Dwelle, Dakrina & NutraTear

[JRE]

Can you post on the site somewhere (maybe in the shop?) the fundamental differences between these? All I could find (outside of searching the forum) were the ingredients but no descriptions on their use and application. I think this would be very helpful to others...especially thise browsing the site for the first time. Keep up the good work.

[Rebecca Petris]

Can you post on the site somewhere (maybe in the shop?) the fundamental differences between these? All I could find (outside of searching the forum) were the ingredients but no descriptions on their use and application. I think this would be very helpful to others...especially thise browsing the site for the first time. Keep up the good work.

Hi JRE,

Very sensible questions... Before the shop opens, I promise there will be more detailed information on the products and there will also be more detailed information under each term listing in the Encyclopedia.

In the meantime, I have to explain something very tedious but unavoidable:

Beginning of tedious remarks

If we seem overly understated, tight-lipped or legally paranoid in what we say and don't say about the products, it's because unlike the pharmaceutical companies that sell all the other over-the-counter drops, we don't have multimillion dollar R&D, legal and marketing budgets which would allow us to come up with a bucketful of ironclad statements and advice that can be doled out without any risk to you or ourselves. Instead, we have to be excessively cautious to ensure we don't accidentally run afoul of any rules set by people like the FDA and FTC.

Our main constraints are:

1) CLAIMS re efficacy etc: We can't make any direct or indirect claims for the products unless it's something that's been proven in controlled studies, period. We wouldn't want to anyway, but without being lawyers it's possible to make honest mistakes here, so we try to err on the side of caution.

2) MEDICAL ADVICE: We obviously aren't doctors, and it might seem farfetched that anything we say could be construed as attempting to practice medicine over the internet. But actually it's something we have to be very careful about. If we weren't in the position of having these eyedrops sold through our own company, we could say whatever we wanted, but because we are responsible for the drops, there is always the possibility that what we say is equated by somebody's lawyer as medical advice or information supplementing the FDA-mandated labelling. That is why you'll find that we will generally be more than happy to explain our own personal experiences and/or refer you to other people's experiences, but we can't actually do anything akin to telling you how to use the drops without potentially laying ourselves open to complaints and/or legal jeopardy.

3) PRODUCT LABELLING: To understand the constraints properly you have to know something about the regulatory environment in which over-the-counter products of this category exist. The FDA has something called a monograph for ophthalmic demulcents. What that means is, any products (including ours) which conform to certain very specific requirements can be marketed as "lubricant eye drops". Then, ALL products marketed as lubricant eye drops are subject to precisely the same labelling requirements. That's the black-and-white text box on the back or side of the box all eyedrops come in. ALL of the text is spelled out for us by the FDA. - That includes "Instill one or two drops in the affected eye(s) as needed." And that's basically the extent of the advice (as such) we can give about use of the drops, in our capacity as the company selling them.

It's all really quite amusing considering that this category of product can hardly be considered harmful under any circumstances less drastic than, say, forcing the bottle up your nose. But it's the reality we live with as do-gooders accidentally turned entrepreneurs .

End of tedious remarks

... All that being a hideously longwinded way of saying, more or less, I'd really like to tell you but I just can't.

Seriously, though, I will come back and post here in this thread with links to the info in the encyclopedia as soon as that is updated, as well as in the shop when it is launched.

Meantime, if anybody who has used the drops wants to share their exprience of the differences between them and/or how they like (or don't) to use them, feel free.

[Lucy]

Love them all

RE: Nutratear, Dwelle and Dakrina. These are my primary drops for the past 3 1/2 years. I think I would have pulled my eyes out had I not "found" the drops. I also know from hanging around eyeball bb's that more people like the drops than don't. A person doesn't have much to lose by trying. Personally, i've spent probably hundreds of $$ trying various products over the past 5 1/2 years. I stick with my 3 favorite though and I'm very glad you're making these available.

[JRE]

Thanks, Rebecca. I understand your quandary and know how "sue happy" people can be...running a business is rough (my wife owns her own business). I was actually looking for something simple like (as an example only) NutraTear is typically utilized as a day time lubricant and Dakrina is best used before bed time because it's more of gel, etc, etc.. I'll wait until the shop opens to take a look at the descriptions.

[Rebecca Petris]

I understand what you mean. I'll switch hats here for a moment.

Here's how I personally see them:

I use NutraTear as a multi-purpose and frequent-use daytime drop, particularly when I'm using the computer or reading. To me, it's the lightest of the three, but gives terrific coverage. I use it as a wetting drop for my gas permeable lenses. I can use it almost anytime, though it's not always enough for me.

So, I use Dakrina in the morning and sometimes during the day when things are rougher than usual. It sometimes stings my eyes a little bit the first time I use it after not using it for awhile, but it gives me longer relief than NutraTear when my eyes are in poorer shape than usual.

I use Dwelle almost exclusively at nighttime, except for occasional stretches where my eyes are very sore and then I use it occasionally durng the day. I'm not sure I have a good explanation for it - it is not by any means a highly viscous drop - but I have always thought of Dwelle as an alternative to goopy gels and ointments: it gives me lasting night relief/protection without the mess.

