Almost everyone who suffers from dry eye has heard the name “artificial tears”. Whether it is in the clinical frontline or in daily prevention and treatment, the use of artificial tears is an effective method for relieving dry eye that has been certified by the authority. Interestingly, in contrast to the “famous reputation” of artificial tears, it is the public’s perception that artificial tears are almost barren, and many people even think that artificial tears are the same. So what are the types of artificial tears? Which artificial tears should be selected for dry eye? Let’s take a look today.
Artificial tears only have one ingredient?
The claim that artificial tears have only one component is clearly false. Strictly speaking, artificial tears refer to a variety, not just one ingredient. The more common artificial tears on the market are generally divided into moisturizing and moisturizing types, such as sodium hyaluronate eye drops, polyvinyl alcohol eye drops, etc.; cytokine type and vitamin type (vitamin B12 eye drops). The composition and efficacy of different types of artificial tears are naturally different. Some of them have higher viscosity, so they have better moisturizing properties; some can promote the repair of corneal epithelium; some can reduce tear evaporation and so on.
Which artificial tears should dry eye patients choose?
Among so many types of artificial tears, which one is more suitable for patients with dry eye? This will start from the causes of dry eye.
The human ocular surface is covered with a layer of tear film, which is divided into lipid layer, aqueous layer and mucin layer from outside to inside. They can keep the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye moist and form a healthy layer on the ocular surface. “barrier”. Dry eye syndrome is caused by damage to the ocular barrier, abnormal tear or ocular surface instability, and disruption of the balance of the ocular surface. Dry eye patients often experience dry eyes, a foreign body sensation, and are often accompanied by symptoms such as redness, itching, and blurred vision.
In clinical practice, artificial tears, which can imitate the components of human tears, are one of the main methods to prevent and treat dry eye. Its physicochemical properties are similar to tear film, and it can moisturize the ocular surface, replenish the missing tears, dilute the soluble inflammation of the ocular surface, and so on.
So which artificial tears should dry eye patients choose?
Compared with most other artificial tears on the market, sodium hyaluronate is a natural moisturizing factor that exists in the human body, which is why sodium hyaluronate eye drops are widely recognized in the industry.
At present, the more common sodium hyaluronate eye drops on the market have two concentrations, 0.3% and 0.1%, 0.3% concentration such as Ouqin sodium hyaluronate eye drops, Aili eye drops, etc., 0.1% concentration such as Hailu drops Eye drops, moisturizing eye drops, etc. Different concentrations of sodium hyaluronate have different effects on the prevention and treatment of dry eye. Compared with 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drops, 0.3% high-concentration sodium hyaluronate eye drops stay on the ocular surface for a longer time, have a better moisturizing effect on the ocular surface, and can help our eyes repair faster. The damaged eye barrier can effectively improve the symptoms of eye discomfort.
In addition, it should be noted that many people lack effective awareness of dry eye syndrome, and often follow the trend to buy some eye drops to relieve the discomfort caused by the eyes in daily life. In particular, some “net celebrity” eye drops under the banner of “cool feeling” do not know that the excessive cooling sensation caused by the addition of certain chemical ingredients to the eye drops will irritate the eyes and cause further damage to the eye barrier. In addition, most eye drops on the market may contain preservatives, such as alcohols, quaternary ammonium salts, etc. Although they can relieve symptoms such as dry eyes in a short time, if you use eye drops containing preservatives for a long time, It will cause secondary damage to the eye barrier.
Therefore, if you want to maintain stability and repair the eye barrier and fundamentally relieve the symptoms of dry eye, it is better to choose high-concentration sodium hyaluronate eye drops without preservatives in artificial tears. For example, similar to Ouqin sodium hyaluronate eye drops, without preservatives, Ouqin eye drops also contain 0.3% high-concentration sodium hyaluronate, which ensures that people with dry eye can use it safely for a long time. , can moisturize our ocular surface microenvironment for a long time, and can help people with dry eye to repair and maintain the eye barrier, effectively improve dry eyes, red blood, itching, blurred vision and other symptoms.
In daily life, people use electronic products for a long time, wear eye makeup, wear contact lenses, and perform eye surgery, etc., all of which will lead to a decrease in the stability of the tear film to varying degrees, damage the eye barrier, and then cause dry eye syndrome. When you find that you have repeated discomfort in your eyes, it is recommended to choose artificial tears that are suitable for your symptoms and use it in conjunction with your doctor’s advice. People with dry eyes should not blindly pursue some “net red” eye drops. Scientifically selected eye drops are the best solution for “long-term anti-dry” patients with dry eyes. Artificial tears with high concentration of sodium hyaluronate can not only moisturize the ocular surface for a long time, but also help to repair the ocular barrier from the root, maintain the microenvironment of the ocular surface, and relieve various symptoms of dry eye.