Top Picks for Comfort: Leading Artificial Tear Brands You Need to Know

Artificial tears are an essential tool for those suffering from dry eyes, offering relief by supplementing natural tear production. With numerous brands available on the market, choosing the best one can seem daunting. Not only do these products vary in formulation, catering to different degrees of dryness and etiology, but they also differ in features like preservatives and viscosity. To help you navigate this landscape, we’ve compiled a list of the top brands renowned for their efficacy and safety, inviting you to explore them below.

Illustration of artificial tears

Best brands of artificial tears in 2025

Systane

Systane, a leading brand in the artificial tears market, is renowned for its effective and long-lasting dry eye relief products. As part of Alcon's #1 doctor-recommended family of brands, Systane offers a range of formulas that provide real, long-lasting relief for all types of dry eye, ensuring up to 8 hours of multi-symptom relief with its advanced COMPLETE formula. Systane products are also available in preservative-free solutions, making them ideal for sensitive eyes and safe for use with soft contact lenses. The brand's popularity is reflected in its market position, with the global artificial tears market expected to grow significantly due to increasing demand for such products. For instance, the market is projected to reach USD 3.916 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2023 to 2030. For more details, visit their official website.

Refresh

Refresh brand is a leading producer of artificial tears, renowned for its innovative products that provide relief from dry, burning, and irritated eyes. Their portfolio includes preservative-free eye drops, gels, and ointments, such as Refresh Digital, which protects tears from evaporating due to incomplete blinking, particularly from digital device use. These products utilize HydroCell(tm) technology to lubricate, hydrate, and protect eyes, offering extended relief for moderate symptoms of eye dryness. The artificial tears market, which includes brands like Refresh, is expected to grow significantly, with a projected CAGR of 7.2% from 2023 to 2031, driven by the rising incidence of dry eye and an aging population. For more information, you can explore their Refresh Tears product line.

TheraTears

TheraTears, a brand created by ophthalmologist Dr. Jeffrey Gilbard in the mid-1970s, is a leading producer of artificial tears, known for its unique hypotonic and electrolyte-balanced formula that replicates healthy tears, providing immediate and long-lasting relief for dry eye symptoms. The brand is part of Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc., which acquired it as part of a $230 million deal in 2021, with TheraTears accounting for about 80% of the portfolio revenues. TheraTears products are preservative-free in the eye and use a unique preserving ingredient that turns into pure oxygen and water on contact. This brand is highly regarded for its effectiveness, as evidenced by its inclusion in various market reports highlighting the growth of the artificial tears market. TheraTears continues to be a best seller in the eye care segment, contributing significantly to the overall market growth. For more details, visit their offering of TheraTears Dry Eye Therapy Lubricant Eye Drops.

Blink

Blink, a renowned brand in the artificial tears market, is known for its effective and long-lasting dry eye symptom relief. The brand's products, such as Blink Tears Lubricating Eye Drops, contain active ingredients like polyethylene glycol 400 and sodium hyaluronate, which restore the natural balance of tears with every blink. Recently, Bausch + Lomb acquired the Blink products line from Johnson & Johnson for $106.5 million, enhancing its portfolio in the over-the-counter eye care sector. Blink Tears are available in preservative-free, sterile, single-use vials and are part of a market expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2023 to 2028. This growth is driven by increasing prevalence of dry eye syndrome and other factors such as global urbanization and e-commerce growth.

GenTeal

GenTeal, a brand by Alcon, is a leading producer of artificial tears, offering solutions for mild, moderate, and severe dry eyes. The GenTeal Tears family of products includes active ingredients such as Hypromellose 2910 at 0.3% and Dextran 70 at 0.1%, making them effective for long-term eye moisture retention. GenTeal products are available in various forms, including preservative-free options, which are particularly beneficial for frequent users. The brand's popularity is evident from its positive user ratings, with 67% of reviewers reporting a positive effect. GenTeal's formulations are part of the cellulose-derived artificial tears segment, which is a significant contributor to the market, expected to grow at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period.

Retaine

Retaine, a brand under OCuSOFT and now distributed by Bruder Healthcare, is renowned for its high-quality artificial tears, particularly the Retaine MGD formulation, which has been effective in managing Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) since its U.S. launch in 2012. This preservative-free ophthalmic emulsion, formulated with mineral oils, has shown significant improvements in tear film stability and ocular surface health in clinical studies, such as a statistically significant reduction in mean breakup area and corneal fluorescein staining by Day 14 in a 14-day study involving 42 patients.

Biotrue

Biotrue, a leading brand by Bausch + Lomb, is renowned for its high-quality artificial tears, particularly the Hydration Boost Eye Drops, which are preservative-free and contain glycerin, a natural moisturizer found in healthy tears. These drops provide instant moisture and are designed to match the pH of natural tears, ensuring effective hydration and protection against irritation. The special bottle design keeps the product sterile, allowing use through the entire shelf life. Biotrue Hydration Boost Eye Drops are available in 10ml multi-dose bottles and are compatible with soft contact lenses. The product was made available for purchase at major retailers starting mid-July 2021.

Clear Eyes

Clear Eyes is a prominent brand in the artificial tears market, known for its high-quality and effective products that cater to various ocular needs. The global artificial tears market, which includes brands like Clear Eyes, is projected to grow from $3.32 billion in 2023 to $4.55 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 6.4%, driven by increasing prevalence of dry eye syndrome and advancements in product formulation. Clear Eyes products are available in different forms such as solutions, gels, and sprays, addressing indications like dry eye syndrome, allergies, and UV protection. The brand benefits from the rising demand for over-the-counter (OTC) artificial tears, which is expected to advance at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2022 to 2030. With a strong presence in retail pharmacies, online pharmacies, and hospital pharmacies, Clear Eyes continues to be a preferred choice for consumers.

Similasan

Similasan is a renowned brand in the artificial tears market, known for its high-quality, natural ingredients and effective solutions for dry and irritated eyes. With nearly 40 years of experience, Similasan offers products like Similasan Dry Eyes, which are sterile, pH-neutral, and made from medicinal herbs such as Euphrasia officinalis and Calendula officinalis. These products provide quick relief and are suitable for use with contact lenses, addressing issues caused by dry heat, air conditioning, wind, and other external factors. The brand's partnership with Thea Pharma has further expanded its reach, particularly through the distribution of the iVIZIA product line in the US. Similasan's commitment to natural preservatives and isotonic solutions enhances the health and recovery of eye function.

Optive

Optive, a brand by Allergan, is highly regarded for its effective artificial tears, particularly for managing dry eye disease. Optive's dual mechanism of action protects corneal epithelial cells and treats hypertonicity, providing significant ocular comfort and symptom improvement. It is favored by patients for its minimal blurring effect and long-lasting lubrication, making it ideal for preoperative care in refractive and cataract surgeries. Optive Sensitive, a preservative-free formulation, is also popular among frequent users of lubricating drops. The product's efficacy has been praised by ophthalmologists, who often recommend it as a first-line treatment. For further insights, you can read an article discussing artificial tears and their importance.