YOUR TOP 5 EYE DROPS FOR DRY EYES IN 2025
We’re revealing what you MUST have in an effective eye drop, what to avoid, and how our #1 pick measures up for long-lasting dry eye relief.
Dry, scratchy, red and irritated eyes… But wait, there’s hope!
Long-term dry eyes and eye strain can damage your eyes and even lead to vision loss.
And if you suffer from eye irritation, you likely need eye drops or “artificial tears” to solve the problem.
But most eye drops are just cheap salt water that don’t bring much relief and stop working after a short time. Or they’re made with toxic chemicals, causing you bigger problems in the long run.
Due to popular demand, we looked over the research, customer reviews and doctor recommendations of the best eye drops out there.
Now we’ve made this handy guide to help you steer clear of inferior brands, and give you our #1 Choice for 2025(...and it beats the competition by a mile!)
We Tested These 5 Drops For Dry Eye
WHO NEEDS DAILY EYE DROPS?
Our eyes lose natural moisture as we age, making them more sensitive. And this takes a toll on the health of your eyes and eyesight.
Although lasik, contacts, and our natural aging process are still the most common causes of dry eye issues, there’s also another culprit making matters even worse today: technology and increased time spent looking at screens (Smart phones, ugh!).
That’s why it's more important than ever to replenish the natural moisture of your eyes and avoid far more serious vision problems from taking root!
Studies have shown that keeping your eyes moisturized daily with a good eye drop is an easy and affordable way to prevent the need for more costly and intrusive treatments later.
Natural eye drops are one of the best and quickest ways to soothe dry eyes and keep them healthy. But there are a TON of weak and toxic brands out there. Consumers are being lied to, wasting their money on the wrong drops and STILL not getting any relief!
WHAT MAKES GOOD EYE DROPS?
✅ THE RIGHT FORMULA.
The best drops target dry eyes by retaining moisture and lubricating the eye’s surface.
However, inferior brands and even some very popular brands don’t actually lubricate
your eyes at all.
These dishonest brands use chemicals that constrict blood vessels in your eyes so they
APPEAR less red, but they actually just make eye problems worse as time goes on.
The key to healthy, irritation-free eyes is preservative-free eye drops that
mimic the natural moisture of your eyes.
✅ ZERO PRESERVATIVES or TOXINS
As our eyes become dry or irritated, they’re more sensitive to preservatives and
chemicals.
Make sure any drops advertising “Preservative Free” are ACTUALLY 100%
preservative-free.
Preservatives help brands extend their shelf life, but these ingredients cause a lot
of damage to your eyes. So while they make a higher profit, your eyes aren’t
getting true relief.
The best eye drops have ZERO preservatives and mimic your natural tears,
protecting your eye health.
✅ AFFORDABLE
Many popular eye drops are far more expensive than they should be.
Eye irritation and vision is a huge business, but nobody should have to fork out $100
- $500 per month at drug stores for some relief.
Here’s a little-known secret we discovered: Most eye drop brands have such high
prices because they split the profit with drug stores. You’ll save a TON of money
ordering your drops online when possible.
DROPS TO AVOID:
❌ DROPS NOT MADE FOR DRY EYES
❌ ANY WITH PRESERVATIVES OR HARMFUL CHEMICALS
❌ “POPULAR” BRANDS WITH INFLATED DRUG STORE PRICES
We deeply researched the most popular brands using data from our Smarter Reviews
Ranking System, advice from top eye experts and hundreds of customer
reviews.
Dozens of products simply don’t help with dry eyes so they didn’t make the cut.
We’re counting down from best to worst so you can make the right choice for your
eyes and health.
THE 5 BEST DROPS FOR DRY EYE RELIEF
#1.RAIN Eye Drops – Natural Formula 100% Preservative Free Premium Artificial Tear Drops
A+
4.9/5.0
1264 votes
PROS
- Made for daily use
- Doctor recommended
- ZERO harmful side effects
- Natural, clinically proven formula
- Fast-acting, longer lasting relief for dry eyes
- Soothes burning, itching & redness
- Helps those suffering from severe dry eye, Lasik or contacts
- Made in a GMP and FDA-approved facility
- Hundreds of 5 Star reviews online
- Fast and FREE shipping to anywhere in the USA
- 30-Day Risk-Free Money Back Guarantee
CONS
- Can be sold out due to recent popularity
- Only available for online orders at TryRain.com — not in retail stores (this is also why it has a much lower price point compared to mainstream brands)
Conclusion
It’s a fast-acting and soothing dry eye solution with ZERO harmful side effects.
The sheer number of longer-lasting benefits makes RAIN Eye Drops the easy #1 choice. They’re doctor-recommended with a very high customer satisfaction score.
We also appreciate that only clinically-proven and natural ingredients are used in RAIN™.
What sets them apart is they target the root cause of dry eyes - by lubricating and helping eyes retain their natural moisture. RAIN™ protects your vision and gives long-lasting relief from itching and burning.
Also, their return policy is generous – you get a FULL 30-day, easy money-back guarantee, proving the company stands behind its products.
Their natural formula and longer-lasting relief makes RAIN™ our #1 Pick.
UPDATE: We just checked and they’re now offering 25% OFF + FREE Shipping. They sold out last time so please take advantage of this deal while it lasts!
