The inactive ingredients on an eye drop label

The Inactive ingredients section lists everything in the bottle apart from the actives, in alphabetical order. Quell’s 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.

Why it matters

Allergies, mainly. If you react to a particular ingredient, this is where it would appear. Quell’s warnings call out one case directly — Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only — and the emu oil behind that caution is on this list.

The natural ones

Several of the inactives are natural: emu oil, manuka honey, Dead Sea salt and Terminalia chebula sit alongside the lubricants. Natural ingredients in Quell covers them.

No preservative

Quell is preservative-free, as the front of the carton says. If you want a second opinion on any ingredient, a pharmacist can go through the list with you.

Check before you buy

If any ingredient gives you pause, take the list to your doctor or pharmacist before ordering, not after. The full panel is on the Drug Facts page.