What Are The Best Eye Drops For Dry Eyes?

Eye drops are a very popular treatment for dry eye. But which eye drops are best for you?

What Are The Best Eye Drops For Dry Eyes? in Olympia

American Family Vision Clinic

An Optometrist's Perspective on the Best Eye Drops for Dry Eye

When it comes to managing dry eye symptoms, our optometrists often recommend eye drops as a primary solution. As an eye care professional in Olympia, we understand the need for the best eye drops for dry eye that keep your eyes moist and lubricated. While these eye drops aren’t designed to treat the underlying causes of dry eye, they can provide immense relief from discomfort caused by fatigue or environmental factors.

Typically available over the counter, the best eye drops for dry eye are carefully formulated with ingredients similar to those found in natural tears, such as electrolytes. This resemblance provides them with an enhanced ability to protect the surface of your eyes, making them the optimal solution for those dealing with dry eye symptoms.

Learn more about dry eye syndrome here.

Preservatives and Preservative-Free Eye Drops for Dry Eye

An important thing to note about eye drops is that many contain preservatives designed to prevent bacteria growth in the liquid once it’s opened. While these preservatives are generally harmless for most people, they can irritate the eyes of those with severe dry eye. This means that if you suffer from moderate to severe dry eye and have to use eye drops multiple times per day, you may want to consider preservative-free drops, which could be the best eye drops for dry eye in your case. Many eye drops contain preservatives meant to prevent bacteria growth in the liquid once it’s opened.

Common preservatives found in eye drop solutions include:

  • Ocupure
  • Polyquad
  • Benzalkonium chloride
  • Purite
  • Sodium perborate

If you suffer from moderate or severe dry eye and have to use dry eye drops multiple times per day, you might be better off with preservative-free drops (they will be labeled as such).

Preservatives and Preservative-Free Eye Drops for Dry Eye
Lipid-Based Eye Drops for Dry Eye

Lipid-Based Eye Drops for Dry Eye

Lipid-based eye drops are a category of eye drops designed to help individuals suffering from evaporative dry eye. These types of eye drops can offer significant relief by improving the tear film and keeping your eyes moist. So, if you're dealing with dry eyes due to rapid evaporation of your natural tears, lipid-based eye drops could be the best eye drops for dry eye in your situation.

Ingredients in lipid-based eye drops include 

  • Glycerin
  • Hydroxypropyl-guar
  • Mineral oil
  • Castor oil
Lipid-Based Eye Drops for Dry Eye

Eye Drops You Should Avoid

Not all over the counter eye drops are artificial tears. There are some types of drops you should avoid unless a doctor recommends them to you.

Allergy Eye Drops: Eye drops meant to alleviate allergy symptoms are not meant for standard dry eye, and should not be used for that purpose. Examples of allergy eye drops include ketotifen fumarate and olopatadine hydrochloride.

Redness-Relieving Eye Drops: Redness-relieving drops are used to reduce eye redness caused by things like allergies, contact lenses, or smoke inhalation. If they are used too often, these drops can cause rebound redness, which makes the eyes even redder. These drops should only be used for red eyes and only for short periods of time. For many people ,preservative-free drops may be more helpful for reducing redness.

Redness-relieving drops can include naphazoline or tetrahydrozoline.

Antibiotic Eye Drops: Eye drops designed to treat eye infections are prescription-only, and should only be used for that purpose. Common antibiotic eye drops include azithromycin and tobramycin.

What Should I Do If I Wear Contacts?

If you wear contact lenses and experience dry eye, you might be wondering about the best eye drops for dry eye in your case. Artificial tears can provide relief from dry eye caused by wearing contact lenses. However, it's essential to ensure that the eye drops you use are safe for contact lens wearers. If you're unsure, feel free to contact us at (360) 491-2121, and we'll be glad to advise you.

Rewetting drops can also be a viable option for contact lens wearers looking for the best eye drops for dry eye. Remember to follow the instructions when using these.

If you’re considering using eye drops for contact lens discomfort, it's crucial to consult with our eye care professional. At our eye care clinic in Olympia, we are prepared to recommend the best eye drops for dry eye depending on your specific needs, ensuring that you find the most comfortable and effective solution.