Discount Expires On:
July 17th, 2025
OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
Take The Dry Eye Quiz To Find The Right Drops!PLEASE ANSWER HONESTLY
#2. Walgreens Lubricant Eye Drops Premium Artificial Walgreens Lubricant Eye Drops That Are 100% Preservative Free
A-
4.2/5.0
1201 votes
PROS
- Features sterile moisture drops for dry eyes
- Available in national department stores and sometimes online
- Descriptive explanations as to what their product can do
- Preservative-free eye drop formula
- Walgreens staff recommended
CONS
- One of the most expensive eye drop products on the market at $26.41/oz.
- Website is often out of stock
- Must ask staff to unlock anti-theft shelf at Walgreens to buy the product
- Product is not made available directly thru the manufacturer
Conclusion
Walgreens knows what they’re doing when it comes to personal care products. Their effective preservative-free formula works to rejuvenate dry eyes and moisture without causing irritation from daily use. The product also has numerous reported benefits.
Unfortunately, finding the product can be inconvenient and the $26.41/oz price is quite high. Thankfully, there are other high-quality eye care products that have both preservative-free formulas and convenient online ordering at a lower price.
#3. Thera Tears
B+
3.6/5.0
1231 votes
PROS
- Available online and in certain retailers
- Contains ingredients meant to restore eye’s nature balance
- Email and phone number are provided for questions
- Company was originally started by a doctor
- Can be used alongside other eye care products
CONS
- Contains harmful preservatives
- Bottle tip can easily become contaminated
- Contains Dequest, an oxidative-type preservative
- Some customers have reported problems with eye irritation from daily use
- The packaging reduces the sterilization of the product after opening
Conclusion
Thera Tears is owned by Akorn, an American generic pharmaceuticals manufacturer. The company develops, manufactures and markets generic and prescription drugs as well as animal and consumer health products.
Earlier this year, Akorn filed for bankruptcy after unease surrounding its quality control methods resulted in a failed takeover bid and warning letters from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Their line of eye drops mostly contain preservatives which gives them a longer shelf life and cheaper packaging requirements.
#4. Visine
B-
3.6/5.0
1651 votes
PROS
- They offer multiple styles with different purposes of their basic formula
- Available online and in many corner stores
- Made by a company with long established brand recognition
- Very cheap price – less than $2 per bottle
CONS
- Contains harmful preservatives and redness removers
- Not made for dry eyes
- Active ingredients focus on constricting blood vessels
- Contains chemicals that are extremely dangerous if ingested.
- Some customers have reported problems with eye irritation from daily use
- The small bottle and formula make it not recommended for daily use
Conclusion
The Visine formula was created in the 1990s by a team that wanted to remove redness from the eyes. This makes for an impressive history and a unique story, but recent advances have made eye drop products even better and more suitable for dry eye symptoms.
One of the key missing ingredients is CMS eye moisturizer which is available in cheaper, safer formulas that can increase the comfort, look, and feel of your eyes. While Visine lacks CMS, a dangerous hydrochloride based chemical is present, which bumps it down our list.
Though the price is quite cheap, the lack of eye lubricant ingredients provides substantial moisture to soothe dry eyes and protect them. Visine works as a simple redness remover but modern eye drop products that do so much more.
#5. Lumify
C-
3.1/5.0
1351 votes
PROS
- Available through several retailers such as Walgreens, Target, and Wal-Mart
- Targets redness with a lower risk of major side effects
- CVS has it online for $31.98 + tax
- Contains no bleach or dyes
CONS
- Contains harmful preservatives and redness removers
- Active ingredients only work for contricting blood vessels, not for dry eyes
- Contains other active chemicals.
- Some customers have reported problems with eye irritation from daily use
- Small bottle makes it one of the most expensive eye drops per oz
- No useful CMS Eye Moisturizer or lubricants that are on the cutting edge of dry eye care products
Conclusion
Lumify has a wide distribution and actually uses less harmful chemicals in its ingredients than other redness removers. Although it was formulated with doctors leading the studies, reading about how the active ingredients actually work leads you to the realization that this product is not designed to relieve dry eye symptoms. The active ingredients in fact are intended to constrict blood vessels in the eye to cover up redness.
Lumify is widely available in several retailers, allowing for easy access. Many of the companies that sell this product also have their own return policies. However, the price is relatively high when you consider the alternatives that provide well-rounded results and the moisture protection needed for dry eye relief.
Take The Dry Eye Quiz To Find The Right Drops!PLEASE ANSWER HONESTLY
Sources:
https://www.biospace.com/article/eye-drop-dispenser-market-in-depth-analysis-of-key-factors-driving-or-restraining-the-growth-of-the-market
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-18521/carboxymethylcellulose-sodium-ophthalmic-eye/details
https://www.healthline.com/health/preservative-free-eye-drops
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/01/18/how-visine-eye-drops-in-the-mouth-can-kill-here-are-two-cases/#12cef1631eae
https://www.walgreens.com/q/eye+drops
https://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/redness-relief-eye-drops
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/news/new-over-counter-eye-whitening-drop-lumify
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/health-care/akorn-files-bankruptcy-after-failed-takeover-fda-warnings
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20302969/
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