February 3, 2009                                                                                      Sharon Kleyne, Founder and Research Director

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                     1-800-367-6478

Nature’s Tears® EyeMist®: All-Natural Solution to Dry Eye and Aging

Aging eyes.

Not everyone notices it but statistically, as we age, our eyes dry out. In real life terms, this means they may not always produce enough moisture to maintain a healthy and functioning tear film. The result can be frequent eye discomfort; itching, burning and red eyes; headache, drowsiness, blurred vision and other symptoms. Chronic dry eye can lead to corneal ulceration and ultimately, impaired vision.

What is Dry Eye?

Eye can become becomes dry for two reasons. (1) They do not produce enough tears. (2) Something is causing an abnormally high rate of tear evaporation. The vast majority of dry eye is caused by excessive evaporation.

In 2007, the “Dry Eye Workshop” (DEWS) adopted the following revised definition of dry eye. “Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that … is accompanied by increased osmolarity (tendency to lose water) of the tear film and inflammation of the ocular surface. Dry eye is recognized as a disturbance of the “Lacrimal Functional Unit” (LFU), an integrated system comprising lacrimal (tear) glands, ocular surface (cornea, conjunctiva and meibomian [oil producing] glands) and lids, and sensory and motor nerves that connect them (Link to DEWS Report).”

If you are over 50.

According to the DEWS report, the prevalence of dry eye ranges from 5% (moderate to severe) to 30% (mild) in people age 50 years and older. It is estimated that 4.9 million Americans (3.2 million women and 1.7 million men), age 50 and older, have moderate to severe dry eye. Tens of millions more have mild dry eye that may be noticaable only when some adverse factor is present, such as low humidity or contact lenses.

Causes of Evaporative Dry Eye:

1. Environmental.

Central heating (forced air dry heat), hair dryer, car windscreen demisting, air travel, dry climates, wind, air pollution (cigarette smoke), contact lenses, reduced blinking, driving, TV, computers, reading.

2. Eyelid Inflammation.

Blepharitis (swollen eyelids), rosacea (adult acne) and MGD (Meibomian gland dysfunction).

3. Lid surface anomalies.

There are a number of conditions could prevent the tear film from spreading evenly over the ocular surface.

Tear film function and structure.

The tear film that covers the exposed optical surface is amazingly complex, considering it is only about five microns (millionths of a meter) thick. Tear film components include:

Lipid layer. The topmost layer consisting of a very thin film of fatty oils that lubricate the eyelid and slows moisture evaporation from the lower layers.

Aqueous layer. The middle and thickest layer contains the vast majority of the moisture and is where moisture loss occurs. The layer also contains electrolytes, proteins and bacteria-fighting antibodies.

Mucin layer. This bottom layer glues the tear film to the optical surface.

Soothing dry eyes.

Soothing dry eyes should be an easy procedure: Simply add moisture to the tear film!  In fact, the tear film is perfectly capable of extracting all the moisture it needs from the air’s humidity, provided the air is reasonably humid (70% at 70 degrees) and unpolluted.

However, the standard solution to dry, irritated eyes has always been eye drops, not natural humidity. However, formulated eye drops invariably lack one thing: The minute quantity of pure, natural, pH-balanced water that is all a “dry” tear film really needs. Also, a typical eye drop is ten times larger than the entire tear film and can wash away important components  such as evaporation-retarding lipids and infection-fighting antibodies.  And eye drops may be difficult for some people to apply (especially the elderly) and may contain allergenic preservatives and chemicals.

The solution – Nature’s Tears EyeMist.

In 2004, Bio-Logic Aqua Research Technologies International introduced Nature's Tears EyeMist, the first effective, all-natural alternative to formulated eye drops for dry, irritated eyes. For the first time, millions of senior citizens – and junior citizens – obtained instant relief from dry, irritated eyes – without eye drops.

Nature's Tears EyeMist solved the problem of getting extremely minute quantities of moisture through the protective lipid layer into the aqueous layer. This is accomplished with the company’s TRADE SECRET Bio-Logic Aqua tissue culture grade water, proven ideal in pH balance (6.49), purity and solute content for maximum all-natural absorption into the tear film. The water is delivered as an ultra-pure, ultra-fine mist (US Patented) that emulates the air's natural humidity. The mist is sprayed towards the face rather than into the eyes, enabling the tear film to extract exactly as much moisture as it needs – which in most cases is far too little to apply with an eyedropper.

And it works no matter how old you are.

Aging Eye Times, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, June 6, 2007

Mathers, WE, MD,Tear Film and Treatment of Dry Eye Disease, 2005.