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The short version
- Match the drop to your type: oil-based drops for evaporative dry eye, lubricating and hyaluronic acid drops for low tear production.
- Use preservative-free drops if you need them more than about four times a day.
- Ointments keep the eyes wet for hours but can blur your vision, so most people save them for bedtime.
- Skip redness relievers. They don’t treat dryness.
- If you’re using drops constantly and still uncomfortable, see an eye doctor. Drops soothe symptoms, they don’t fix the cause.
How to choose, in four questions
1. Which layer is struggling?
Most dry eye is evaporative: the oil glands in your eyelids aren’t releasing enough oil, so tears evaporate too fast. In one clinic-based study, 86% of the dry eye patients whose type could be identified showed signs of it1 Lemp et al., Cornea, 2012 (opens in a new tab). Distribution of aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye in a clinic-based patient cohort.. If your eyes feel worse as the day goes on, on screens or in moving air, and your vision blurs then clears when you blink, look for a drop that contains oil. If your eyes feel dry all day, especially with a dry mouth, you may simply need more moisture. The Dry Eye Profile can help you tell.
2. How often will you use them?
Preservatives keep multi-dose bottles free of germs, but the most common one, benzalkonium chloride, can damage the eye’s surface cells with frequent long-term use2 Gomes et al., The Ocular Surface, 2017 (opens in a new tab). TFOS DEWS II iatrogenic report.. The usual advice is to go preservative-free if you use drops more than about four times a day.
3. Day or night?
Drops can blur your vision briefly after they go in. Even the label of an ordinary lubricant drop such as iVizia says you might have blurred vision for a short time3 Product label: iVizia Dry Eye, via DailyMed (opens in a new tab). IVIZIA DRY EYE (povidone) lubricant eye drops., and in a small study a single drop of artificial tears lowered contrast sensitivity for a few minutes4 Ridder et al., Optometry and Vision Science, 2009 (opens in a new tab). Contrast sensitivity and tear layer aberrometry in dry eye patients.. In another study, of 18 people with dry eye, the drops tested stayed on the eye longer than their blurring effect lasted5 Hall et al., Optometry and Vision Science, 2011 (opens in a new tab). Visual effect and residence time of artificial tears in dry eye subjects.. Eye ointments are thicker than drops and keep the eyes wet for several hours, but they can blur your vision, so most people use them while they sleep6 US National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health (opens in a new tab). Sjögren’s Disease: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Steps to Take.. Blur that comes and goes between drops can come from the dry eye itself: see why dry eyes blur your vision.
4. Do you wear contact lenses?
Use drops labeled as safe with contact lenses, often called rewetting drops, or take your lenses out first. Oil-based drops and ointments can smear lenses. Our guide to dry eyes with contacts covers lens-friendly drops and more.
Our picks by situation
We haven’t run our own clinical tests. These picks are based on ingredients, preservative status, the evidence behind each type of drop and what eye care professionals commonly recommend. Artificial tears in general are a reasonable, low-risk first treatment, though a Cochrane review rated the evidence behind them as low quality7 Pucker et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2016 (opens in a new tab). Over the counter (OTC) artificial tear drops for dry eye syndrome.. For heat masks, lid care and other products beyond drops, see the full Relief Kit.
For oil layer (evaporative) dry eye
Look for mineral oil, castor oil or phospholipids on the label. These drops top up the oil layer to slow evaporation.
Oil-based drop, preservative-free vials
Retaine MGD
A light mineral oil emulsion that tops up the oil layer, the one that fails in most dry eye. Single-use vials, so no preservatives.
Worth knowing. Shake it before use and throw each vial away once it’s opened, as the label says. The label also notes that the drops look milky white.
Lipid drop, preservative-free bottle
Systane Complete PF
A lipid nano-emulsion aimed at the oil and water layers together, in a multi-dose bottle built to stay preservative-free. Handy if vials feel fiddly.