My use of all three has evolved a lot over the years. When I first tried them, Dakrina was the only one I liked and I used it primarily at night. Over time different ones have become my favourites. The most consistent pattern I've had is what I mention above - the NutraTear/Dakrina combo for daytime management, with Dwelle as needed when nights get bad. As far as I've been able to tell from correspondence with other patients, NutraTear and Dakrina are very popular in tandem for long-term symptom management, while Dwelle is popular for initially getting serious cases under control. But just when I think I know how they're being used the most, somebody comes along and surprises me with a completely different point of view. I remember being surprised at SECO when an optometrist visiting our booth mentioned she had used Dwelle as a contact lens wetting drop for years.

Hope this helps.

[JRE]

Ver y helpful...thanks!

[jcorbett]

Dwelle/Dakrina

Somewhere along the line, I read a post where someone stated that Dakrina and Dwelle were identical. The only difference was that Dakrina had vit A added to it. (or at least that is the way I understood the post)
But, Rebecca, after reading how you use Dwelle and Dakrina, it does not seem like that is correct??
I stopped using Dwelle, figuring if they were the same except for vit A then I may as well just stick with Dakrina. I am getting ready to order again, so am wondering if maybe I should try Dwelle again???

[Rebecca Petris]

Somewhere along the line, I read a post where someone stated that Dakrina and Dwelle were identical. The only difference was that Dakrina had vit A added to it. (or at least that is the way I understood the post)

That's quite correct. They both have precisely the same active ingredients. The only difference in the composition of Dwelle vs. Dakrina is the Vitamin A in Dakrina.

However, speaking at a wholly anecdotal level for a moment, differences have often been reported in patient experience with the drops to a greater extent than might seem warranted by their limited technical differences. In particular patients have often reported that they felt Dwelle is a "thicker" drop, and it has long been a favourite for severe cases such as with recurrent corneal erosions. My experience and Cindy's is consistent with this and that is a reason we developed the "Night & Day" concept - not because of technical differences (and indeed for the reasons I've mentioned before we cannot advise people what time of day to use the drops) but because of cumulative patient experiences.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out now that the drops are being manufactured to a higher grade. One of the first things I, and one or two other testers, observed when trying the newly manufactured drops is that the relative viscosity of the two seemed more nearly the same than under their previous manufacture. I do not know enough of the science to be able to speculate about the reasons. I find that I am still using them the same way as before, personally.

The free sample sets contain one each Dwelle and Dakrina precisely for this reason... I think some people will find they want to use both, at different times, while others will find they prefer one of them. I think the samples will contain about a week's worth of drops each so if you get a sample set that may be enough to determine whether to bother getting both or stick to just one.

[JRE]

Hell, they are very reasonably priced (as compard to other drops, Systane, etc)...I'll buy all 3

[jcorbett]

Price

No kidding!! They are so reasonably priced compared to store brands....I hope people realize they getting a decent sized bottle for the price.

[JRE]

I've had the drops now for about a week and here are my observations. I'll preface my comments by saying that I have mild dry eye (never specifically tested, my opinion) and mostly in my right eye.

Dwelle and Dakrina - these seem to be identical to me, at least as far as I can feel. Both can give your lashes and surrounding skin a healthy film if you don't clean them soon after applying the drops - more so than other drops I have tried. For some reason, to me, they make my eyes feel drier? Sounds weird but maybe it's just becuase they become sticky? Maybe it's my method of application. I'm the type that can't drop directly in my eye, I need to drop it in the corner and let it bleed in. My aim isn't always good

NutraTear - I like these drops. They do a good job of wetting my eyes. My only fear is that I'll drip them on a white shirt and stain it. Anyone know if the red will stain?

[Rebecca Petris]

NutraTear - I like these drops. They do a good job of wetting my eyes. My only fear is that I'll drip them on a white shirt and stain it. Anyone know if the red will stain?

Hi JRE,

The red color is due to Vitamin B12 and it is non-staining.

If you have mild dry eye, then yes, NutraTear would be the most suitable product. It is the lightest and most versatile of the three. I know exactly what you mean about the sensations from the others, too. It sounds like your eyes just don't need the extra "umph" they give. That is definitely true of me at times and at those times I use only NutraTear.

I'm working on a side-by-side at-a-glance comparison of the drops to make it easier for people to determine which is most suitable for them before trying them out.

[Lucy]

Hard Core vs Mild

I'm the type that can't drop directly in my eye, I need to drop it in the corner and let it bleed in.

JRE, indeed you are a lightweight in the dry eye department!
I just had to comment as many of us have been heavy "users" for years. We use them in the dark, driving the car (not recommended), while dining, by feel, etc. Of course, we do miss many times and end up wasting some good drops of liquid. Given a little time, you'll speed up the process. Practice makes perfect.

[dianat]

Hey, there's an idea. Maybe doc Holly could add some glow-in-the dark stuff to the eyedrop recipe. That would really, really help me out in the middle of the night.

[JRE]

Whoa, that makes me think of a good idea. How about a glow in the dark cap or stripe on the bottle??? How many times do you fumble around the nightstand looking for drops?