Freshkote

[sparrow]

Has anyone tried Freshkote?

Sorry to sound so naive, but how do you get a perscription for something? I told my eye dr about Freshkote and he said he'd check out the website, but what if he doesn't think it's any different from anything else and won't write the perscription? Has anyone tried Freshkote?

[Rebecca Petris]

Sorry to sound so naive, but how do you get a perscription for something? I told my eye dr about Freshkote and he said he'd check out the website, but what if he doesn't think it's any different from anything else and won't write the perscription? Has anyone tried Freshkote?

It's a fair question. Obviously not all patients are comfortable walking into the doctor's office and saying 'Please write me an Rx for XXXX because YYYY' and not all doctors are well-trained to obey their patients . A doctor is bound to prescribe or not prescribe in accordance with his professional opinion of his patients' needs. If you really want to try Freshkote and your doctor is not convinced it's worth it, you might be able to use Dwelle & Dakrina as a testbed, since they have similarities with FreshKote. If they help you at all, that might help persuade your doctor that Freshkote is worth a try too, since it also has a lipid.

[Maria1972]

Has anyone tried dwelled , dakrina or freshkote???? or are these fairly new and no one can really say if they work or not??

I've been with Systayne for almost 2 years now but on a bad day I can't really say it helps (systaine) maybe is time for a change...

[Rebecca Petris]

Has anyone tried dwelled , dakrina or freshkote???? or are these fairly new and no one can really say if they work or not??

Dwelle and Dakrina have been around for 15 years, Freshkote for 5 or so. They are not well known becase they have never been distributed by one of the major pharmas, but they all have a loyal following amongst severe dry eye patients. if you search on any of these names you will find many posts about them.

[brulsy]

How FreshKote works...

FreshKote

It is Dwelle with a Lipid component called Amisol Clear that stabilizes the outer,oily, layer of the tear film to decrease the rate of tear evaporation.

The synergistic polymer blend of 2 polyvinyl alcohols adheres to the ocular surface even the dry spots. So it eliminates all dry spots on the eye. Once this complete wetting is achieved the oncotic pressure of 65 mm/Hg starts to work.

This pressure draws excess moisture out from inbetween the 5 cell layers of the epithelium and will compact these layers to re-establish its integrity and also increase the adhesive properties of it. This allows those patients with recurrent corneal erosions to greatly benefit from FreshKote.

FreshKote will provide a therapeutic result by healing the epithelium and will essentially rebuild the 3 layers of the tear film. Tear Break Up Times should increase from <5 secs. to >10 secs. within one month (maybe sooner) applying it 3-4 times a day.

Many who have used Systane(and other OTC drops) over 5 times per day have seen much improvement by applying FreshKote only 3 times/day.

FreshKote is safe to use with contacts and will make them more comfortable to wear now that you have 3 quality layers of tear film.

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi there brulsy and welcome!

We are always glad to get information and patient reports on their use of consumer and Rx products for dry eye, and as is well known I'm a big believer in all of Dr. Holly's products. I appreciate the detailed description of the mechanism that you've provided.

However: When authoritative technical or medical claims are made for a product, we need to ask for sources. Claims of therapeutic benefits are sensitive territory in medical marketing. If therefore you have anything to support this I'd appreciate some further elucidation.

Separately...

Regarding your claim about FreshKote's safety and efficacy with contacts, I'm not going to disagree, but unless Focus has FDA approval for Freshkote as a lens lubricant, safety and efficacy claims for contact lens use should not be made.

I'm not trying to single anybody out - there are other industry reps participating on this board and so far everyone's been pretty careful about substantiating statements that are made. For the record, I think highly of all of Dr. Holly's products and am pleased that Freshkote now has a real distributor and is readily available in drugstores.

[Reggie]

I'm from Toronto, and a local pharmacy had told me that they don't carry, or can't order FreshKote for me. It is possible that it goes by another name here in Canada, and would anyone know the name?

[Guest]

Sounds like Freshkote is the daddy of the drops.

If it does everything it is claimed to do, it could even cure the common cold and that dislocated shoulder pain I've had since I was 7.

Don't mean to sound flippant - just having a bad day.

It would be great to try it though, no doubt if you folks are having trouble finding it in the US, we haven't got a prayer finding it in the UK.

If the suggestion that it is Dwelle with a lipid component, maybe I could make my own by using Dwelle in the eye and Clarymist on the lid - just a thought.

Will let you know how I get on, I'm off to find a sample of Dwelle, I must have one here somewhere.

Ian

[Lucy]

Bruisy, I have Boston Scleral Lens and I'd need a lot more information than you telling me it'd be ok to use Freshkote on these lens (any lens). I have used Freshkote, as well as Dwelle, Dakrina and Nutratear and they're all good drops. This statement you made could end up being costly perhaps?

The BSL cost around $8,000 and it seems a little chancy you telling people it's ok to use Freshkote with "contact lens." I see where Rebecca has addressed this concern elsewhere on the bb.

[Lucy]

To Ian-

Ian, I am one of the very first users of the Dr. Holly drops when they resurfaced about 5 years ago. Not THE FIRST, but among the first few such as Rebecca, Cindy and Mary.

I still use Dwelle, Dakrina and NutraTear. I never did get the hang of FreshKote (called something else then) and just liked it much less than the other three.

[Guest]

Lucy,

I did try Dwelle and Dakrina when I realised in March that I had developed dry eyes and that my symptoms were a little more serious than the minor inconvenience that should have been resolved by then.

I read the presentation by Dr Holly which I was impressed with and wanted to try the drops, Gaye sent me some samples back in March.

I was hideously frightened at the time because I was waking with corneal erosions that I was happy to stick with my gels and ointments.

I have since given the ointment the flick, I am not a fan of the gels either and I am still getting RCE's so I don't really have a lot to loose, particularly when I am currently considering Debridement.

I wasn't fussed with Nutratear but I think that at the time I tried it, I was grasping at straws and wanted the miracle cure, I have learnt so much since then and have realised that such a thing does not exist.

I think it is time that I give the drops (Dwelle and Dakrina) another go, this time I can give them a couple of months trial as I am taking a few months out of my normal life (whatever that is these days) and going to Australia for some family time.

Thanks again for your comments

Ian

[Rebecca Petris]

I'm from Toronto, and a local pharmacy had told me that they don't carry, or can't order FreshKote for me. It is possible that it goes by another name here in Canada, and would anyone know the name?

It only became available in US pharmacies in May, so my guess is that it is not yet available in Canada. You can contact Focus Labs to find out for sure.

FreshKote has plenty of users who get more relief with it than with anything else. And at a purely theoretical level, the idea of combining all the famed ocular surface wetting benefits of the original Dwelle with a lipid is great.

[brulsy]

Rebecca,

I apologize, and you are totally correct regarding the validity of FreshKote being used "while the contact lens is in the eye." There isn't any clinical information yet to claim whether it is, or is not, safe to apply while the lenses are in. You are always safer removing the lenses before instillation.

You do not have to wait 5-10 mins, or so, before you put the contact in. The lens can be applied once the blur goes away. Thanks, and again sorry for the confusion.

[Judy]

Hi Ian,

How are the Dwelle and Dakrina working for you? I need to try with these both again and give them some time....

Thanks,
Judy

[Guest]

Judy

I am doing well with Dwelle and Dankina. I am using Dakrina as needed throughout the day. I use Dwelle of a night but have not yet been brave enough to go to bed with just using Dwelle alone - I am still using my Genteal Gel and Tranquil Eyes. I am waiting till I get back to Oz to dry the Dwelle of a night with no genteal gel.

Overall I think I am improving, long may it continue.

Ian