Worth knowing. Shake it before use, and throw the bottle away 90 days after opening, as the label says.
Oil-based drop, preservative-free vials
Refresh Optive Mega-3
Castor oil and flaxseed oil in single-use vials. A good next step if watery drops feel great for five minutes and then stop working.
Worth knowing. The omega-3 in the name is in the drop, not a supplement. It won’t replace anything you take by mouth.
Evidence grades are for the type of product, not the brand. Amazon links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.
For low tear production or sensitive eyes
Choose a gentle, preservative-free lubricant, ideally with hyaluronic acid, and use it on a schedule rather than waiting until your eyes hurt.
Water-layer drop, preservative-free bottle
iVizia Lubricant Eye Drops
Povidone with hyaluronic acid and trehalose, preservative-free in a multi-dose bottle. Gentle enough to use many times a day.
Worth knowing. Water-layer drops alone often fall short if your oil glands are the real problem.
Water-layer drop, preservative-free vials
Refresh Plus
A plain carboxymethylcellulose drop in single-use vials. Nothing clever, which is exactly why it suits sensitive eyes.
Worth knowing. Wears off faster than thicker drops. Some people prefer it by day and a gel at night.
Evidence grades are for the type of product, not the brand. Amazon links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.
For nighttime and morning dryness
If you wake up with gritty, sticky eyes, an ointment at bedtime protects the surface while you sleep. Our guide to dry eyes in the morning covers the overnight causes worth checking, such as lids that don’t fully close, fans and CPAP masks.
Night ointment
Refresh P.M.
A preservative-free petrolatum and mineral oil ointment that protects the eye surface overnight. Useful if you wake up with sore, sticky eyes.
Worth knowing. Eye ointments can blur your vision, so most people use them while they sleep. Its only inactive ingredient is lanolin alcohols, so skip it if you avoid lanolin.
Moisture chamber goggles
Tranquileyes Moisture Goggles
Foam-sealed goggles that trap humid air around your eyes. Worth trying if your eyes are worst on waking, you sleep near a fan or you use a CPAP mask.
Worth knowing. Research is thin. The logic is sound and the risk is low, but give it two weeks before judging.
Evidence grades are for the type of product, not the brand. Amazon links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.
For itchy eyes
Itching points more to allergy than to dry eye. An antihistamine drop treats the itch, but it won’t lubricate, so keep it separate from your dry eye drops.
Allergy eye drop
Zaditor or Alaway (ketotifen)
If itching is your main complaint, allergy may be part of the picture. Ketotifen is an over-the-counter antihistamine drop for itchy eyes caused by pollen, pet dander and similar allergens.
Worth knowing. It contains a preservative and does not lubricate. Keep it separate from your dry eye drops, and take contact lenses out first, waiting at least 10 minutes before putting them back.
Evidence grades are for the type of product, not the brand. Amazon links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.
Preservative-free or preserved?
Preservative-free drops come in two forms. Single-use vials hold one day’s worth or less and are thrown away after use. Newer multi-dose bottles use a one-way tip or filter that keeps the contents sterile without preservatives, which is more convenient and often cheaper per drop.
Not all preservatives are equally harsh. Gentler options such as polyquaternium-1 or so-called disappearing preservatives, which break down once they reach the eye, are usually fine for regular use. Benzalkonium chloride is the one to limit. If you’re unsure what’s in yours, paste the label into the Drop Decoder.
After cataract surgery, or with glaucoma drops
After cataract surgery
Almost everyone has some dryness after cataract surgery. The incisions cut a few of the nerves on the eye’s surface that tell it to make tears, and these generally heal in about three months. If you already had dry eye, you may have even more dryness afterward. For mild dryness, preservative-free artificial tears can help. Keep using the drops your surgeon prescribed as directed, wait 5 minutes after them before using artificial tears so the medicine isn’t diluted, and call your ophthalmologist if the tears aren’t enough8 American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2026 (opens in a new tab). 10 Cataract Surgery Side Effects, and How to Cope.. Our guide to dry eye after cataract surgery or LASIK covers how long it lasts and the warning signs that need a call to your surgeon.