Preservatives and Preservative-Free Eye Drops for Dry Eye

Common Questions

There are various treatments used to help people who suffer from dry eyes. The type of treatment depends on the severity and type of dry eyes (aqueous or evaporative). One treatment option is to apply warm compresses 2x a day for 10 minutes over your eyes with lid massage and lid scrubs. Also using over the counter artificial tears 2-4x a day can reduce your dryness. If your dry eyes are more severe, you can also add a gel drop or ointment at night, and/or add prescription eye drops for dry eyes, such as Restasis or Xiidra. Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface, and one component that causes dry eyes is ocular surface inflammation and damage; so Xiidra and Restasis work by regulating the inflammatory processes in the eye that can affect tear production. Another treatment for dry eyes is to have your eye doctor insert punctal plugs in the inner corners of your eyes, which partially closes one of your tear ducts to allow your tears to stay longer on the front surface of your eyes and keep your eyes lubricated. There are also other in-office devices such as LipiFlow, iLUX, TearCare, Intense Pulsed Light, or Blephex that your eye doctor can use to treat your symptoms of dryness. Furthermore, changing your environment can also help reduce your dry eyes, such as adding a humidifier to your room or taking frequent breaks from your digital devices.
Depending on the severity of your dry eyes there are different eye drops we would recommend. If you have the milder version of dry eyes then over the counter artificial tears such as Systane Balance or Refresh Optive Artificial Tears may be sufficient enough to help relieve your symptoms of dry eyes. However, if you have more moderate/severe dry eyes a more viscous drop such as a gel drop or ointment may be more beneficial. In the event that over the counter eye drops are not providing much relief, there are other various prescription eye drops that your eye doctor can prescribe, such as Restasis or Cequa or Xiidra. Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface, and one component that causes dry eyes is ocular surface inflammation and damage; so Xiidra and Restasis/Cequa work by regulating the inflammatory processes in the eye that can affect tear production.
What Are The Best Eye Drops For Dry Eyes?
Dr. Zurcher cartoon

Summary

Eye drops can be an effective way to treat dry eye symptoms. However, be aware of what type of eye drops you buy, so that you purchase a product that will be effective for your needs. If you have additional questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, you can contact American Family Vision Clinic at (360) 491-2121. Patients with dry eyes visit our clinic from all over Washington, and we are proud to be a leading provider of dry eye care for patients from Olympia, Lakewood, Tacoma, and Lacey.

 

Testimonials


Such a nice optician. My grandson is only 4 and needs glasses. We were so sad, but he explained the issues, and we will follow up as he suggested.


Anna P.

I had such a good experience with the clinic. Very friendly staff and doctor, did not have to wait for long to be called, and was treated respectfully. Thanks, American Family.


June S.

Dr. Zurcher has gone above and beyond what any other eye doctor has ever done to figure out what is going on with my eyes. Very happy with American Family Vision.


Christine R.

Family Vision Clinic changed our lives! My daughter was frequently car sick, and she was getting headaches every day, often painful enough that they brought her to tears. We saw a string of doctors and therapists, but we made no progress. Finally, we found Dr. Levi Zurcher and his eye therapist Rain. After ten weeks of eye therapy my daughter no longer gets headaches, and she no longer gets car sick. Daily tears are a thing of the past. I really can’t say enough about this clinic. It was fascinating to watch Dr. Zurcher work. For the first time, someone who knew what they were doing was intently studying my daughter, really trying to figure out all of her eye issues, and his therapist Rain is one of the most patient and lovely people that I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet. We’re finished with eye therapy—yay!—and I have switched to American Family Vision Clinic for all of my family’s other eye health needs.


Lars Wulff

Very professional, yet kind and helpful. They do what they can to make the appointment comfortable. I was running a bit late, I made sure ti call. They were able to switch me with a patient who was already there, they treated me with respect, and helped my son have confidence by getting him the eye care he needed that day. Thank you so much! Would recommend to anyone. It's a blessing that they care enough to work with people who have all different types of insurance from work to state coverage.


Justin E.

The staff is friendly. The Doc is very knowledgeable. The office is family friendly and everyone is so patient with the little ones.


Amy Fagerness
1 2 3

Blog

picture-focused-serious-young-caucasian-female-teacher-with-textbook-taking-off-glasses-narrowing-eyes-trying-see-something-clearly-student-girl-eyewear-posing-with-diary

Understanding Foggy vision

Is foggy vision troubling you? Let our experienced optometrist restore your sight – book an appointment today and see the difference! The term foggy vision often refers to a visual disturbance characterized by blurred, cloudy, or hazy vision, which can make seeing clearly challenging. As your local optometrist, we recognize the significance of maintaining optimal […]

Read More
6c9c7c94-592e-4cb8-a2a4-2b965a52f698

Vision Therapy for Nystagmus: Improving Visual Function and Quality of Life

According to the National Eye Institute, nystagmus affects approximately 0.24% of the general population in the United States. This means a whopping 720,000 individuals in the US face the challenges of nystagmus. How does Nystagmus Impact Vision?  Nystagmus is a condition that affects the eyes, causing involuntary and rapid movements that can make it difficult to […]

Read More
christopher-ott--OXPR4zLDAE-unsplash

Cleaning Your Eyelids With Hypochlorous Acid: The Ultimate Solution for Eyelid Infections and Inflammation From Blepharitis

Are you tired of dealing with eyelid inflammation? Well, there's good news for you! Hypochlorous acid, a natural bactericidal compound, has been clinically shown to help fight against various eyelid conditions such as blepharitis, and it's even effective at preventing the development of styes and other eyelid infections. In this blog, we'll be exploring the […]

Read More
see all blogs

Contact Us To Amplify Your EyeCare

American Family Vision Clinic Logo

Working Hours

Monday-Thursday
8:30AM-5:00PM

Friday
8:30AM-3:00PM

Saturday-Sunday
Closed

Location
400 Yauger Way SW. Bldg 1, Ste A Olympia, WA 98502
Fax
(360) 459-1097
Website Accessibility Policy
Safety protocols page
privacy policy
For Patients
appointment
Call Us
Referrals
Assessments
eyefile-adduserphone-handsetcalendar-fullarrow-uparrow-right linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram