Fighting the Mites that Live on Eyelids

Millions of Americans suffer from chronic eye conditions caused by microorganisms living on their eyelids. But Avenova™, a new product from NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, has been shown in laboratory testing in solution to safely kill the mites and the toxins they produce, making a real difference in patients’ lives.

Every day, optometrists and ophthalmologists see thousands of patients whose eyes are red and inflamed, with a crusty build-up of debris on the lid margins. Their eyes are often painfully dry.

In my own practice, these conditions—called blepharitis and dry eye—are some of the most common reasons why people come into the office. Many of those patients have had the conditions for months or years, with adverse effects on their daily lives. Some can no longer read or enjoy travel and hobbies—and are desperate for a solution. My own father suffered from blepharitis for years when I was younger.

When I examine my patient’s eyelids, I look for the underlying cause. Sometimes bacteria are the culprits. But in many other patients, especially older ones, the cause is a population of tiny parasites, called demodex mites. The mites burrow into the lashes along the eyelid margin, munching happily on cells that line the lashes’ follicles. The waste material the mites produce builds up as debris on the eyelids and causes inflammation. The debris can also plug the eye’s Meibomian glands, which produce the oil that keeps tears from evaporating quickly. Without the oil, patients suffer from dry eye.

Moreover, the mite infestation can also attract a species of bacteria, Bacillus oleronius, which also colonizes the eyelids and contributes to the symptoms. And both the mites and the bacteria release toxins that add to the inflammation and discomfort.

Not surprisingly, my patients are horrified by the idea that little creatures are burrowing into their eyelids! They are anxious to rid themselves of the infestation—and to get relief from the often-painful symptoms.

For many years, the mite problem was tackled with various lid scrubs containing tea tree oil. The tea tree oil seems to prod the embedded demodex mites to migrate out of the skin. At high concentrations, it also kills the parasites.

Tea tree oil is not the perfect solution, however. The concentrations of tea tree oil needed to control or eliminate the mites are often irritating to patients’ eyes.

Now, something better has arrived. It’s a new product from NovaBay Pharmaceuticals called Avenova. The key ingredient in Avenova is a stable, pure formulation of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a naturally occurring substance produced by white blood cells to fight microbial invaders. NovaBay calls its formulation of HOCl, “Neutrox™.”

Neutrox has potent antimicrobial properties in solution. Laboratory studies show that it effectively kills the nymph form of the demodex mites, as well as the Bacillus oleronius pathogens and other bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, that live on eyelids. The lab tests show that, in solution, Neutrox also neutralizes the inflammatory toxins released by both mites and bacteria.

Before I try anything new, I use it on myself first to see what patients would feel and experience. When I first tried Avenova, spraying it onto a cotton pad and then using the pad to wipe my eyelids, I found that it was very comfortable—even refreshing.

The key question, though, is: does it work? In my practice the answer is an emphatic yes. After two weeks to one month of twice-daily use, my patients report remarkable improvements. The redness, inflammation, pain, and debris disappear. And when I examine them, their eyelids look clean and healthy.

I’ve also learned that many other doctors are reporting similar successes, and the number of grateful patients is growing rapidly. In interviews, some say that Avenova has finally brought relief after years of pain.

As a dedicated eye care professional, my hope is that I can make a real difference in people’s daily lives, helping them see better and making them more comfortable. With Avenova, I can accomplish that goal for many, many of my patients.

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