The Zocular Eyelid System Treatment (ZEST) pack

Adding ZEST to dry eye treatments

An in-practice deep cleansing treatment kit for dry eye, meibomian gland dysfunction, demodex and inflammation has been launched by The Body Doctor Ltd, manufacturer of The Eye Doctor eyecare range.

The Zocular Eyelid System Treatment (ZEST) pack uses patented Zokrex technology and activated natural Okra polysaccharide complexes for immediate improvements.

The ZEST procedure is a natural approach using Okra plant complex to gently exfoliate and restore the natural state of the eyelids. The ZocuSwab foam applicators are used to lift debris from the eyelid margin to remove the biofilm that contributes to inflammation, redness and dry flaky skin. By cleaning the eyelid margins, they remove the debris and biofilm that may be blocking the meibomian glands, allowing the release of oils onto the eye.

The treatment takes just minutes and employs advanced biochemistry to gently lift biofilm without causing tissue damage. No topical anaesthetic is required and patients experience immediate clinical improvement.

The ZEST kit was successfully previewed at 100% Optical in February. Ophthalmologist and chemist Peter Pham, Chief Executive of Zocular, flew in from the US for the show and demonstrated the kit on TV’s Dr Hilary Jones, to large crowds at the event.

“The ZEST Kit offers practitioners a convenient and low-cost treatment which shows a dramatic improvement in patients with dry eye and ocular discomfort. It is simple to perform but yields unrivalled clinical results,” Peter emphasised.

“We recommend the treatment every six months and highlight to patients that it is like going to the dental hygienist, but for their eyes,” he added.

The new ZEST kit contains instructions for performing the in-practice treatment, plus the ZEST gel pods, ZocuSwabs, a dispensing well, sterile gauzes, a surgical mask and the sterile saline vials needed.

Optometrist Purvi Thompson now offers ZEST to all her patients as her first line of treatment. “The procedure itself is very simple to carry out, chair time is minimal and the results are instant,” she said. “Patients feel an immediate cooling effect on the lid margin and exit my room saying their eyes already feel more comfortable than they have in a long while.

“The benefit of the Okra-based gel is the healing and anti-inflammatory properties that this polysaccharide has, without the stinging sensation that other treatments have. Instantly patients feel more comfortable.”

Purvi added: “My dry eye clinic is based with a preference on holistic treatments and I heavily avoid prescribing antibiotics, steroids or cyclosporine unless I really need to. The ZEST plant-based treatment fits into that ethos and the results have been very positive, with patients rebooking for further treatments where indicated. It also slots very easily into my existing Intense Pulsed Light clinic where I carry out ZEST alongside the IPL treatment to those patients with severe blepharitis.”

Explaining why he teamed up with The Body Doctor Ltd in the UK, Peter concluded: “This is a family-owned company where everyone is so talented and with the drive to expand the dry eye and optocosmetics market. Their strategy and ethos fit in well with ours, plus everyone is so nice and easy to work with.”