Tolerability and acceptability of Blephagel: a novel eyelid hygiene aqueous gel

Commonly associated with dry eye, blepharitis is the most commonly encountered disorder in general ophthalmologic practice. Although anti-infective and anti-inflammatory therapies are available, eyelid hygiene is the cornerstone of effective management. A variety of products have been used to assist and encourage eyelid cleansing and massage. The present study examines the ocular and periocular tolerability and acceptability of Blephagel, a cosmetic, poloxamer-containing gel designed specifically for cleansing the eyelid in subjects with sensitive skin or eyes or contact lens users. Subjects with blepharitis and sensitive skin or eyes, a history of atopy, or who use contact lenses applied Blephagel twice daily at home. Clinical ophthalmologic examinations were conducted before and 21 days after aqueous gel application, and subjects completed a questionnaire on the acceptability of the preparation. Thirty-three predominantly female subjects entered and completed the study. A total of 36% of the subjects had used similar products in the past, 21% regularly. Upon questioning by the ophthalmologist, 85% of the subjects reported acceptability of the preparation as good to very good, and 73% rated the efficacy as good to very good. There were minor but statistically non-significant changes in fluorescein tear breakup time and visual acuity before and after 21 days of aqueous gel application. The questionnaire results indicated that the subjects found the product to be effective for cleansing the eyelids of mucus and squama around eyelash roots. Moreover, cosmetic qualities, sensation in use, and acceptability were also appreciated. No subject reported any adverse event considered to be related to the aqueous gel. Although the safety of Blephagel has already been established in standard tests, the current results suggest that it is also pleasant to use and acceptable to blepharitis patients with sensitive skin as an aid to an eyelid hygiene regime.