Bad news from Alcon on Opatanol & others

[kakinda]

I just received a reply on [O]Patanol :
basically Alcon has no plan to produce a preservative free version...
too bad for Alcon and even worse for all of us suffering from DE and in particular allergic DE.
Systane free is not available in France. They explained that it's not exactly a PF free solution but a "disappearing" one when in contact with normal tears...?§

What can we say?

I'd appreaciate if other can voice their opinion / experience on this BAC long term use problem notably regarding Patanol and other alcon's products

http://www.alconinc.com/us/eo/comments/contactus.jhtml


Take care (and use something without BAC... possilby Zaditor or Zaditen in Europe).
Kakinda

[Toril]

Mail to Alcon

...I wrote them stright away, asking about Systane free in Norway and about a preservative version of Optatanol.

Toril

[SusieD]

Is Boric acid a preservative?

Thats the only ingredient in the systane pres-free that sounds like it could possible have a preserving action.

All the others are often found in all pres-free tear drops such as potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, purified water etc.

[SusieD]

Sorry, answering my own question but just seen this:

How is boric acid used today?

The more that is learned about the beneficial properties of boric acid, the more it is being used in a wide range of consumer and industrial products. Here are some common examples:

Pharmaceuticals: boric acid is a mild antiseptic as well as a mild acid that inhibits the growth of microorganisms on the external surfaces of the body. It is commonly used in contact lens solutions, eye disinfectants, vaginal remedies, and similar external applications.

That must be the 'preservative' then.

[kakinda]

more... or worse from Alcon

Hi All,
Toril provided Keratos additional info and was kind enough to translate from Norwegian for us, I believe it's relevant to post it here too. - Takk- by the way.

"When it comes to Opatanol, Alcon has no plans of developing a preservative version of this product. This is because Opatanol is just to be used twice a day, and when dripping that seldom the consentration of preservative in the eye will be very low. This makes the drops tolerable for most people, but not for all”

bit by bit Alcon is admitting that this is a concern (just for some people they say and it's only used twice a day... yes but for hwo many days to achieve something... for instance if you have seasonal allergies or worse annual ones!!!!! doesn't make any sense!). Remember the article i posted on rabbits, the concentration was much lower, plus, the problem is that DE and allergies are chronic disease which require long term use therefore this claims means that Opatanol (Or Patanol in the US) should not be used by fragile corneas like ours... people with DE should not use regardless of epithelial staining of not... unless Alcon decides to do something about it by using a better alternative (another preservative or maybe none at all).

These drops are not tolerable for everyone, and they are safe for less than that

Susie, I'll answer your questions more thouroughly I need to translate an answer i received from them in French .
Did you witre to them?

My opinion, is keep using Zaditen or Zaditor.... because how tolerable to you find it be, when one is risking one's corneas and most likely a long term hypersensitivity to BAK (then your drug options are close to none).

Take care
K