How to read an eye drop Drug Facts label

Over-the-counter drugs in the U.S. share one Drug Facts layout, with the sections in the same order, so once you can read one panel you can read them all. This guide works through it a section at a time with Quell’s label as the example. The complete panel is on the Drug Facts page.

Active ingredients

The first section names the ingredients that do the drug’s job, each with its strength and its purpose. Quell has three: Glycerol (1.0%), Polysorbate 80 (1.0%) and Light Mineral Oil (0.5%). The first two are listed as lubricants and the third as an emollient.

The percentage beside each name is its concentration in the solution. The purpose is the label’s own one-word summary of why the ingredient is there.

Uses

Uses states what the product is for, in its maker’s approved words. Quell’s reads: For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye. When a website or an ad claims more than this section does, believe the label.

Warnings

The warnings are usually the longest part, broken into labeled pieces. Quell’s open with a general caution: Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only. Then come the subsections:

• Do not use: If this product changes color.
• When using this product: Do not touch tip of bottle to any surface to avoid contamination.
• Stop use and ask a doctor if: the situations in which you should stop and get advice.
• Keep out of reach of children: If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.

The stop-use part is the one to know without looking. In sentence form: 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.

Directions

Directions give the dose and how often to take it. Quell’s: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. Three drops a day in each eye makes six altogether. If you are unsure whether directions apply to you, ask a pharmacist before you open the bottle, not after.

Other information

This section collects practical details. Quell has two. The first reads: Product appears as a milky brown solution. That line saves a good deal of worry, because a milky brown drop looks unusual to anyone used to clear ones. The eye drops have a naturally milky-brown appearance. This is normal and does not indicate a problem with the product.

The second is storage: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F).

Inactive ingredients

Everything else in the bottle is listed here, alphabetically. Quell’s list has 10 entries: Caprylyl Glycol, Dead Sea Salt (Sodium Chloride), Emu Oil, Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Manuka Honey, Polaxamer 188, Sterile Water, Terminalia Chubula and Tromethamine. If you have allergies, this is the list to check, together with the warnings above.

Questions or comments

Many panels end with a phone number for questions. Quell’s maker can be reached at 615.465.6041, M–F 9AM–5PM CST. That line can help with the product and your order; it can’t give medical advice, which is a job for your doctor or pharmacist.

Read it twice

Read the label online before you buy, and again on the carton when the box arrives. The panel printed on the product you receive is the one that applies if it ever differs from a website, and the terms say so in as many words.