Which OTC eye drops preferred by most?

[rooneyandfergie]

@Minni
Although i dont really have the esophagitis mentioned but i guess there's no harm in trying coffee to see if it helps. I will try them sometime soon and see if there's an effect.

In addition i recently started using vidisic gel, kind of like an eye ointment to boost my tolerance to factors that cause dryness. I recently started using restasis a week ago. Hopefully, it will reduce my reliance on artificial tears.

I am also thinking about chinese medicine. I might try it if i still don't see much improvement.

[Minni]

I imagine coffee symptoms depends on where one's body is most vulnerable. With some, it's the heart, with others, it's the stomach or jitters, with me it's GERD/esophagitis/throat/ankles (also sometimes heart palps.

[UTPharmer]

Recent Rx Graduate

Systane Ultra is thicker than systane. I just wanna ask a general question. If i have to apply eye drop after using eye ointment, how long should i wait in between so that the eye ointment will not prevent the eye drop from being absorbed by the eye?

I've never had to counsel anyone on this, but I would recommend putting the eye drop in first, waiting 15minutes, and then using the ointment. The ointment will provide a thick barrier and may potentially inhibit the absorption of subsequent drug products. If those subsequent ophthalmic drugs are lipid soluble, you may lose a substantial amount of drug secondary to the ointment that oozes out of your eye. Really, your best bet is to call the manufacturer. Drug companies have amazing customer service. You won't wait on the phone for more than a minute in most cases (my experience when calling from pharmacies). If you can't read the number off of your tube, call the pharmacy that dispensed it and have them read the number off of the box for you.

[shellyqt]

so far so good

My doctor has me using Refresh Optive along with Systane, Lotemax and AzaSite.

I really like the Refresh Optive but it isn't as strong as the others mentioned above which are not over the counter. Refresh Optive seems to have the most lubricants I've ever experienced without any burning etc.

It's not expensive and in the box there's coupons to use the next time.

I hope this helps.

Shelly

[Nanerpus]

I use Dwell also, but one of the most durable and most liked drops are Theratears. They have been around for a long time and if I'm in need and stymied because there are so many brands, I'll get Theratears or Refresh Plus.

I cannot believe the amount of artificial tears increase in the past 10 years. It still works best to try a few and pick the one you like best. Lucy

I'm with you on this as well. Refresh plus was my favorite up until a few weeks ago when I started using Theatears and hands-down they win.

Since you asked specifically about Refresh though, the Plus is my favorite because it's less goopy - but the optive is very nice too. My eyes like both. The optive is a bit more thick.

[Minni]

Probly allergic to Theratears CMC carboxymethylcellulose

I felt I should add a P.S. to my posts above (as I live & learn about myself, as a newb to eyedrops..

I want to thank the Dry Eye Member (with the degree in chemistry) who alerted me that she was allergic to the carboxymethyllcelulose ingredient.

I can shake hands w/her cuz now, having tried both Theratears and individual vials of Refresh Plus for awhile, I'm finding that my eyes get a dried-out aftereffect from them. Not sure if it's the sodium part of the CMC contained in them, or whatever.. but I do know that sodium in foods containing sodium-nitrite or sodium-citrate cause me bodily inflammations (as do citrate & citrus ingredients.

btw, I find the Refresh Plus to have a lesser afterEffect than Theratears. It's all a big mystery, since multi-ingredients is what complicates everything (both eyedrops AND bought-foods.

So now I'm curious:

Is there anyone else out there who BOTH:

(1) Gets a drying out effect from the CMC in Theratears/Refresh-stuff?
(2) Who feels good from Blink-Contacts (like me) & Similisan Dry Eye?
albeit Similisan unfortunately doesn't last prolongedly
(3) Who tends to have autoimmune conditions such as Fibromyalgia or whatever

The reason I ask:

I've been wondering if pro & con tendencies come in clusters. Like maybe, the same things which are BOTH good AND bad for Smith (who just may have XXX-gia), is also BOTH good AND bad for Jones (who may likewise have XXX-gia).. Does the world at large think in such complex terms, though?