Are oil-based eye drops better for dry eyes?

Oil-based eye drops aren’t better for everyone, but they work on a different part of the tear film than watery drops. The outer oil layer slows evaporation of the watery layer beneath it, and drops with oils are meant to support that layer. Whether that’s the right fit for your eyes depends on why they feel dry, which an eye doctor can tell you. Quell is designed to reinforce the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss.

What “oil-based” means for eye drops

There isn’t a regulatory category called “oil-based eye drops.” The phrase usually describes a lubricating drop that includes oils, often as an emulsion where tiny oil droplets are spread through a watery base. That usually makes the liquid look cloudy or milky rather than clear. Drops without oils rely on water-loving ingredients that add moisture and thickness to the watery layer.

Federal rules for over-the-counter eye drops group lubricant ingredients into types. Demulcents, such as glycerin and polysorbate 80, are listed in 21 CFR 349.12. Emollients, oily ingredients such as light mineral oil, are listed in 21 CFR 349.14. A drop can include both, which is what Quell does.

Why the oil layer matters

The tear film has three layers. Closest to the eye is a mucus layer that helps tears cling to the surface. The middle is watery. On the outside is a thin oil layer, which spreads with every blink and slows evaporation of the water underneath. When that outer layer is thin, the watery layer can evaporate faster between blinks, especially in dry, windy, heated or air-conditioned air.

That’s the idea behind adding oils to a drop: support the layer that keeps moisture in, rather than only adding more water on top. The tear film’s oil layer, explained goes deeper, and what is meibum covers the natural oil itself.

Oil based eye drops for dry eyes: how Quell is built

Quell’s Drug Facts panel lists three active ingredients: Glycerol (1.0%), Polysorbate 80 (1.0%) and Light Mineral Oil (0.5%). Of those, Light Mineral Oil (0.5%) is the oil, listed on the label as an emollient. The other two, Glycerol (1.0%) and Polysorbate 80 (1.0%), are listed as lubricants. Emu oil appears among the inactive ingredients, and the carton’s emu oil panel says: Emu oil is an all natural oil used by the Aboriginal people of Australia for thousands of years to nourish and protect the body. In artificial tears, it provides soothing support of the tear film’s oil layer to reduce moisture loss.

Because of those oils, the label notes: Product appears as a milky brown solution. A clear drop would actually be the unusual sight in a Quell bottle. Why is Quell milky brown has more on the color.

Mineral oil based eye drops

Mineral oil is the oily ingredient people most often see on eye drop labels in the United States, because light mineral oil and mineral oil are both on FDA’s list of emollient ingredients for over-the-counter eye products. Light mineral oil in eye drops covers what “light” means and why it’s used.

So, are they better?

“Better” depends on what’s behind your dryness. Some people’s eyes feel dry mostly because tears evaporate too quickly; others mainly because they don’t make enough of the watery part; many have a mix. No drop is automatically the right choice for every person or every eye, and no label can sort out which situation you’re in.

That’s a question for an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They can look at your tear film directly and tell you which kind of drop suits you. Questions to ask your eye doctor can help you get specific answers at the visit.

Trade-offs to know about

• Vision can blur briefly after a drop with oils, until a few blinks spread it out. Is it normal for vision to blur after eye drops explains why.
• Milky drops look different from clear ones, which surprises some people the first time.
• Ingredients from animal sources, like emu oil, matter to some buyers. Quell’s label cautions: Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only.
• Oil-based and watery drops aren’t interchangeable in a routine without advice; Quell’s label doesn’t cover use with other eye drops, so ask your eye doctor or pharmacist.
• The label doesn’t cover contact lenses either; that’s another question for your eye doctor.

Oil based eye drops preservative free

People looking for an oil-based drop often also want one without preservatives, especially if they’ll use it several times a day. Quell is preservative-free. Without a preservative, keeping the tip clean matters even more, as the label instructs: Do not touch tip of bottle to any surface to avoid contamination. What does preservative-free mean covers the trade-offs.

How to use it

Follow the label: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. Store it as directed, Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). If it doesn’t seem to help, or symptoms get worse, the label is specific: Stop use and ask a doctor if you feel eye pain or changes in your vision, if irritation or redness continues, or if the condition worsens or persists for 72 hours. That’s the point to see an eye doctor rather than try a different drop on your own.