3 Ways to Spray: Enhancing At-Home Ocular Hygiene with HOCl

Author T.J. Andersson

Published Apr 04, 2024

Discover the benefits of Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) for easily maintaining optimal ocular hygiene at home. From reducing bacteria to maintaining lash line health, we explore how HOCl can transform your ocular health and become an easy step in your everyday hygiene routine.

Learn more about at-home eye care with our succinct guide to effectively using this incredible molecule to your advantage.

Ocular health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and maintaining proper hygiene is essential for preventing eye conditions related to bacterial pathogens.

In recent years, hypochlorous acid (HOCl) has emerged as a powerful and versatile solution for ocular care. Today's blog post will explore three ways patients can spray their hypochlorous acid eye hygiene product at-home to ensure healthy lids, lashes, and eyes.

1. Start the day…with the spray

When introducing an HOCl-based ocular hygiene product to your patients, it is important to ensure they are familiar with how to apply the product and when to use it.

The first step to maintaining healthy eyegiene with HOCl is simple. Start your day with using the spray! Similar to how we brush our teeth in the morning or wash our face, clinicians should be encouraging their patients to start their morning eye care routine by misting the product directly onto their freshly cleansed eyelids.

Application tip:
After cleansing your skin in the morning and removing any residual substances or chemical residue from other products, apply a pure hypochlorous acid (HOCl) product like BIHOCL O.D. directly onto the ocular surface by misting the product onto your closed eyelid area. There’s no need to rinse!

Why apply HOCl to my eyelids?

Why start the day off by misting HOCl on your eyelids? Glad you asked.

We’ve discussed this topic in a previous article, but let’s also now turn to existing research which has demonstrated that spraying HOCl onto the ocular surface provides potent defence against bacteria just twenty minutes after spraying¹. The HOCl molecules in the solution get to work instantaneously upon contact, and in fact, up to twenty minutes after the initial application of HOCl onto the ocular surface, researchers found a 99.6% reduction in staph bacterias—including antibiotic resistant strains¹. The best part is, this reduction in hard-to-treat staph bacterias was accomplished without any significant disruption to the delicate ocular surface skin microbiome¹.

What does this mean? While you’re sipping your morning coffee, hypochlorous acid can be hard at work protecting your ocular surface from infection causing pathogens and keeping your eyes healthy and clean!

2. Wipe the day away…at the lash line

HOCl's therapeutic benefits extend beyond infection prevention. When sprayed onto a cotton round and gently rubbed along the lash line, patients get the antimicrobial benefits of HOCl with the added physical action of debridement. This is particularly important for the end of the day, when bacteria, dust, and other particles have accumulated onto the lash line.

Application tip:
At the end of the day following the removal of cosmetics or skincare products, spray HOCl onto a cotton round and gently rub along the lash line area.

Why apply HOCl to my eye lashes?

HOCl has shown therapeutic effects for individuals dealing with blepharitis². Through the addition of physical debridement, the antimicrobial properties of HOCl can penetrate deeper into the lash line, soothing the irritated and inflamed skin and removing particles and pathogens that may lead to infection or irritation.

In a study involving 48 patients with blepharitis and dry eye disease, a hypochlorous acid hygiene solution was compared to hyaluronic acid wipes over a 4-week period². The results demonstrated that the hypochlorous acid group showed significant improvements in non-invasive keratograph break-up time, tear film break-up time, Ocular Surface Disease Index, tear meniscus height, and Meibomian Gland Yield Secretion Score². Additionally, the hypochlorous acid group exhibited a more pronounced reduction in bacterial load, suggesting that hypochlorous acid is a secure and effective option for blepharitis treatment with satisfactory clinical outcomes and antimicrobial activity compared to hyaluronic acid wipes².

3. Spray as you may…and worry not about over-application

One of the unique advantages of an HOCl-based eye care solution is its safety for frequent use throughout the day. This versatile spray can be safely misted into both closed and open eye areas whenever needed, offering continuous protection without any negative effects. Unlike some eye care products, and much like standard saline, hypochlorous acid does not pose a risk of overuse, allowing individuals to tailor their ocular hygiene routine to their specific needs.

Application tip:
There is simply no such thing as over-applying HOCl, this is particularly useful for patients experience dry eye symptoms who required additional moisture in the eye area throughout the day.

Why should I apply HOCl early and often?

In addition to its antimicrobial and therapeutic properties for conditions such as blepharitis¹⁻², hypochlorous acid (HOCl) has demonstrated significant promise in addressing dry eye symptoms³. One study³ investigating the effects of 0.01% HOCl delivered through ultrasonic atomization on meibomian gland dysfunction-associated dry eye revealed promising insights for its application in patient care. The observed improvements in patient-reported symptoms included increased tear production (Schirmer’s), prolonged tear stability (NIBUT), and a reduction in inflammation markers (MMP-9 and IL-2)³, demonstrating the multifaceted benefits of HOCl in dry eye care.

As a result, incorporating HOCl into dry eye management may offer a comprehensive and effective approach, addressing both symptomatic relief and underlying factors contributing to the condition³.

Final Thoughts

HOCl-based ocular health solutions are an innovative and convenient approach to eye hygiene that can be easily incorporated at home. By misting onto the ocular surface, applying to the lash line with a cotton round, and regularly misting throughout the day, individuals can take advantage of the significant benefits of HOCl for overall eye health.

Clinical evidence supports HOCl's effectiveness against bacteria, blepharitis, and dry eye. As do eye care professionals across the country who have incorporated it into their treatment protocols. This reinforces its value in eye care routines and encourages ocular health specialists to recommend this remarkable solution, along with its diverse benefits, for home use.

Biomiq’s line of pure hypochlorous eye hygiene sprays—BIHOCL O.D.—is a perfect addition to your daily eyegiene routine. Learn more about the product here or speak with your eye care professional to explore its benefits.

References

Stroman, D. W., Mintun, K., Epstein, A. B., Brimer, C. M., Patel, C. R., Branch, J. D., & Najafi-Tagol, K. (2017). Reduction in bacterial load using hypochlorous acid hygiene solution on ocular skin. Clinical Ophthalmology, 707-714.
Mencucci, R., Morelli, A., Favuzza, E., Galano, A., Roszkowska, A. M., & Cennamo, M. (2023). Hypochlorous acid hygiene solution in patients affected by blepharitis: a prospective randomised study. BMJ Open Ophthalmology, 8(1).
Li, Z., Wang, H., Liang, M., Li, Z., Li, Y., Zhou, X., & Kuang, G. (2022). Hypochlorous acid can be the novel option for the meibomian gland dysfunction dry eye through ultrasonic atomization. Disease Markers, 2022.