#125: Hypochlorous Spray, Key to Dry Eye Relief

I want to talk to you about step one of my four simple steps to alleviate your dry eye. If you've been following me for awhile, then you know that I advocate you taking four simple steps to care for your dry eyes.

Let's Review

I advocate using 4-Simple Steps to care for your dry eyes daily.  These steps come directly from the TFOS DEWS II report.  This study was conducted to develop a scientifically studied plan on how to diagnose and treat dry eyes. 

These four steps are part of the treatment plan recommended whether you have mild, moderate, or severe dry eyes.  The steps support a healthy tear film, which we all need to have healthy eyes.  And of course, there are plenty of ways to customize the steps to fit your lifestyle.  Here are the 4 steps in a nutshell:

1. Hydrate:  Moisturize your eyes by adding preservative-free artificial tears to your eyes.  This adds moisture to the eye and rinses away inflammation.   I recommend Optase Dry Eye Intense Drops.  This drop contains Hyaluronic Acid and last longer on the eyes.  
2. Harmonize:  Cleanse the eye lids and lashes.  Bacteria normal lives on your eyelids and lashes.  However, too many bacteria in your eye lashes and it will make your eyes look red and irritated.  We will dive in to my favorite brand below.
3. Heat: Use a warm compress mask to melt the oils trapped inside the oil glands that line your eyelids.   I love to recommend the UNClog mask for this.  This mask utilizes Infrared technology to effectively heat the oil glands with less heat to the surrounding skin.  Once the oils are released from the glands, the oils bathe the front surface of the eye and lock the moisture in.
4. Heal: A dry eye supplement gives the body the nutrients it needs to produce healthy tears.  HydroEye has a blend of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, vitamins, and minerals to provide the building blocks to support your body in making a complete tear film.

 Let's take a Deeper Dive

Step two keeps your lids and lashes free of excess bacteria to support a healthy tear film.  Bacteria normally lives on our lids and lashes, but sometimes the population gets overgrown.  When you have dry eyes the environment on the lids is comfortable to allow more bacterial growth.

Or, sometimes we create an environment for the bacteria to grow in by leaving remnants of makeup on our lids.  This makeup debris offers a great home for bacteria to thrive.  

What are the Symptoms?

Bacteria living on our eyelids is causing the redness and the irritation in our eyes.  Other symptoms include:

• grittiness
• burning sensation
• excessive tearing 
• itching especially at the base of the lashes or on the eyelid margin
• red and swollen eyelids
• dry eyes
• crusting of the eyelids
• watery or thickened discharge

If left untreated, this problem will increase to more severe symptoms of:

• blurred vision
• eyelash loss
• misdirected eyelashes
• inflammation or infection of the cornea

How to Get Rid of Excess Bacteria

The simplest way to remove excess bacteria is to use a cleansing spray.  A Hypochlorous Acid based cleansing spray is effective and easy to use. Use it twice a day to remove these bacteria.  The cells in your own body produce Hypochlorous acid in our cells when they come into contact with bacteria. 

Hypochlorous acid has a mild chlorine smell.  It is non-irritating, and it does not have poisonous side effects.  It is gentle enough to use on a daily basis.  Yes, it is potent enough to kill bacteria, fungus, spores, and viruses.  

A New Brand on the Scene:

Twenty/Twenty Beauty is a new non-toxic beauty brand.  It was developed by an ophthalmologist and dry eye specialist in New Jersey, Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo.  Her motto is that healthy eyes are beautiful.  Using Clean, non-toxic beauty products will keep your eyes healthy.

Easy on the Eyes Daily Hygiene Facial Spray

This cleansing spray is natural, safe and soothing.  It cleanse lashes, lids and skin while helping to calm and reduce inflammation.

How do you use it:

It is very simple to use.  Just follow these steps: 

• Start with a clean face: you have already removed your eye makeup, either when you have taken a shower or washed your face.
• Before you add any moisturizers or creams around your eyes or on your face. Spray the cleanser directly onto your closed eyes. It's a mist.
• Keep your eyes closed for a few seconds, allowing the spray to air dry
• Do not rinse off
• Go about your normal routine.

 Hypochlorous Spray from Twenty/Twenty Beauty.

This spray is super gentle. It's safe to use around your eyes.  If it gets in your eyes.  It really won't stinging and burn. It's specifically formulated for the eyes.

You may also want to use this spray on your face.  While wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 many people are noticing an increase in acne and styes.  Check out this blog to learn more about how to treat a stye.  The masks are trapping the air we are breathing on our face. We have more bacteria on our face than what we're used to.  You could use this cleansing spray directly on your face one or two times a day. 

CONCLUSION
When you have dry eyes, you want to make sure that you're removing the bacteria around them.  Reducing the bacteria around your eyes can heal and calm down that redness and the irritation. This is just one part of the four simple steps that I recommend to care for your eyes daily.

Remember also that you'll hydrate with some artificial tears, follow this cleansing step with the heat of a warm compress, and take a nutritional supplement.  These steps, when used together give your eyes the support they need to make healthy tears.