If you use glaucoma drops
Glaucoma drops are usually a long-term treatment, and many contain a preservative such as benzalkonium chloride, which may cause or worsen dry eye. In a survey of more than 9,000 people with glaucoma in four European countries, those using preservative-free glaucoma drops reported stinging or burning and a dry eye feeling less than half as often as those using preserved ones2. Never stop or change glaucoma drops on your own. Ask your eye doctor whether a preservative-free version would work for you, and if you add artificial tears, choose preservative-free ones.
Ingredients worth knowing
| Ingredient | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Carboxymethylcellulose | Classic lubricant that thickens tears slightly | Most people, mild dryness |
| Hyaluronic acid | Holds water and thins as you blink, so it feels comfortable | Frequent use, sensitive eyes |
| Polyethylene and propylene glycol with HP-guar | Lubricants plus a gel that forms a protective layer on contact with tears | Longer-lasting daytime relief |
| Mineral oil, castor oil, phospholipids | Top up the oil layer to slow evaporation | Evaporative dry eye |
| Perfluorohexyloctane | Forms a layer over the tear film to slow evaporation (prescription) | Evaporative dry eye |
How to use eye drops properly
- Wash your handsand don’t let the tip touch your eye, lashes or fingers.
- Tilt your head back and gently pull down your lower lidto make a small pocket, then squeeze one drop into it. One is enough; the eye can’t hold more.
- Close your eyes gently for a minuteinstead of blinking hard, so the drop spreads and stays put.
- Wait five minutes between different dropsso the second doesn’t wash out the first. Put ointments in last.
- Use them on a scheduleif your eyes are dry every day. Drops work better at keeping symptoms away than at chasing them once they start.
Drops to avoid for dry eye
Redness relievers such as tetrahydrozoline and naphazoline shrink blood vessels so the eye looks whiter. They don’t add moisture, and daily use can cause rebound redness when they wear off. Watch for them in combination “dry and red eye” products. Brimonidine redness drops, such as Lumify, are also made only for redness: the label says they relieve redness of the eye due to minor eye irritations, and not to use them more than 4 times a day9 Product label: Lumify, via DailyMed (opens in a new tab). LUMIFY (brimonidine tartrate) redness reliever eye drops.. They don’t treat dryness either.
Recalled or unapproved drops. In 2023, EzriCare Artificial Tears, a preservative-free drop sold over the counter in multi-dose bottles, was linked to an outbreak of a drug-resistant bacterium that caused eye infections and, in some people, permanent vision loss10 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Alert Network, 2023 (opens in a new tab). Outbreak of Extensively Drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Associated with Artificial Tears.. Later that year, the FDA warned consumers to stop using more than two dozen over-the-counter eye drops sold under brands including CVS Health, Rite Aid and Target Up & Up, after its investigators found insanitary conditions at the factory that made them11 US Food and Drug Administration, 2023 (opens in a new tab). FDA warns consumers not to purchase or use certain eye drops from several major brands due to risk of eye infection.. So a familiar name on the box is no guarantee.
The FDA’s advice is to check its alerts and warnings about eye drops to see whether yours are part of a warning or recall. It also says not to use drops labeled homeopathic, drops sold over the counter to treat serious conditions such as glaucoma, or drops that claim to change your eye color. Stop using a drop if you get discharge from the eye, pain, changes in vision or discomfort, and talk to your doctor12 US Food and Drug Administration (opens in a new tab). What You Should Know about Eye Drops.. Labels add rules of their own. The Refresh Tears label, for example, says not to use the drops if they change color or turn cloudy, to use them before the expiration date and to throw the bottle away 90 days after opening13 Product label: Refresh Tears, via DailyMed (opens in a new tab). REFRESH TEARS (carboxymethylcellulose sodium) lubricant eye drops..
