Surgically Clean Air expands into the optometry market

Surgically Clean Air, a provider of medical grade air systems, is extending its reach into the UK optometry market, aiming to help optometrists practicing through COVID-19.

The company, which has been based in Canada for over 10 years but now has a distribution arm in the UK and Ireland, develops air cleaning solutions to help businesses improve the air quality in their environments, and has a core market in the dental industry.

Now the company is reaching out to optometrists with its Jade Air Purifier to support sanitisation processes in optical practices and enhance staff and patient confidence.

Speaking to OT, Ian Creighton, national sales manager for Quintess Denta, distributors for the SCA products in the UK and Ireland, explained that interest in surgically clean air solutions has increased across sectors over the past year. While the company’s first aim was to help dentistry to get “back up and running,” the company has also seen the device gain popularity in care homes and hospitality settings.

The company identified that the optometry profession was facing similar challenges, with extensive sanitising processes delaying the movement of patients through practices. With many optometrists operating in small testing rooms without windows and the difficulties in maintaining social distance, the company felt the surgically clean air device could offer a solution.

The company’s products feature a six-stage filtration process to filter and sterilise the air, including a HEPA-Rx particulate filter.

The filtration process includes an antimicrobial pre-filter and dual stage electronic cell to capture and remove large particles, such as dust, from the air. This is followed by a dual activated carbon filter to remove chemicals and odours. Dual UV-C light bulbs, followed by a photocatalytic kill chamber, help destroy odours, organic chemicals, mould, allergens and bacteria. Finally, a negative ion generator ‘re-energises’ the air, the company explains.

The product also features large capacity airflow management to move large volumes of air without creating breezes, as well as a sound dampening design and hand gesture control sensors.

The Jade device can be set to ‘always on’, pre-programmed timers or automatic, through which the smart sensor monitor measures the surrounding air and automatically turns on the fan and filtration system until the air around the unit is judged to be ‘clean.’

Speaking to OT, Mr Creighton shared: “The solution is going to speed up traffic through the practice in a safe way that is going to protect the team. The practice team will be able to work knowing that, when they are seeing so many different patients every day, the air has been surgically cleaned.”

With the ability to socially distance limited in the testing room, Mr Creighton commented, “This is a level of safety that can help practice teams to feel a bit more certain when they are going to work. For practice owners, it is an assurance that they are investing in their staff safety.”

The company says it offers a safe solution to reduce airborne viruses, suggesting: “Viruses, such as H1N1, Influenza, SARS and COVID-19, are relatively sensitive and unstable, making it easily destroyed or captured when their environment is altered.”

“The Surgically Clean Air technologies have been independently tested to reduce MS2 Bacteriophage, a commonly used surrogate for SARS-CoV (Coronavirus) by 99%,” the company has explained.

Mr Creighton suggested that the investment could have value in the current environment, as well as into the future, with the use of masks and sanitisers expected to continue for some time.

“The benefits beyond COVID-19 are huge,” Mr Creighton said, pointing to flu viruses and sickness that typically circulate through the year and are easy to catch when in close proximity to others.