How to Compare Lubricating Eye Drop Solutions

Artificial tear eye drops are available over-the-counter to relieve problems such as burning, itching and watering of the eyes. Many options exist for artificial tears, and it can be difficult to choose which one will help a specific problem.

Preserved or Non-Preserved

• Artificial tear eye drops can be found in a bottle containing a preservative and multiple doses of eye drops. Preservatives prevent artificial tear contamination. Non-preserved artificial tears come in single use vials, and they cannot be used more than once without risking contamination. The Mayo Clinic asserts that if someone requires artificial tears more than four times per day, they should use a non-preserved artificial tear to prevent preservative toxicity.

Viscosity

• Many artificial tear brands exist. However, most of them are broken down into relief categories. These will generally be labeled as mild dry eyes, moderate dry eyes, or severe dry eyes. These categories are based on the viscosity, or thickness of the eye drop. The more severe the eye irritation, the higher the viscosity, or thickness, of the artificial tear should be.

Benzalkonium Chloride

• Benzalkonium chloride is a preservative to which many people can develop a reaction, including redness and stinging of the eyes. There are several brands of artificial tears that utilize a preservative other than benzalkonium chloride. Two examples are Genteal and Blink Tears, which may be better for sensitive eyes.