Compare package type and size, active ingredients, and inactive ingredients of popular brands, highlighting key features (such as lipids, sodium hyaluronate or other special ingredients) and also highlighting preservatives.

Ingredient guide for lubricant drops, gels, ointments & sprays

Practical tips to help narrow down the choices and figure out what will work best for you

<h2 id="isPasted" style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 1.4; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><strong>General eyedrop-shopping tips</strong></h2><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><li>Looking for the &quot;best drop?&quot; The best drop is the one that will work for you. But, since this is a common question, hear how we addressed it on our <a href="https://youtu.be/y4toDTw08UU?t=886" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">March 10, 2022 Dry Eye Shop Live</a>.</li><li>Look up the active ingredient(s) of drops you have already tried. There is not much point trying others with the same actives, unless they are in a higher concentration (thicker).</li><li>Sometimes ingredients that actually matter are quietly tucked away in the inactive ingredients list.</li><li>Preservative-free: Yes, you should be using preservative free drops. But just because&#xA0;a drop is&#xA0;preservative-free doesn&#x2019;t mean&#xA0;it&apos;s any good, or will last longer, or feel better! It just means it doesn&#x2019;t have a toxic preservative. You need a lubricant that will make you comfortable and last a reasonable time.</li><li>Please don&apos;t succumb to the temptation to use vasoconstrictors (&quot;redness relievers&quot;), which have a well documented and nasty &quot;rebound redness&quot; effect, and also try to avoid over the counter allergy drops, which have harmful preservatives.</li><li>Use our handy <a href="https://products.dryeyeshop.com/en-US/ingredient-guide-for-drops-gels-ointments-&amp;-sprays-33748">ingredient reference list</a> to compare drops.</li></ul><h2 style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 1.4; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" id="severe-symptoms-no-drop-helps-useful-questions-to-consider"><strong>Severe symptoms? No drop helps? Useful questions to consider</strong></h2><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><li style="font-weight: 400;">Are you using drops because of a medical need for lubrication, or are you using them mostly for comfort?&#xA0;Are you clear on the difference? If you&apos;re using them for comfort, and it&apos;s not working or you&apos;re using them more and more frequently, it may be time to consider other tools and approaches. If you have severe symptoms, for example,&#xA0;it may be time to look into dry eye glasses. If you are already maxed out on dry eye glasses and other treatments, maybe it&apos;s time to talk to your doctor about PROSE or sclerals.</li><li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do ALL drops irritate your eyes? Talk to your doctor about this and see if you can find out why. Are you seeing a pattern, particularly amongst drops with a particular ingredient? If nothing is working, perhaps it&apos;s time to talk to your doctor about serum drops.</span></li></ul>

Eyedrop shopping tips

See pictures below table for packaging examples. Want more info? See Rebecca's video (it's about 12 minutes long) about MDPF bottles. Standard multi-dose bottle (preserved). Single-use vials, preservative-free. Multi-dose preservative-free bottle. Bi

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Dry Eye Shop Knowledge Base

About lubricant eye drops, gels and ointments

About this "knowledge base" site

Introduction

Part 1: Start here

Part 2: Appointments with your lens provider

Part 3: Rinsing & filling

Part 4: Prep, setup and safe lens handling

Part 5: Lens application (insertion) tools, techniques and troubleshooting

Part 6: Lens removal tips, techniques & troubleshooting

Part 7: Cleaning and disinfecting scleral lenses

Part 8: "Midday fogging", rinsing and removal, and other practical daily tips

Part 9: Storage and replacement

Part 10: Traveling with sclerals

Scleral lens user tutorial

Compare night dry eye protection products

Product selection tips (night dry eye protection)

Videos (night dry eye protection)

Which moisture goggle will work with my CPAP mask?

Night consultation prep checklist

About night eye protection products

Product selection tips

Preservative-free saline guide

Videos (scleral lens)

PROSE case alternative disinfection protocol

About scleral lens products

Ingredient guide for lid hygiene products

Lid care product selection tips

Rice baggy detailed instructions for use

About eyelid care products

Dry eye glasses - top recommended brands and types

About dry eye ("moisture chamber") glasses

BAK: Reference list of common OTC and Rx drops preserved with BAK

Miscellaneous