Everything We Recommend
Best for Dry Eyes: Refresh Plus Lubricant Eye Drops
Best for Contact Lenses: Opti-Free Replenish Rewetting Drops
Best for Redness: LUMIFY Redness Reliever
Best for Itchiness & Allergies: Zaditor Antihistamine Eye Drops
Best for Eye Infections: Speak with your doctor
Eye drops are a safe and effective treatment for many eye conditions. They can help you find relief if you experience:
- Dry eyes
- Redness
- Itchy eyes
- Dry eyes due to contacts
- Soreness
- Swelling or discharge
However, there are many different kinds of eye drops. Each type is designed to treat a certain set of conditions.
To find relief, you must make sure you’re using the correct type of eye drops. This guide will explain the different kinds of eye drops available, what they treat, and the best brands.
Types of Eye Drops
Lubricating Eye Drops (Artificial Tears)
The most common type of eye drops are lubricating eye drops, or artificial tears. They treat dry eyes caused by:
- Digital eye strain (computer vision syndrome)
- Eye strain from tiredness and other physical factors
- Environmental factors like excess sunlight, wind, or dust
- Medical conditions or medications
- Aging
The ingredients in lubricating eye drops add moisture to your eye’s surface. This is why they’re also known as artificial tears.
There are two categories of lubricating eye drops:
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Eye drops with preservatives have added ingredients to fight the growth of bacteria once the bottle has been opened. These have a longer shelf life. However, the preservatives may irritate your eyes. Especially if you apply eye drops more than four times a day.
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Eye drops without preservatives are recommended for people who apply drops four or more times a day. They are for people with moderate to severe dry eye.
Avoid decongestant (whitening) eye drops if you’re looking for dry eye relief. They may improve the appearance of your eyes in the short-term. But they can make dry eye symptoms worse in the long run.
Rewetting Eye Drops
Rewetting drops are made specifically for contact lens wearers. They provide relief for dryness and discomfort brought on by wearing contact lenses.
Not all lubricating eye drops are compatible with contact lenses. You may need to remove your contacts before applying them.
If your contact lenses are causing dry eye or discomfort, rewetting drops may help. If you believe your eye dryness is caused by something else, contact your eye doctor.
Read about the best eye drops for contact lenses.
Decongestant (Whitening) Eye Drops
Decongestant eye drops treat red eyes. They contain vasoconstrictors, which shrink the blood vessels in your eye, reducing redness.
Decongestant eye drops can help improve the appearance of your eyes. However, they can mask the underlying causes of dry eyes.
Anti-redness drops can irritate your eyes if you use them too much. Additionally, your eyes can get dependent on them.
You should only use decongestant eye drops intermittently. They are made to improve the appearance of your eyes, not treat any eye conditions.
Antihistamine (Allergy) Eye drops
Antihistamine eye drops treat itchy, watery, red eyes caused by allergic reactions. These may be caused by:
- Pollen (seasonal allergies)
- Pet dander
- Molds
- Other common allergens
When your body has an allergic reaction, it releases histamines. These cause allergy symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes, etc.
Allergy eye drops contain antihistamines, which stop the effects of histamines. Therefore, antihistamine eye drops are only effective at treating symptoms due to allergies.
Read more about antihistamine eye drops.
Antibiotic/Antibacterial Eye Drops
Antibiotic (antibacterial) eye drops treat bacterial eye infections. Common eye infections include:
- Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Contact lens infections
- Styes
Antibiotic eye drops will NOT cure viral or fungal infections. Lubricating eye drops can help relieve symptoms of infections.
Other Types of Eye Drops
Antifungal eye drops are used to treat fungal infections.
How to Put in Eye Drops
Follow these step-by-step instructions to put in eye drops:
1. Read the Instructions
Before you handle your eye drops, make sure you know what you’re doing. If your eye drops are prescription, listen to your doctor. If your drops are over-the-counter, read the instructions entirely.
2. Wash Your Hands
Before touching your eyes or eye drops, wash your hands. Be especially careful around the tip of your dropper. If you touch the dropper tip, it could pick up bacteria from your fingers. This could potentially contaminate the eye drops.
3. Get Comfortable and Prepared
You can stand, sit, or lay down to put in eye drops. Whatever makes you comfortable and helps you keep your eyes open. Shake the bottle vigorously before opening it.
4. Look Up and Squeeze the Bottle
Once you’re comfortable, the bottle is shaken and open, look up. Some people say that focusing on a specific point on the ceiling can help. Use one hand to pull your lower eyelid down. This forms a pocket to help “catch” the drop.
Using your other hand, position the dropper over your eye. Slowly squeeze the bottle until one drop falls onto your eye.
5. Close Your Eyes
Once the eye drop is in, close your eye for two minutes. After two minutes, the drop is fully absorbed.
If you are supposed to put in more drops, you can then repeat the procedure. Keep your eye closed for two minutes between each drop.
Other Home Remedies & Tips for Dry Eyes
In addition to eye drops, there are other ways to help provide relief for dry eyes. These include:
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Warm compresses. Wet a washcloth with warm water, ring it out, and place it on your eyes for at least one minute. Gently press the edge of your eyelid to squeeze out clogged oils. This can help unclog your oil making glands.
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Eyelid & eyelash hygiene. Clean your eyelids and eyelashes, as well as the skin and hair around your eyes. This can help reduce lid inflammation.
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The 20-20-20 rule. This is a rule for when you’re working on the computer, reading, or doing other deep focus tasks. Every twenty minutes, stop and stare at an item 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
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Drink water. Staying hydrated is essential to keep your body functioning. Your eyes and tears are no different. Make sure to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day.
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Wear wraparound sunglasses. When you’re outside, winds can dry your eyes out. Wearing wraparound sunglasses can protect your eyes and keep them from drying out.
