At Optrafair London this year, there were quite a few companies with stands dedicated to therapeutics, noticeably more than at previous Optrafair shows. The majority of companies exhibiting in this area were suppliers of dry eye product, but there were others too. Broadly speaking there were three main categories: age-related macular degeneration, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory agents and dry eye products.
AMD
Within the first category, macular degeneration, there were two notable products. The first MacuShield (Macuvision Europe) is well-established in the industry now as the supplement containing meso-zeaxanthin, the third identified macular pigment which is normally synthesised within the retina. Great play was made at the stand of the latest published research looking at possible benefits of macular pigment supplementation, including measurable improvement in visual functioning questionnaire scores for drivers, recent indications of reduced macular pigment levels in glaucoma patients, and improved contrast sensitivity. For contrast sensitivity, MacuShield was offering elegantly designed hand-held contrast screening cards which might be used by a patient to assess their own contrast ability and monitor any improvement.
Altacor was promoting its Eye Bar (See Optician 23.08.13). The makers claim better compliance can be achieved by offering a chocolate bar containing macular pigments. Altacor also claims it is suitable for diabetics and vegans.
Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drugs
It was good to see that Cambridge Healthcare Supplies Limited has re-introduced ‘Golden Eye’ ointment. For those who may not remember, the ointment contains 0.15 per cent dibromo-propamidine isetionate, as a treatment for styes, blepharitis and conjunctivitis. The ‘Golden Eye’ label is now also used on an expanded range which includes 0.1 per cent solution propamidine as eye drops, and a chloramphenicol preparation available as both 0.5 per cent drops and 1.0 per cent ointment. These are classified as P medicines.
Moorfields Pharmaceuticals used the exhibition to launch Eyezin eye drops. This product is a lubricating eye drop with anti-microbial action. The drops contain zinc-hyaluronate which the manufacturer claims would be good for an abraded cornea related to contact lens wear. The hyaluronate promotes healing of the cornea while the zinc helps to maintain a sterile environment. With the hay fever season well under way, Moorfields Pharmaceuticals also markets a unit dose eye drop of sodium cromoglicate under the brand Catacrom. Being preservative-free limits the chance of reaction to preservatives. It also carries the legal medicines category of P.
Dry eye
All pharmaceutical providers had products for dry eye management, emphasising the importance of this area in primary eye care. I saw dozens of products, but the notable ones included was InflammaDry (distributed by BIB). This product looked like a pregnancy testing kit! It measures the level of mmp-9 protein in the tear fluid in elevation of dry eye. The manufacturer claims this testing kit can be used to predict accurately inflammation associated with dry eye. Look out for a more detailed article on this test in a forthcoming issue of Optician.
Along with the now familiar and widely used MGDRX EyeBag (from the EyeBag Company) and the BlephaMask system from Altacor, Scope Ophthalmic was displaying a system aimed at managing meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). It used thermo beads which when heated are placed in a set of goggles with a wet sponge to allow treatment. Scope claims moist heat is better for MGD treatment.
[CaptionComponent="374"]Also launched by Scope is the BlephEx; this is a vibrating probe that the optometrist would use as part of the treatment for blepharitis. It resembles a dentis
t’s polishing tool and scrapes away inspissated gland openings along with surface debris. Again, Optician will publish results of a trial of the instrument soon. An adapted USB digital camera was used to show quite nicely how the lids appear and would be useful in demonstrating the impact of any intervention to patients.
Moorfields Pharmaceuticals, known for its preservative-free eye formulations, is keen to promote its sodium hyaluronate products to optometrists. Lubristil Gel is made from sodium hyaluronate and xanthum. When demonstrated to me, it was like having a sticky gum between your fingers. Emustil is a gel-like preparation containing 7 per cent soya bean and 3 per cent natural phospolipids and is recommended for patients with MGD. This unit dose eye drop is milky in appearance.
? Rakesh Kapoor is an optometrist with a therapeutic qualification practising in the South East
