Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

mces97 t1_jcrws1h wrote

Reply to comment by spacepeenuts in Bacteria in recalled eye drops linked to cases of vision loss, surgical removal of eyeballs by iamthyfucker

Don't use eye drops with preservatives. Usually the preservative is BAK. Very harsh on the ocular surface. Use the preservative free individual vials, or what I use, they now have eyedrop containers that are preservative free and more cost effective. Just don't touch the tip to your eyeball and you should be good. If the drops are ever cloudy, throw em away.

27

bigheadweeze t1_jcsuv68 wrote

What are the container drops you have that are preservative-free? Haven't had much luck finding any.

4

Fn_up_adulting t1_jcswsqr wrote

Systane. The bottle design used for the preservative free drops can be a pain but you get more for the money than the single use drops.

8

call_me_jelli t1_jcszdg3 wrote

Okay but don't preservatives generally protect from bacteria growing in bottles like this?

5

Blenderx06 t1_jctibgi wrote

Doctors don't want you using preservatives if you have chronic dry eye.

5

Fn_up_adulting t1_jcszrjj wrote

The bottle valve is designed to prevent airflow into the bottle and thus contamination. What makes the bottle a pain is that the valve can make it difficult to get the drops out.

https://biomedres.us/pdfs/BJSTR.MS.ID.007130.pdf

4

mces97 t1_jcuypt3 wrote

Yeah. I've tried a few different brands and I settled on Bio True because it's the easiest to get out without having to squeeze squeeze. And it's also cheaper in 2 packs, and get a few recurring deliveries on Amazon. I go through about 1 a week or two. I have to take glaucoma drops for high eye pressure and those do contain BAK Gonna try to switch to a different type without BAK.

1

mces97 t1_jcu43nl wrote

I use Bio true preservative free. Can even use them with contacts. And you can use them as many times as you want since it's just essentially an artificial tear with no harsh chemicals.

2

captainhaddock t1_jcwsofw wrote

I use Alcon Tears Naturale II for my chronic dry eye (caused by lasik I got 25 years ago). They advertise the fact that it contains polyquad as "a preservative with a better safety profile". Hopefully that's true.

2

mces97 t1_jcwtxke wrote

Just did a quick search and it does seem polyquad is a good safe preservative. What's annoying is it's in glaucoma drops outside the US, while most here use BAK. Like why can't the companies just do a quick trial using a different preservative and just reformulate it with that one change? BAK honestly should not be in any eye drops since safer and just as effective alternative preservatives exist. Even more bs is Travaton brand uses Sofvia, but the generic uses BAK. One is 300 bucks, one is 10. Such damn bs.

2