What is the difference between these two eye drops?

[PiotrSWE]

Hi,

My health insurance covers the following eye drops: http://www.tearsnaturale.com/tears-n...bion-tears.asp (Bion Tears), while my eye doctor recommended me these eye drops: http://www.tearsnaturale.com/tears-naturale-free.asp (Tears Naturale). The latter are not covered by my health insurance, but they are made by the same company and they are part of the same group of eye drops. There is however no information on what differentiates the two, and the company did not respond to my inquiries when I contacted them. So I'm wondering if anyone here could tell me if there is any difference between them?

[saralynn143]

From the company website it looks like the Tears Naturale is preservative-free. They do not make that claim for Bion Tears.

I found the following information at the Daily Med website:

For Bion Tears:
OTC - ACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Dextran 70 0.1%
Hypromellose 2910 0.3%
INACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, purified water, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, zinc chloride, hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide and/or carbon dioxide to adjust pH.

For Tears Naturale Free:
OTC - ACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Dextran 70 0.1%
Hypromellose 2910 0.3%
INACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Potassium chloride, purified water, sodium borate, sodium chloride. May contain hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide to adjust pH.

A pharmacist might also be able to give you more information about the difference. Interesting that an insurance company covers an OTC product. Not sure if the cost of the product would be worth the time putting in an appeal.

[PiotrSWE]

From the company website it looks like the Tears Naturale is preservative-free. They do not make that claim for Bion Tears.

I found the following information at the Daily Med website:

For Bion Tears:
OTC - ACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Dextran 70 0.1%
Hypromellose 2910 0.3%
INACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, purified water, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, zinc chloride, hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide and/or carbon dioxide to adjust pH.

For Tears Naturale Free:
OTC - ACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Dextran 70 0.1%
Hypromellose 2910 0.3%
INACTIVE INGREDIENT SECTION
Potassium chloride, purified water, sodium borate, sodium chloride. May contain hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide to adjust pH.

A pharmacist might also be able to give you more information about the difference. Interesting that an insurance company covers an OTC product. Not sure if the cost of the product would be worth the time putting in an appeal.

Bion Tears in single-use vials are also preservative-free. In addition, the ingredients of both products are almost identical. I think only the manufacturer Alcon could tell me the difference between the two products. It is a huge medical company, so it would be too much of a hassle to get in touch with the right person to answer my question.

The government provides universal health care and medicines in the socialist paradise where I live, including covering the cost of OTC-products that are prescribed by a doctor. It would be possible to have the cost of Tears Naturale covered, but it would require me to submit an application to motive it.

[dryeyedave]

Bion Tears in single-use vials are also preservative-free. In addition, the ingredients of both products are almost identical. I think only the manufacturer Alcon could tell me the difference between the two products. It is a huge medical company, so it would be too much of a hassle to get in touch with the right person to answer my question.

The government provides universal health care and medicines in the socialist paradise where I live, including covering the cost of OTC-products that are prescribed by a doctor. It would be possible to have the cost of Tears Naturale covered, but it would require me to submit an application to motive it.

I have used both and on the eye they are identical. I suspect the Bion tear is slightly more buffered that might be why it is in foil pouches the more buffered the compound the higher the spoilage. There is more compound per vial with the tears so you get more applications. Both are the mildest drops I have used.

[PiotrSWE]

I have used both and on the eye they are identical. I suspect the Bion tear is slightly more buffered that might be why it is in foil pouches the more buffered the compound the higher the spoilage. There is more compound per vial with the tears so you get more applications. Both are the mildest drops I have used.

I think your theory is correct. The doctor who recommended me Tears Naturale said that my MSG is mild, so I guess that is why he recommended me the eye drops.