Dry eyes can compromise anyone’s daily duties. The irritation, itchiness, and discomfort can make even the simplest of activities seem like herculean challenges.
If you’re one of the many who experience this eye problem on a regular basis, it’s possible that you’ve tried every remedy in the book.
Finding relief doesn’t require anything fancy. These days, eye drops can be purchased virtually everywhere, offering accessible, easy, and instant relief. The important thing to remember, however, is that just because eye drops can be very easy to find, doesn’t mean that the first one you see is the right one for you.
Don’t risk buying a product that won’t work – or worse, that will do more harm to your suffering eyes. Get only the real relief for your sore sights by following this guide to buying the best eye drops for dry eyes.
Top 10 Eye Drops for Dry Eyes Chart
Buying Information for Eye Drops for Dry Eyes
Although many of the eye drops you’ll find on the market are effective, there are certain considerations that will help you choose the best eye drops for yourself. These three factors can will affect your satisfaction, so be sure to think about the specifics before you buy.
- Single Use Vial or Multiple Use Drop Bottle. Some eye drops come in single use vials, and more commonly in multiple use bottles. Depending on how you intend to use your eye drops, you may want to consider one or the other.
- For instance, if you experience dry eyes after sitting at your office desk for several hours, just having a single use vial in tote can be good enough to get rid of the problem, but if your eyes are extra sensitive and you need multiple drops in a day, the bigger bottle should be your best bet.
- Another thing to remember when choosing single-use or multiple-use is whether or not you plan on sharing the eye drops. For instance, if you’re buying for your family, single-use vials will prevent spreading bacteria from user to user.
- Indications. Dry eyes are a common problem that’s caused by environmental factors like wind, sitting in front of a screen for too long, or simply stressing out the eyes with activities like reading. It’s a temporary issue, and using the best eye drops for dry eyes should get rid of them easy and fast.
- Sometimes, however, certain eye drops are advertised for dry eyes, even though they’re formulated for red eyes. Red eyes indicate irritation, and that means they require a different formulation all together. While these eye drops can work well to lubricate dry eyes, they’re also intended to decongest.
- Using drops for red eyes to resolve dry eyes can cause more dryness and problems later on. Be sure to read the labels and buy a formula specifically intended for dry eyes.
- Liquid or Gel. Liquid eye drops are most common, and are easy to use especially if you’re on the go, but sometimes, liquid drops don’t work as well on severe dryness because they can get washed out in just a few blinks.
- If you usually experience severe dry eyes, consider using a gel solution instead. This will stay on the surface of your eyes much longer, offering better relief for more serious cases of dry eyes.
Top 5 Best Eye Drops for Dry Eyes Reviews
1. Systane Ultra Lubricant Eye Drops
The best eye drops for dry eyes, according to a vast majority of users, is the Systane Ultra Lubricant Eye Drops. Compared to their regular formulation, the Ultra has a higher viscosity, resembling the consistency of gel. This makes it very effective for people who experience varying levels of dry eyes.
Because of the viscous formula, a single use may be more than enough to resolve dry eyes for an entire day. Some people use the drops before sleeping, which gives the eyes some well-deserved relief throughout the night. This prepares them for the workday ahead, keeping eyes well lubricated even during reading and computer tasks.
Combining fast, effective, and long-lasting relief, Systane Ultra Lubricant Eye Drops should be your best bet to get rid of dry eyes. If you frequently get dry eyes and want an eye drop formula that won’t necessitate more than one dose, Systane Ultra is the choice for you.
2. SHOPZEUS Allergan Refresh Plus Lubricant Eye Drops
Coming in a box of 100 vials, the Allergan Refresh Plus Lubricant Eye Drops are ideal for people who want to have an effective solution for sharing. So if your office mates frequently ask you for drops, or if you want to have them in stock at home, these bulk vials are a good choice.
The preservative-free formula helps reduce the chances for further eye irritation. What’s more, the formula is great at lubricating that it’s often prescribed for people who have undergone LASIK.
The downside? Some users feel that the small amount per vial isn’t enough for a single dose. That means you may have to use 2 vials each time to effectively relieve dry eyes. Another thing is that the vial dropper is a little inefficient, leaving some of the formula behind in the container.
3. Similasan Dry Eye Relief Eye Drops
Visit any doctor’s clinic for your dry eyes and you’re likely to hear them recommend Similasan Dry Eye Relief. One of the most popular eye drops on the market today, Similasan is a straightforward, no nonsense product that really just gets the job done.
The only issue here is that the product reads ‘discard after 30 days’ on the label. This is because upon opening, the formula may react with air, causing a change in the composition and risking contamination. If you experience dry eyes on a seasonal basis and only need a remedy for a few weeks or a month, this could work out for you.
4. Blink Gel Tears Lubricating Eye Drops
For people who experience moderate to severe dry eyes, Blink Gel Tears Moderate-Severe Dry Eye Lubricating Eye Drops can be a great option. The formula is effective, potent, and long-lasting, requiring just one or two uses in a day for 24-hour relief.
Unfortunately, however, the strong formula can also cause mild irritation lasting a few minutes after application. So while it does work well to get rid of dry eyes, you may have to soldier through several minutes of itchiness after use before you truly feel problem-free eyes.
5. Ocusoft Retaine MGD Ophthalmic Emulsion
Coming in at fifth on our list is the Ocusoft Retaine MGD Opthalamic Emulsion Eye Drops. These eye drops work wonders for dry eyes, relieving the problem just a few minutes after use. The vials are optimized for getting every last drop of formula out, so you don’t have to worry about wasting any product.
The only issue that some users have is that the formula contains ingredients for relieving redness. This can cause more irritation in some people, so be sure to test it out first to see if it will work well for you.