What Are the Best Eye Drops for Dry Eyes?

Dry eye drops are one of the main treatments fordry eye.

Also called artificial tears, these drops help to lubricate the eyes.

However, not all dry eye drops are the same.

Your eyes may become dry for several reasons:

Dry eye drops are available over-the-counter (OTC).

Here is more information on some of the common ingredients in dry eye drops.

Lipid-Based Drops

There are two types of dry eye: evaporative and aqueous-deficient.

An eye doctor can help you determine the throw in of dry eye that you have.

Evaporative dry eye is much more common than the aqueous-deficient throw in.

If you have aqueous-deficient dry eye, there are not enough tears in your eyes.

Inadequate tears can be a side effect of a medication or be resulting from diseases such asSjogren’s disease.

If you have evaporative dry eye, look for drops with lipid-based ingredients.

Gels are the next step up from artificial tears, and ointments are the thickest formulation.

The formulations are thicker than dry eye drops, which means they last longer.

However, the thickness can also make it harder for you to see after using the product.

Eye doctors usually recommend using a dry eye ointment before you go to bed.

Electrolytes are essential minerals like calcium, potassium, and sodium.

Lubricating eye drops often contain sodium and potassium, which are also part of your natural tears.

These electrolytes can help improve the eye’s surface.

Not all eye drops that are available OTC are considered artificial tears.

You’ll want to avoid certain types of eye drops unless your eye doctor specifically recommends them.

Cyclosporine eye drops are sold under the brand names Restasis, Cequa, and Vevye.

Another prescription medication that works similarly is called lifitegrast (Xiidra).

If one punch in of dry eye drops does not work for you, try another.

They might be able to prescribe you a product that could be more effective.

If you have insurance, find out what your plan will cover.

American Academy of Ophthalmology.Lubricating eye drops for dry eye.

American Academy of Ophthalmology.Redness-relieving eye drops.

Pucker AD.A review of the compatibility of topical artificial tears and rewetting drops with contact lenses.

Cont Lens Anterior Eye.