office have symptoms consistent with moderate to severe anterior or posterior blepharitis. I have noticed my own patients who suffer from this inflamma- tory condition usually complain of itchiness, redness, flaking, and crusting of the eyelids. I find that it affects both children and adults alike, and is common in all ethnic groups, across all ages. Debris de- posits on the eyelids, lashes and sensitive skin on the eyelid con- tain microorganisms; this, in turn, causes irritation, inflammation and sometimes infection. Traditionally, it has been treated with different treatments ranging from warm compresses to dabbing baby shampoo on the eyelid where the redness and soreness occurs. I recall a 35-year-old male patient who had a chronic form of the disease and had tried baby sham- poo scrubs, which actually made his symptoms worse; he had to be maintained on a low-dose inter- mittent topical steroid for relief. He had failed oral doxycycline therapy and OTC lid hygiene products did not improve his condition. In ad- dition to intermittent steroids, the patient was using hot compresses up to four times a day and an over the counter eye drop. It is a cum- bersome regimen, but in the case of this patient, the symptoms were re- lieved. However, the patient com- plained of very dry eyes. It's oſten difficult for patients to follow the routine and sometimes the symp- toms do not go away quickly. e new approach: Avenova - an easy and quick acting bottled so- lution. It utilizes Neutrox™, a pure 0.01% concentration of hypo- chlorous acid (HOCl) in a saline. While acid on your eyes sounds frightening (not to worry, Neutrox is completely safe) such acid is a bactericidal component of the in- nate immune system. It’s actually produced by your neutrophil white blood cells to fight infection. How- ever, when the irritation and infec- tion is severe enough, and one's own defenses are unable to do so, the engineered formulation found in Avenova is an effective solution to cleanse and remove microorgan- isms associated with blepharitis. Packaged in a glass bottle with a spray top and dispensed onto a cotton pad or cotton round, the solution actually scrubs and cleans the lashes and lid surface known as periocular skin. It is non-toxic to human tissues and non-irritating. Avenova may be used twice daily: in the morning and at bedtime. In my experience it has resulted in consistently positive results with complete resolution occurring for some patients within 2 weeks. Most patients feel it is very effective and report a "refreshing" feeling af- ter application. Spring 2015 One of the most common ailments my patients complain of is redness, irritation, and a burning sensation in their eyes. Typically this is near the eyelid margins at the root of the eyelashes - a gathering ground for microbi- al deposits that cause a condition known as blepharitis. A new treatment solution called Avenova™ is an extremely effective way to treat the disorder, and an excellent alternative to traditional treatments. Blepharitis, a common condition causing inflammation of the eye- lids can affect the inside or outside of the eyelids, and is challenging to manage as it recurs. Over 23 mil- lion patients who walk into an Op- tometrist or an Ophthalmologist’s Next Page Ivan Mac, MD MBA GOOD NEWS FOR TIRED, IRRITATED EYES