most frequent patient complaints to UK ophthalmic opticians. Many factors contribute to dry eyes (wearing contact lenses, central heating, drinking alcohol, watching TV or working at your computer). Put simply, the main cause of Dry Eye Syndrome is a disturbance of the lipid layer in the eye which covers the actual tear film. This oily layer stops the tears evaporating. One of the main reasons the oily layer gets disturbed is because we don’t blink frequently enough. Also as we get older the problem affects more and more of us.

Blinking usually occurs about 20 times a minute but studies show that when working at a computer, for instance, blinking drops to about 5 times a minute… and those playing computer games sometimes only blink once or twice in 3 minutes!

But now relief is at hand and dry, gritty, sore eyes can be a thing of the past with new, revolutionary Clarymist – a single spray on to your closed eyelid – much easier and more pleasant to apply than traditional and messy eye drops or gels – which will result in an immediate cooling and soothing sensation. After a few minutes the phospholipid liposomes get to work and the dryness is eased away. Having no direct contact with the eye, there is no blurring or impairing of vision, so it is safe to use before driving or operating machinery.

Clarymist eye spray is the ideal product for anyone who suffers from Dry Eye Syndrome and contact lens wearers can safely apply the product while wearing all types of lenses. What’s more, the handily sized small bottle is highly cost-effective, providing over 100-metered doses. Just keep a bottle in your pocket, handbag or desk drawer for instant relief any time you feel your eyes getting sore and gritty. Also Clarymist has an amazing 3-year use-up date which means no more wasted bottles of drops.

Clarymist is available in the UK from larger Tesco stores, high street opticians, pharmacies and independent health stores or online from www.clarymist.com

Eye facts – did you know that?

• About 10 % of thepopulation experience varying degrees of Dry Eye Syndrome
• Dry Eye Syndrome affects one in five people over the age of 55**
• Dry Eye Syndrome affects 75% of people over the age of 65
• The use of Clarymist improves the discomfort of 85% of patients***
• A third of the population regularly puts up with dry, irritated and watery eyes*
• 75% of soft contact lens users get Dry Eye Syndrome
• Dry Eye Syndrome can be caused by a variety of lifestyle factors including central heating, air conditioning, air pollution, dry climates, wind, saunas, spicy foods, alcohol, contact lenses and activities such as driving, watching TV, computers and reading**
• Dry eye is a confirmed side effect of laser eye surgery**
• The typical symptoms include dryness, grittiness, irritation, difficulty reading for long periods, burning and even tearing or watering
• Computer users tend to blink much less frequently (about 5 times a minute as opposed to the normal rate of 20 times a minute) making dry eyes a major problem for them
• British people spend 128,780 hours per working lifetime sitting in front of a TV or computer screen*
• The average person spends 30.5 hours a week sitting in front of the TV*
• The typical working person spends 35 hours a week sitting in front of their computer screen*
• If the average individual works between the ages of 18 and 65, 2740 hours or three and a half months a year will be spent in front of a screen*
• If left untreated, Dry Eye Syndrome can damage the outer protective tissue of the cornea which can lead to permanent scarring and sight loss**

* National Eye Week, 2005
** The Eyecare Trust
*** A new therapy concept with a liposome eye spray for the treatment of “dry eye”; Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd, 2004; 221:1-12

WHAT IS DRY EYE SYNDROME?

Symptoms

Most of us experience dry eye at some time. Dry eye makes itself felt as a sensation of burning or dryness. Your eyes feel tired, sometimes you get a gritty feeling, and often you are over-sensitive to bright light. Most of you will recognise the symptoms.

What causes dry eye syndrome?

Dry eye syndrome has become increasingly common in everyday life, due to environmental factors and increased use of computers. It also becomes common as we get older, especially for women. Other causes are through disease (diabetes, blepharitis) and also certain drugs can induce its onset. It is particularly frequent if you wear contact lenses or work in an air conditioned office building. The pollution that occurs in towns, long car and plane journeys, caffeine consumption and smoking all contribute too, and you’ll also be susceptible if you have undergone laser eye surgery.

Its effect on the eye

Your eye is protected and lubricated by a thin film of tears. Also there are glands on your eyelids that put an oily layer over the top of the tear film to stop it evaporating. In about 80% of dry eye cases, this oily film is deficient, allowing the protective tear layer to evaporate and irritation to occur

How Clarymist Works

1) Clarymist eye spray is sprayed onto the outside of the eyelids, resulting in a soothing, cooling effect right across the eye
2) Some of the Clarymist eye spray liquid penetrates around the eyelids and onto the tear film that coats the eye
3) The lipid (oily) component from Clarymist eye spray spreads across the outer surface of the tear film, reinforcing the natural oils that are already present
4) The rate of evaporation of the tear film is now significantly reduced, allowing it to provide proper lubrication to the eye
5) The symptoms of dry eye quickly diminish

Ingredients

Soy lecithin 1.0% A phospholipid, a polar molecule consisting of a fatty acid component that is lipid-soluble, along with a charged phosphate group that is water-soluble. Phosphatidylcholine is the main lipid component of soy lecithin (94%), and also the most common phospholipid in natural tears. It is present in Clarymist eye spray in the form of liposomes. Sodium chloride 0.8% Present in natural tears. Renders the aqueous content of Clarymist eye spray compatible with the user’s tears. Ethanol 0.8% A solvent to maintain the less water-soluble ingredients in the aqueous carrier. Vitamin A palmitate 0.025% A lipid-soluble antioxidant component that is also closely associated with eye health Vitamin E (tocopherol) 0.002% A powerful antioxidant vitamin which is lipid-soluble and can therefore aid protection and stabilisation of lipids. Phenoxyethanol 0.5% A preservative commonly selected for use in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics due to its effectiveness in very low concentrations and its low allergic reaction. Being volatile it evaporates from the aerosol state and does not impact on the user, so it can be safely used with contact lenses