Preservatives keep a bottle sterile after it is opened. With frequent daily use they can themselves become irritating, especially if your eyes are sensitive or you wear contact lenses, which is why a lot of people are sent home with instructions to buy preservative-free. Here is which of our drops qualify, and what separates them from each other.
The preservative-free drops we stock
| Hyabak | Thealoz Duo | LabTriactiv | Zaspray | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Drop | Drop | Drop | Spray onto closed eyelids |
| Built around | Sodium hyaluronate 0.15% | Trehalose 3% and sodium hyaluronate 0.15% | Phospholipids, cross-linked sodium hyaluronate, trehalose and stearylamine | Hyaluronic acid and a PER-LIP liposomal complex |
| Preservative | None. Also phosphate-free | None. Also phosphate-free | None | None |
| Pack | 10 mL ABAK bottle, about 300 drops | Bottle, about 300 drops | Not stated on the product page | Not stated on the product page |
| After opening | Good for up to 6 months | Good for up to 6 months | Not stated on the product page | Not stated on the product page |
| Contact lenses | Comfortable with lenses in | Comfortable with lenses in | Not stated on the product page | Suitable for use with contact lenses |
| How often | As needed through the day | As needed through the day | As needed through the day | Once or twice a day, up to three or four times if needed |
How to pick
You want the simplest possible drop
Hyabak has one moisturizing ingredient, hyaluronic acid, and nothing else. Its own page calls it a straightforward starting point if you are new to dry-eye drops.
You want a second ingredient working alongside it
Thealoz Duo adds trehalose to the same hyaluronic acid. Trehalose helps protect the cells on the surface of your eye, so it is two ingredients doing two jobs in one drop.
Your dryness does not respond to a plain moisturizer
LabTriactiv is made to support all three layers of the tear film at once: the oily layer, the watery layer and the mucin layer that helps everything stick to the eye. It is worth raising with your optometrist if a simple drop is not holding.
Getting a drop into your eye is the hard part
Zaspray is a mist you spray onto the closed eyelid from about 10 cm. It reaches the eye surface when you blink, so nothing touches the eye. It is a practical option if drops are hard to aim or hold steady.
The two preservative-free gels
Thealoz Duo Gel and Thealoz Gel are also preservative-free. They are gels rather than liquid drops, so they stay on the eye longer and blur your vision briefly, and unlike Hyabak and Thealoz Duo you have to take your contact lenses out first. We compare them on their own page: Thealoz Duo, Thealoz Duo Gel or Thealoz Gel.
A note on Systane
Both Systane Complete and Systane Hydration are made in two versions: a preservative-free format and a regular multi-dose bottle. Which one you have depends on the pack, and the box says so. If you specifically need the preservative-free version, call us at 613-446-4401 before ordering and we will confirm what is on the shelf.
Questions we get at the counter
What does preservative-free actually change?
Preservatives help a bottle of drops last longer, but with frequent daily use they can irritate the surface of the eye, especially if your eyes are sensitive or you wear contact lenses.
Does preservative-free mean I can use it as often as I like?
No. Follow the label for frequency, or the instructions your optometrist gave you. Preservative-free products are described as gentle enough for frequent daily use, which is not the same as unlimited.
How long does an open bottle last?
Hyabak and Thealoz Duo are both good for up to six months after opening. The other pages do not state a window, so check your own box, and respect the discard date after opening.
Can I use these with my contact lenses in?
Hyabak and Thealoz Duo say yes. Zaspray is suitable for use with contact lenses. LabTriactiv's page does not say either way, so check the insert in your pack or ask your optometrist.
Is a preservative-free drop enough on its own?
If you are reaching for drops many times a day, if relief never lasts, or if you have pain, light sensitivity, or vision changes, that is your cue to book an eye exam rather than buy a bigger bottle.
My eyes are itchy and red, not just dry
Itching and redness have many possible causes, and an in-person exam is the way to find out which one applies to you. See your optometrist rather than managing it on your own.
Key takeaways
- Six of the products we stock are preservative-free: four here, plus two gels.
- Hyabak is one moisturizing ingredient. Thealoz Duo is two.
- LabTriactiv works on all three layers of the tear film.
- Zaspray is a spray for closed eyelids, not a drop.
- Systane comes in both a preservative-free and a preserved version, so read the pack.
- Preservative-free is about tolerance with frequent use, not about strength.
Everything on this page lives in our preservative-free collection. BlephaDerm is in that collection too, and it is preservative-free, but it is a cream for eyelid skin rather than something you put in your eye. For a plain-language map of the whole drop category, read How to Choose an Artificial Tear.
This page is general information, not a substitute for an eye exam. Speak with your optometrist about your eyes.
EyeClub is owned and operated by Rockland Optometry. We earn revenue on products sold here. Product suggestions are general information, not individual medical advice.