Not all eye drops for dry eyes are made equal. But take a stroll down the pharmacy aisle with that thought and you'll be overwhelmed by the myriad of available choices. Most people don't realize that the chemical composition of each eye drop is so different from each other that its the effectiveness really depends on the severity and cause of your dry eye.
Here's a list of the top 3 drops for severely dry eyes available over the counter. However the best recommendation will come from your eye doctor who can determine which drops will be best for you based on the cause of your condition.
1. GenTeal Gel for Severe Dry Eyes
Active ingredients: Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 0.3%
GenTeal Gel is great for people who suffer from mild, moderate, or severe dry eye caused by the poor quality of their natural tear film. GenTeal substitutes for this film and works to prevent moisture from leaving the cornea.
Use: for dry eye caused by poor quality of the eye's natural tear film
2. Systane Ultra Lubricant Eye Drops
Active ingredients: Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4%, Propylene Glycol 0.3%
Systane provides relief from burning and irritation caused from dry eyes due to poor tear quality. Systane works by lengthening the eye's tear film breakup time (the time required for dry sports to appear on the corneal surface after blinking) and strengthening the ability of the tear film to protect the ocular surface in between blinks.
Use: for dry eye caused by poor tear quality
3. Refresh Tears Lubricant Eye Drops
Active ingredient: Polyvinyl alcohol 1.4%, povidone 0.6%
Refresh Tears work to relieve burning and irritation from dry eye caused by a lack of tear production. This product is an extra strength eye drop that moistens the eye by mimicking natural tears. Another ingredient in Refresh, tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride, produces local vasoconstriction to reduce redness.
Use: for dry eye caused by a lack of tear production
Refractive Surgery for Dry Eyes
If you have severely dry eyes and are considering refractive surgery like LASIK, note that dry eyes may be exacerbated with procedures that require corneal reshaping like LASIK. Perhaps the safest choice for people with dry eyes is the Visian Implantable Collamer Lens. Instead of needing to cut away eye tissue which affects the corneal nerve fibers integral to tear production, the Visian ICL is a biocompatible, advanced lens placed inside the eye for lifelong vision correction and does not cause dry eye. Additionally, the lens provides UV protection and can be reversible if necessary.