OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Learn how Evolve stands for a cause.
ABOUT SINGLE-USE VIALS
How do Single-Use Vials Contribute to Global Warming?
Preservative-free single doses are an effective means of providing preservative-free ophthalmic lubricants but such products are less environmentally friendly as they require more plastic to produce.
How does that make single-use vials so harmful?
Heat causes plastic to melt and release greenhouse gases such as methane. These greenhouse gases trap the sun’s heat and stop it from escaping into space, warming the Earth and leading to a rise in temperature. This forms an alarming feedback loop.
As the Earth gets warmer, more plastic melt and temperature rises even further. With more plastic generated from single-use vials, the rate of global warming proceeds at an even faster rate, perpetuating the vicious cycle.
PRESERVATIVES
What is so harmful about preservatives in eye drops
(And what makes the 100% preservative free eye drops so popular?)
The most investigated and often used preservative is benzalkonium chloride (BAK). Toxicity of BAK is related to its concentration, the frequency of dosing, the level or amount of tear secretion, and the severity of the ocular surface disease (Foulks, 2007).
The harsh chemicals present in a preservative can cause poor production and maintenance of the tear film, damage corneal nerves and disrupt corneal cells. All these can irritate the eyes and translate into stinging, burning or even dryness of the eye. Instead of soothing the eye, the preservative in an eye drop can further worsen the dry eye.
If a patient has a medical eye condition such as sjogren’s syndrome, graft-vs-host disease, Stevens-Johnson, extreme dry eye, etc., it is always best to use a preservative-free eye drop. This is because the surface of the eye is compromised and you would not want unnecessary preservatives sticking around on the ocular surface. Over time, too much
exposure to preservatives can lead to a toxic response on the ocular surface.
If a patient wears contact lenses, it is also best to use preservative-free eye drops. This is because the preservatives within the eye drops can stick to the contact lens material. Those preservatives can stay on the contact lens surface, making contact with the eye for many hours. This continued exposure can cause a sensitivity to the preservative, making your eye red, dry, and irritated.
Go preservative-free, use Evolve®.