Informative - Blink Contacts & Hyaluronic Acid

[Minni]

I'd bought Blink Contacts eyedrops, having read someone who raved about it.
I didn't try it enough yet to judge its merits, but thus far it did not irritate me as some others have.

Because someone here mentioned that Blink Contacts eyedrops doesn't contain high enough molecular weight to be effective, I decided to research again, and came across this excerpt on uclue.com:

Although marketed as a contact rewetting solution, this product from Abbott
Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) seems to closely meet your requirements:

[blink Contacts Lubricant Eye Drops -- AMO]
http://www.amo-inc.com/products/corn...cant-eye-drops

It contains 0.15% sodium hyaluronate (by weight), a preservative OcuPure
(stabilized oxychloro complex, SOC), electrolytes (sodium, potassium,
calcium, magnesium, chloride), and buffers (boric acid, sodium borate
decahydrate).

Once instilled into eyes OcuPure (SOC) is considered a "disappearing
preservative" because on exposure to light it breaks down into water and
sodium chloride, which of course are already copiously present in natural
tears.

[blink Contacts Lubricating Eye Drops]
http://www.amo-inc.com/si.php?produc...1&action=print

"Description: Blink Contacts® Lubricating Eye Drops is a sterile,
buffered, isotonic, preserved solution. This aqueous formulation includes
purified water, sodium hyaluronate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride,
calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, boric acid and is preserved with
OcuPure® preservative (stabilized oxychloro complex 0.005%). This
preparation contains no chlorhexidine, no thimerosal and no other mercury
containing ingredients."

[Note that AMO was formerly Advanced Medical Optics, now Abbott Medical
Optics Inc. following an acquistion by Abbott Laboratories in Feb. 2009.]

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Background on opthalmic use of hyaluronic acid
==============================================

A discussion of opthalmic products containing hyaluronic acid (HA),
including their use of preservatives, is here:

[Chemical Properties of Contact Lens Rewetters]
http://www.clspectrum.com/article.aspx?article=13005

"A review of hyaluronic acid as a contemporary ingredient in contact lens
rewetters. By Loretta B. Szczotka-Flynn, OD, MS, FAAO"

"Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally-occurring, high-molecular-weight,
viscoelastic component of synovial joints, extracellular matrix, vitreous
humor, aqueous humor and skin. Because of its viscoelastic properties, HA
can function as a shock-absorbing fluid in joints and as an ocular
lubricant. HA is an efficacious therapeutic agent for dry eyes. Mengher et
al (1986) demonstrated that a concentration of 0.1% sodium hyaluronate in
preservative-free eye drops can increase tear film stability and alleviate
dry eye symptoms, and concentrations of 0.1% and 0.3% can delay TBUT.
Manufacturers have recently incorporated HA as a comfort ingredient into
the newest line-up of rewetter drops in the eyecare market: Aquify comfort
drops, containing 0.1% HA, and blink Contacts eye drops, containing 0.15%
HA."

A broader discussion of artificial tears/dry eyes treatments is here:

[Artificial Tears: Too Many Choices...]
http://www.agingeye.net/dryeyes/drye...gtreatment.php

in which blink Contacts is listed under the Contact Lens Rewetting Drops.
As an active ingredient hyaluronate is consider a "hydrogel", that is a
polymer which retains moisture. In addition hyaluronic acid has been shown
to promote healing of the corneal epithelium.

[indrep]

Minni, further research will lead to studies that quote "high molecular weight" sodium hyaluronate has the ability to .....(all the benefits of HA). One of these characteristics as it relates to the tear film is "molecular crowding". This is when the individual molecules of HA actually intertwine with each other to form a "molecular sponge" holding water on the ocular surface. This only happens with a molecular weight that is over 500,000D and concentrations over .1%. As with any great recipe all the ingredients have to be the right ones to get the best result.

I am quite sure that Blink, Systane Ultra, et al offer palliative relief to some.

[Minni]

Would you believe, just today i've done extensive research on just this topic, yet find myself still going in circles. I'd also contacted Nature's Way, Membrell, and the Joint Advantage Gold company who tout NEM natural eggshell membrane, but still unresolved.

For example, Injuv & Biocell Collagen II each make their own impressive claims (re: their respective low molecular products.
Then there's BAXYL (high molecular) who also point to studies.
Then there's NEM natural eggshell membrane which (at least Membrell's) is low molecular.

Who to believe?

Of course, all the latter are ingested versions vs. eyedrops.
But even ingested ones may be good for the eyes, so thus relevant.
A number of testimonials re: ingested HA claimed their eyes were improved.

P.S. I read a site stating that elderly japanese with wonderful skin, would constantly be eating food related to potatoes and sweet potatoes & yucca, and the phenomenon was traced to the HA of those foods.

[indrep]

Yes there is a large difference in reported success of topical applications vs. ingested. As to who to believe I would look for independent, peer reviewed studies.

[Minni]

Yes there is a large difference in reported success of topical applications vs. ingested. As to who to believe I would look for independent, peer reviewed studies.

I'd be delighted if anyone can point me to an URL (geared to laypeople) which does exactly that, since I've been spending the past days researching both HA, and the eggshell membrane form of it.

But as usual, there's many reviews on Amazon, Buzzillion, Vitacost, Swanson, etc. but NOBODY offering comparisons except maybe to say [ad nauseum] that they tried similar supplements prior to [this miracle supplement] and the previous ones [WHICH ONES FOR CRYING OUT LOUD??] don't compare.

This non-clarity on the part of the vast majority is really getting my goat by now.