Eye treatment

Abstract

Methods and kits for treating or preventing an eye condition or for cleaning an eye area tissue are provided. A method of the invention includes administering an isoprenoidal essential oil to eye area tissue, chafing eye area tissue with an abrasive, and removing the abrasive. A kit according to the invention includes an isoprenoidal essential oil, an abrasive for chafing eye area tissue, and in instruction for use for treating an eye condition or cleansing an eye area tissue. The invention also includes a composition of matter comprising an isoprenoidal essential oil and a plurality of abrasive particles in ophthamologically acceptable base.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating anterior blepharitis, posterior blepharitis, Demodex induced blepharitis, conjunctivitis, dry eye, meibomitis, ocular Demodex infestation, or ocular rosacea in eye area tissue comprising:
 administering tea tree oil to the eye area tissue; and   chafing the eye area tissue with an abrasive.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the concentration of tea tree oil is about 0.5% (w/w) to about 4% (w/w). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  about the concentration of tea tree oil is about 5% (w/w) to about 50% (w/w). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein chafing eye area tissue comprises chafing a tissue selected from the group consisting of: upper eyelid tissue, lower eyelid tissue, eyelid margin tissue, anterior eyelid margin tissue, posterior eyelid margin tissue, and eyelash follicle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the abrasive comprises abrasive particles have a size from about 1 μm to about 600 μm in a longest dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the abrasive particles have a size from about 25 μm to less than 300 μm in a longest dimension. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the abrasive particles have a size from  300  μm to about 600 μm in a longest dimension. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein chafing the eye area tissue comprises performing a motion selected from the group consisting of rubbing and vibrating the eye area tissue. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the administering step and the chafing step are performed at the same time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the abrasive comprises abrasive particles, the administering step comprises administering the tea tree oil and the abrasive particles in an ophthalmologically acceptable base to the eye area tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising removing the abrasive. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the abrasive comprises abrasive particles, the method further comprising removing the abrasive particles using a material selected from the group consisting of a moving gas at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure and an aqueous solution.