Eye Drops for Contact Lenses: What Is Safe to Use
The short answer
Use a drop whose label says it can be used with contact lenses in. These are often called rewetting drops or contact lens comfort drops. Many ordinary artificial tears are not labeled for use with lenses in place, and the label is what tells you which is which.
If you wear rigid gas permeable or scleral lenses, check that the product names your lens type. Soft lens products and rigid lens products are not interchangeable.
Rewetting drops and artificial tears are not the same category
Both are lubricant drops, and there is overlap between them. The practical difference is what the manufacturer has tested and labeled the product for.
A soft contact lens is a hydrogel that absorbs what it sits in. That is why compatibility with lens materials is a labeling question rather than something you can infer from the ingredient list on the back of the box. When a product says it is for use with lenses, that is the manufacturer telling you it is intended for that use.
What contact lens friendly means on a label
It means the manufacturer intends the product to be used while lenses are being worn. Some labels are more specific and name lens types, which is useful if you wear anything other than standard soft lenses.
Where a product is preservative free, the box will usually say so prominently, and some drops are marketed on that combination. Biotrue Hydration Boost and iVIZIA are both labeled preservative free and contact lens friendly.
Options for soft lens wearers
| Product | Brand | Noted on the label |
|---|---|---|
| Blink Contacts | Blink | For use with contact lenses |
| Refresh Relieva for Contacts | AbbVie | For contacts |
| Biotrue Hydration Boost | BioTrue | Preservative free, soft lens friendly |
| iVIZIA | Thea | Preservative free, contact lens friendly |
If you go through drops quickly, Biotrue Hydration Boost is also sold as a two pack.
Options for rigid, gas permeable and scleral wearers
Systane CONTACTS names soft, RGP and hard lenses on its labeling. Boston Rewetting Drops are made specifically for gas permeable lenses.
Scleral lens wearers have a separate set of considerations, because the lens is filled with solution before it goes on the eye. Your fitter will tell you what to fill with and what you can use during the day. See Scleral Lens Supplies for the products in that category.
What not to reach for
Multipurpose solution is a lens care product for cleaning, disinfecting and storing lenses in the case. It is not a comfort drop and is not intended to be instilled in the eye. That question comes up often enough that we wrote it up separately in can I use multipurpose solution as eye drops.
Redness relieving drops are also a distinct product category from lubricant drops, and many are not labeled for use with lenses in. Read the box rather than assuming, since these sit on the same shelf.
If lenses are uncomfortable most days
That is worth raising with your eye care professional rather than managing with drops indefinitely. Comfort can involve the lens, the fit, the wearing schedule, and the eye surface underneath, and an examination is what separates those. Our doctor locator can help you find a provider, and choosing contact lenses when your eyes feel dry covers the lens side of that conversation.
Common questions
Can I use regular artificial tears with my lenses in?
Only if the label says so. Many are not labeled for that use.
Do I have to take my lenses out to use a rewetting drop?
Rewetting drops are made to be used with lenses in place. Follow the directions on your bottle.
Are preservative free drops required for lens wear?
Not automatically. Preservative free is one attribute and lens compatibility is another. Some products are both, and the box will say.
My lenses feel dry only late in the day. Is that normal?
It is a common thing for people to report, and it is also exactly the kind of pattern your eye care professional will want to hear about, because it helps them work out the cause.