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Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Anenome — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:08:10 GMT

limitgov:

"But the value to users wouldn't be as high."

That is not true. Foods without preservatives are MORE EXPENSIVE.

You're just revealing that you don't understand the economic use of the term 'value.'

By 'value' I don't mean mere product gotten for the money, I mean value in the sense of what it is about a product that makes one person choose to buy it over another product, of which product gotten for the money is only one criteria.

Your average consumer will consider all sorts of variables before picking X product over Y product.

Sure the product is more expensive, but it may be that people value a more expensive, but long lasting product, over cheaper products that won't last as long.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

limitgov — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:06:46 GMT

"But the value to users wouldn't be as high."

That is not true. Foods without preservatives are MORE EXPENSIVE.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

limitgov — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:05:34 GMT

"But the value to users wouldn't be as high."

That is not true. Foods without preservatives are MORE EXPENSIVE.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Phil Ridley — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:11:19 GMT

Frankly, better question the need for eye drops in the first place. If we agree that saline solution is bacterio-static, and that tears are saline, then maybe the need for eye drops is a salt deficiency? The USDA's dietary guidelines almost eliminate salt, and it is being replaced with toxic MSG in many processed foods.

Now, I differentiate here between unrefined seasalt/rocksalt, which has all the minerals the body requires, in the right proportions, in easy to assimilate electrolyte form, vs table salt which is pure sodium chloride. The biggest joke about reducing salt consumption is that the body reacts by exreting less in tears, sweat and other places that require salt. Of course, extra table salt will enhance mineral imbalalance, but that is not the case for unrefined sea/rocksalt. I recommend celtic seasalt and himalayan rocksalt.

The most recent journal of the Weston A Price Foundation covered this issue:

- http://www.westonaprice.org/journal/journal-summer-2011-salt-and-sulfur

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Anenome — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:03:45 GMT

Phil Ridley:

- That is not the issue. The question is, why can't the companies producing eye wash/eye drops/contact lense solution without known toxins.

Define 'toxin.'

The answer is, they could. Just like they could produce food without preservatives.

But the value to users wouldn't be as high.

I have a bottle of Visine that expired five years ago (I use it rather rarely). Still works fine :P Try that with your self-concocted mix / non-preservative mix.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Anenome — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:00:52 GMT

I never said you were going to remove the salt :P

But, do you have the proper tools to measure ion concentrations in human tears and reproduce that? On a stove?

I picture you with a pot of water and a salt shaker :P

If you're really that concerned, buy some sterile saline. AFAIK it won't have the other ingrediants you're worried about. Except that, upon opening it, it won't remain good for very long, as there's many living organisms out there which tolerate salt water just fine.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

limitgov — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:55:20 GMT

"Yeah, cooking up your own batch of eye wash is probably a bad idea >_>"

I never said remove the salt.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Phil Ridley — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:52:24 GMT

Anenome wrote the following post at Wed, Sep 21 2011 11:26 PM: Yeah, cooking up your own batch of eye wash is probably a bad idea >_>

- That is not the issue. The question is, why can't the companies producing eye wash/eye drops/contact lense solution without known toxins.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Anenome — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:26:04 GMT

limitgov:

so maybe a little purified water and salt.

without all the antiseptic and chemicals used to breakdown the outer layer of the eye.

Yeah, cooking up your own batch of eye wash is probably a bad idea >_>

Too much or too little salt and you'll sting, as you either inject too many ions or too few causing ion travel. The salt is there to match the salinity of your natural tears.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

limitgov — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:45:24 GMT

so maybe a little purified water and salt.

without all the antiseptic and chemicals used to breakdown the outer layer of the eye.

"thimersal"

sounds like they have a really bad history of using ridiculous preservatives.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

BiPolarMoment — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:47:31 GMT

So, if I just want to wet my eyes and not use antiseptic on them, just use purified water? Sort of like wanting to wash my hands with actual soap, not antibacterial detergent?

I think you'll find that water without some salt is not nearly as comfortable.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Phil Ridley — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:38:43 GMT

They used to add mercury based preservative thimerosal!!

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

limitgov — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:31:47 GMT

"Boric acid is an antiseptic and an antibacteric and is also one of the very acids that has no ill effects on the eyes."

So, if I just want to wet my eyes and not use antiseptic on them, just use purified water? Sort of like wanting to wash my hands with actual soap, not antibacterial detergent?

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

Kakugo — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:35:16 GMT

Boric acid is an antiseptic and an antibacteric and is also one of the very acids that has no ill effects on the eyes.

Re: Preservatives Added to Eye Drops - Why?

limitgov — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:08:56 GMT

"Technically speaking no, it just allows the active components (most common are boron salts and boric acid) to get where they are needed the most easily. I am a chemist with a strong interest in biochemistry, not a doctor, but I'll try to explain to the best of my capabilities: our eyes are built in "layers". The outermost of these layers is the corneal epithelium, which acts a first barrier of sorts to protect the cornea from bacteria and resist the free flow of fluids from tears (even when we are not crying are eyes are constantly "kept moist" by secretion from the lacrimary glands). Benzalkonium chloride allows the drops to pass through this first barrier by "weakening" it for a brief moment, get to the stroma (and in primates such as ourselves through Bowman's membrane), Descemet's membrane and finally into the anterior chamber."

thanks for the info..

but why would we want boric acid and this other stuff to pass through to the other layer of our eyes?