What Is the Difference Between Artificial Tears and Eye Drops?

Artificial tears are an alternative to the composition of human tears. It is an eye drop that moisturizes the eyes. Artificial tears can moisturize the eyes. Patients with Sjogren's syndrome usually have abnormal tear quality.

Artificial tears

Artificial tears are an alternative to the composition of human tears. It is a

Artificial tears

There are many types of artificial tears on the market, which are generally divided into two categories. It is recommended that artificial tears be used under the guidance of a doctor.

Water-liquid

Water-liquid is relatively dilute, if the symptoms are relatively mild, water-liquid artificial tears can be used

Gelatinous

The gel-like consistency is relatively high. If the symptoms are severe or troublesome and you don't want to click often, you can use gel-made artificial tears. ^[1]

There are many types of artificial tears. It should be said that no artificial tear is perfect. Each artificial tear has its own characteristics. Some have high viscosity and good moisturizing properties. Some can promote corneal epithelium repair. .

Preservative-free artificial tears such as 0.1% sodium hyaluronate and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose

Contact lens cleaning fluid is not equivalent to artificial tears, but artificial tears can replace cleaning fluids. Drugs can alleviate to varying degrees

The traditional treatment of dry eye is mainly the use of artificial tears. The most ideal artificial tear is its own serum, which has a pH value, osmotic pressure close to tears, and contains a variety of biologically active ingredients (such as EGF, vitamin A, TGF-, fibronectin, etc.), which can help the ocular surface The repair of corneal and conjunctival epithelium improves the vitality during the repair of corneal and conjunctival epithelium and strengthens the normalization of ocular surface water metabolism. However, its own serum preparation process is relatively complicated, easily contaminated, and needs to be stored at low temperature, which cannot be commercialized and used outside the hospital.

Commonly used artificial tears are mostly added with preservatives (benzalkonium bromide), and long-term use of artificial tears containing preservatives can cause damage to ocular surface conjunctival epithelial cells. In addition, the active ingredients contained in artificial tears are sodium hyaluronate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, which are not inherent components of tears. Long-term application will dilute the natural tears, destroy the tear film and promote the reflex arc of tear release, causing eye irritation and even worse Symptoms of dry eye disease.