Hypochlorous acid solution (Avenova®) is not demodicidal

• Main Author: Kabat AG
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2018-10-01
• Series: Clinical Optometry
• Subjects: Demodex; blepharitis; hypochlorous acid; demodicosis
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/hypochlorous-acid-solution-avenovareg-is-not-demodicidal-peer-reviewed-article-OPTO

Alan G Kabat Pennsylvania College of Optometry, The Eye Institute, Salus University, Philadelphia, PA, USAI read with great interest the recent manuscript entitled “Demodex blepharitis: clinical perspectives” by Fromstein et al in Clinical Optometry.1 I wish to commend the authors on a thorough and well-written review of the subject. However, I feel compelled to point out one very controversial point that I believe is erroneous and unfounded.  Authors’ replyStephanie R Fromstein, Jennifer S Harthan, Jaymeni Patel, Dominick L OpitzDepartment of Clinical Education, Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, IL, USAThe work by Dr Kabat is of particular interest to us as this is the first study comparing the kill time of commercially available Cliradex® (Bio-Tissue, Inc, Miami, FL, USA) containing 4% terpinen-4-ol to commercially available Avenova® (NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Emeryville, CA, USA) containing 0.01% hypochlorous acid, and 100% mineral oil. His work demonstrated statistically significant kill time with Cliradex® compared to Avenova®, but we found it particularly interesting that 21% of Demodex mites treated with Avenova® were killed within 90 minutes of exposure to Avenova® and that none of the mites exposed to mineral oil were killed.View the original paper by Fromstein and colleagues.