The free Dry Eye Profile sorts your symptoms into a likely type and gives you a plan in about three minutes.
When drops aren’t enough
Artificial tears ease symptoms, but they don’t unblock oil glands, calm long-running inflammation or treat eyelid mites. If you still need drops many times a day after a month of using the right ones, it’s time to see an eye doctor. Prescription drops and in-office treatments such as IPL and thermal pulsation go after the cause. Our guides to prescription dry eye drops and to dry eye treatments and their costs explain the options.
Common questions
What is the best eye drop for dry eyes?
It depends on your type. For evaporative dry eye, the most common kind, an oil-containing drop usually works best. For low tear production, a preservative-free lubricant with hyaluronic acid is a good start. If you use drops more than about four times a day, choose preservative-free.
How many times a day can I use artificial tears?
Most preservative-free drops can be used as often as needed, but follow the directions on the label. Preserved drops are best kept to about four times a day. If you need drops constantly, that’s a sign to see an eye doctor.
Are expensive eye drops better?
Not necessarily. Price often reflects packaging, such as single-use vials or special preservative-free bottles, more than the ingredients. Match the formula to your type first, then compare cost per drop.
Can I use eye drops with contact lenses?
Only drops labeled for use with contact lenses, often called rewetting drops. Otherwise, take your lenses out, use the drop and wait about 15 minutes before putting them back in, or follow the label.
Why do my eyes burn when I put drops in?
A little stinging can happen when the eye surface is inflamed. Persistent burning may mean a preservative doesn’t agree with you, so try a preservative-free version. If burning continues, see an eye doctor.
What eye drops are best after cataract surgery?
For mild dryness, the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests preservative-free artificial tears. Wait 5 minutes after your prescription drops before using them, so the medicine isn’t diluted. Keep using your prescription drops as directed, and call your ophthalmologist if the tears aren’t enough.
Can I use dry eye drops with glaucoma drops?
Ask your eye doctor first, and never stop or change glaucoma drops on your own. Many glaucoma drops already contain a preservative that may worsen dry eye, so if you add artificial tears, choose preservative-free ones, and ask whether a preservative-free version of your glaucoma drop would work for you.
Sources
- Distribution of aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye in a clinic-based patient cohort (opens in a new tab). Lemp et al., Cornea, 2012.
- TFOS DEWS II iatrogenic report (opens in a new tab). Gomes et al., The Ocular Surface, 2017.
- IVIZIA DRY EYE (povidone) lubricant eye drops (opens in a new tab). Product label: iVizia Dry Eye, via DailyMed.
- Contrast sensitivity and tear layer aberrometry in dry eye patients (opens in a new tab). Ridder et al., Optometry and Vision Science, 2009.
- Visual effect and residence time of artificial tears in dry eye subjects (opens in a new tab). Hall et al., Optometry and Vision Science, 2011.
- Sjögren’s Disease: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Steps to Take (opens in a new tab). US National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
- Over the counter (OTC) artificial tear drops for dry eye syndrome (opens in a new tab). Pucker et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2016.
- 10 Cataract Surgery Side Effects, and How to Cope (opens in a new tab). American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2026.
- LUMIFY (brimonidine tartrate) redness reliever eye drops (opens in a new tab). Product label: Lumify, via DailyMed.
- Outbreak of Extensively Drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Associated with Artificial Tears (opens in a new tab). US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Alert Network, 2023.
- FDA warns consumers not to purchase or use certain eye drops from several major brands due to risk of eye infection (opens in a new tab). US Food and Drug Administration, 2023.
- What You Should Know about Eye Drops (opens in a new tab). US Food and Drug Administration.
- REFRESH TEARS (carboxymethylcellulose sodium) lubricant eye drops (opens in a new tab). Product label: Refresh Tears, via DailyMed.
Product picks are chosen independently of any commission. Prices change often, so we show price bands rather than exact prices. Symvana guides are for education and don’t replace an eye exam.