AMO introduces blink Tears eye drops
SANTA ANA, Calif. Advanced Medical Optics on Monday announced the U.S. introduction of blink Tears, a new line of over-the-counter lubricating eye drops for the estimated 40 percent of Americans who suffer from occasional or chronic dry eye symptoms.
“The introduction of blink Tears lubricating eye drops is our first entree into the dry eye category and marks an important expansion of AMO’s complete refractive solution of eye care products,” stated AMO chairman and chief executive officer Jim Mazzo.
“I believe that blink Tears will be a significant improvement to our treatment regimen for managing the symptoms of dry eye,” stated Eric Donnenfeld, who is in private practice with Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island and is a trustee of Dartmouth Medical School. “The unique formulation of blink Tears distinguishes it from other currently available artificial tears because it can provide both a long duration of effect as well as superior visual clarity.”
AMO developed a formula for blink Tears lubricating eye drops that includes a blend of ingredients naturally found in the eye. Product benefits include: long-lasting relief with less blurring of vision; up to 60-minute moisture retention time; restored tear film with each blink; improved tear film stability; and adapts to an individual’s dry eye needs by thickening when the eye is open, and thinning when the eye blinks.
Dry eye syndrome is a common disorder of the tear film, afflicting especially those aged 40 years and older. Symptoms of dry eye may include redness, burning, itching, light sensitivity, excessive tearing, a gritty “foreign-body” feeling and dryness.
It is estimated that women are twice as likely as men to suffer from dry eye, especially as they grow older. Dry eye syndrome also can be associated with other illnesses or conditions. For example, people with diabetes or auto-immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may be more susceptible to dry eye. Certain environmental factors can also aggravate dry eye, such as living in an arid climate. The dry air on planes can also make flying uncomfortable for those with dry eye.
One of the most common causes of dry eye syndrome is a dysfunction of the meibomian gland, which produces an oil that coats the eye. It is this oil, mixed with tears, which creates a healthy tear film that keeps one’s eyes properly lubricated. Without this oil, the eye compensates by producing more tears. But even with excessive tearing, a person’s eye is still left feeling dry, itchy, uncomfortable and even painful because the tear film’s moisture is out of balance.