Artificial Tears.

There are many different forms of drops for the different forms of dry eye. Ask your doctor which is the best drop for your eyes.

The most common brands are:

• Labtician

• Refresh

• Hydrasense

• Hylo

• Systane

• IMed Pharma

• Blink

There are other great brands out there but it is best to stay away from generic brands or ones that say red eye on them. I.e Visine, Clear Eyes.

The severity of dryness will guide to the number of drops required. Typically it is best to use the drops on a consistent basis. This ensures the eye will be able to heal and remain hydrated. Your doctor will recommend the number of drops that is best t start. The outcome is similar to using hand lotion, you wouldn’t expect to your hands to be perfect after using hand lotion once would you? Consistency is key.

Red eye drops contain a component called either naphazoline or tetrahydrazoline. These components constrict the superficial blood vessels to make the eye appear white and healthy but can actually make the dryness worse. If these drops are used too much they can actually cause a rebound redness making the eyes look worse. They are good in a pinch to make the eye white but not good for longterm use.

There are a few drops that are prescribed that will cause stinging. This stinging will be temporary and can be lessened when the eye drops are placed in the refrigerator before using. If artificial tears are stinging it can be a sensitivity to the preservative in the multi-dose bottle.

The preservatives used in artificial tears are getting better and better. The purpose of a preservative is to prevent any cellular growth inside the bottle. Therefore the preservative is designed to kill bacteria or living cells within the bottle and can also be minimally toxic to human cells. The preservative levels are so low that they do not harm the corneal surface in normal conditions.

When dry eye is more severe and the patient is using the drops more than 5-6x/day consistently the preservative can be detrimental to the healing of the cornea. Therefore it is recommended to switch to a preserved artificial tear.

If allergy is the cause of the itching and/or watering of the eyes an anti-allergy drop is best used. There are over the counter drops such as Cromolyn or Naphcon-A that can do the trick but there is also stronger prescription drops. Ask your eye doctor what the best option is for you.