Key Takeaways
- Artificial tears add moisture to your eyes and come as drops, gels, or ointments.
- Preservative-free drops work well for frequent use throughout the day.
- Drops with preservatives are fine a few times per day.
- Red-relief drops can make dryness worse over time.
- Dryness that sticks around calls for a proper eye exam.
Artificial Tears Can Be Safe
Your eyes sting after spending hours in front of a screen, and reaching for a bottle of drops feels like a quick fix. However, many of our patients at Stoney Creek Optometry wonder whether frequent use of artificial tears can harm their eyes.
Artificial tears are safe for daily use when you choose the right type and follow the instructions on the label. The type you pick, how often you use them, and the ingredients inside all shape how well they work for your eyes.
What Artificial Tears Are & How They Work
Your eyes rely on a thin layer of moisture to stay comfortable and see clearly. If that layer starts to dry out, your eyes may feel gritty, tired, and sore. Artificial tears help counteract dryness by adding moisture back to the surface of your eyes.
You can find artificial tears as drops for quick relief, thicker gels for longer coverage, or ointments for overnight use. Some are water-based and quick to use, while others are oil-based, which helps hold moisture in when your eyes dry out quickly.
Most artificial tears can be found at your local pharmacy, and you don’t need a prescription in order to buy them.
Common Reasons Your Eyes Feel Dry
Your surroundings play a big role. Wind, smoke, dry air from heating, and air conditioning can all pull moisture from your eyes and leave them feeling raw.
Screen time adds to the problem. When you stare at a phone or computer, you blink much less than usual, so your eyes dry out more quickly.
Age and your medications matter too. As the years go by, your eyes tend to make fewer tears, and some common medicines can dry things out even more.
Signs You Might Have Dry Eyes
Dry eyes often show up in small ways at first, then grow harder to ignore as time goes on. Watch for these signs:
- A scratchy or burning feeling
- Redness and irritation
- Blurry vision that comes and goes
Are Artificial Tears Safe for Daily Use?
Yes, artificial tears are safe for daily use when you pick the right type and follow the usage instructions on the label.
Preservative-free drops come in small single-use vials and suit people who need relief many times a day. Since they skip the preservatives, they tend to be gentle on the surface of your eye even with frequent use.
Drops that contain preservatives work well too, though you want to limit them to about 4 times a day. If you wear contact lenses, look for formulas made to go in while your lenses stay put, so you don’t have to take your lenses out first.
How Often You Can Use Them
For most people, using drops around four times a day keeps the eyes comfortable without overdoing it.
Stick with a steady routine and you may notice your symptoms ease within about a month. Consistency tends to matter more than piling on extra drops.
Side Effects & Drops to Avoid
Most people use artificial tears without trouble. However, your vision might turn blurry for a moment right after you apply them, especially when you’re using thicker gels. This blurriness usually clears on its own within a few seconds.
Preservatives can bother some people’s eyes when used too often, which is why the preservative-free option helps for heavy daily use.
Be careful with red-relief drops that promise to whiten your eyes. They shrink your blood vessels for a short while, then leave your eyes drier and redder once the effect fades.
When to See an Eye Doctor
Sometimes drops alone are not enough. Reach out for a proper eye exam if either of the following is true:
- You get no relief after trying a few different brands of store-bought artificial tears
- Your dryness keeps coming back day after day
How the Team at Stoney Creek Optometry Can Help
Ongoing dryness deserves a closer look, and our team can help you find the cause. A comprehensive eye exam checks your vision and the health of your eyes for every member of your family.
OCT imaging gives us a detailed view of the layers inside your eye, so that we can identify potential problems and shape our care to fit your needs.
As an optometrist in Stoney Creek serving Hamilton, ON, we keep extended hours with 3 evenings and Saturdays each week, plenty of parking behind the building, and wheelchair access. If dry eyes are wearing you down, book a visit with your eye doctor in Stoney Creek today and give your eyes the attention they deserve.
