Cetrimide, is this another bad one?

[Steve]

Hey all --

I stopped using the Visine Night containing Benzalkonium Chloride, and started trying out some Tear Gel from Novartis/Dr. Mann/Bausch & Lomb instead.

They are preserved instead with Cetrimide, which I haven't heard of, but have been looking up info. http://www.chemicalland21.com/lifesc.../CETRIMIDE.htm

It sounds like it's closely related to BAC, as well as to known eye damager chlorhexidine, so I don't know how worried I should be.

Effects: I've used these for two nights now. They are very very soothing at first, but by morning are irritating.

What kind of night goop is safe?

[Steve]

And my eyes got worse yesterday and today...

Perhaps an answer. Looks like Cetrimide is bad news too: from Ophthamology Times on Purite


We found that lubricating eye drops containing the oxychloro complex had no adverse effect on epithelial cells in vitro or on rabbit corneas in vivo. Polyquaternium-1, cetrimide, phenylmercury borate, sodium perborate, and BAK all showed cytotoxic effects, either in vivo or in vitro. Our results indicate that the oxychloro complex was less disruptive to cellular integrity than other preservatives currently used.


Table 2
In general, the cytotoxicity observed for each preservative, from least to most, is as follows: the oxychloro complex (Purite); polyquaternium-1; sodium perborate; BAK 0.005%; cetrimide, phenylmercury borate; and BAK 0.01%.

Ok, with this in mind, no more GelTears either. I have to find a European gel for nighttime that works and is non-preserved or has a gentle preservative. Suggestions welcome!

[Toril]

Goop for the night

Hello, Steve!

Have you tried using Celluvisc at night? They are without preservatives. I use Celluvisc in combination with an ointment (with paraffin and vaseline).Thera Tears for night is an other product without preservatives (very similar to Celluvisc).

Greetings from Toril!

[Steve]

Hi Toril! Always happy to hear from you!

Have you tried using Celluvisc at night? They are without preservatives.

Thanks Toril! I will look into that! I notice that they're available in Sweden, but Thera Tears doesn't seem to be.

I did try Viscotears individual dropperettes, also without preservatives, and found them to be hard to spread over the eye surface, and they tended to leave a crusty buildup on the eyelids (and maybe the eyes) the next morning.

I was just reading through Rebecca's FAQ's (long overdue!) and she's not fond of ointments in general. I didn't have great results with them either, so I'm avoiding that.

But then, my eyes are just hard to please...

[Toril]

Hi again!

Thera Tears is not available in Norway either, but I buy them from a newly started Danish company called AMWO ApS. I send them a mail about what I want to order, and they send the producs to me shortly after. It's been working very well. If you're interested, you can contact them on mail info@amwo.dk. The url for their page is www.theratears.dk (but it's in Danish though).

About ointments at night: I've tried to sleep without ointment, but that's not working for me.I know many people on this site do not like to use it, but for me it doesn't seem like I have an option. Last week I was in Paris for an examination at Quince-Vingts hospital and Dr. Baudouin, and he agreed that I could use the ointment at night (together with Celluvisc).

Toril

[dianat]

Steve,

The ointments or gels that tend to be bad for tear film are those that are petroleum-based. Look for petrolatum on the label. One that many people seem to like is Genteal Gel. It's a Novartis product. Other than that, I use the eye drops sold on this site. There is what I consider a "heavy" drop called Dwelle that my help get you through then night.

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=1406

[Steve]

Thanks Diana, Toril!

Has anyone else heard anything bad (or good) about Cetrimide?

I've definitely decided Novartis Tear-Gel was responsible for my two worst eye days ever, so it's out of my life, but I don't know if that's me, or the drops themselves, (Novartis Tear-Gel), or the preservative.

[kakinda]

I have to find a European gel for nighttime that works and is non-preserved or has a gentle preservative. Suggestions welcome!

Hej Steve,
There are 2 options in France:
OPHTASILOXANE containing dimeticone (but very expensive and not very good for epithelial healing since it contains sylicon oil).
and 2 brands including the one i use (made in Italy called Vitamine A Dulcis):
a Vitamin A ointment, containing retinol then, parafin, and wool oil.

I did not mention other BAK containing ointment because it's doesnt make any sense to use those considering the residence time (even if you had an healthy eye surface which obviously you don't).
Fight this BAK plague.
hej da°,
K