There is no single best eye drop, and any list that ranks them one to ten is guessing about your eyes.
There are, however, clearly better and worse matches — and the difference between someone who gets relief and someone who cycles through four bottles usually comes down to matching the drop to the type of dryness rather than buying whichever brand is at eye level in the pharmacy.
Here's how we choose in practice.
First: which kind of dry eye?
Evaporative (the large majority). Your eyes make enough tears, but the oil layer that stops them evaporating is deficient — usually because the meibomian glands in the lids are blocked. Signs: eyes that water, symptoms worse in the evening and on screens, brief relief from ordinary lubricants. See meibomian gland dysfunction.
Aqueous deficient. You genuinely aren't producing enough tear volume. More common with age, in autoimmune conditions such as Sjögren's, and as a side effect of medications including antihistamines, some antidepressants, and diuretics.
Both. Very common.
Evaporative dry eye responds better to a lipid-containing or lipid-stabilising drop plus lid treatment. Aqueous deficiency responds better to volume replacement with a good retention time. Using the wrong category is the most common reason a drop underperforms.
Second: how often will you use it?
This decides preserved versus preservative-free, and it is not a marketing distinction.
Preservatives — benzalkonium chloride being the one to know — are there to keep a multi-dose bottle sterile once opened. Used a couple of times a day, most eyes tolerate them. Used four, six, eight times a day on an already compromised surface, they can become part of the problem.
Rule of thumb: more than four times a day, go preservative-free. Everything in Preservative-Free Eye Drops NZ qualifies.
The drops, and what each is actually for
Systane — the broadest range, so pick deliberately
The whole point of Systane is that it isn't one product. Buying "Systane" without specifying which is how people end up with the wrong one.
- Systane COMPLETE (preservative-free) — the sensible default when you don't yet know your subtype. Designed to address both evaporative and aqueous-deficient dryness, and preservative-free so frequency isn't a problem.
- Systane BALANCE — for dry eye associated with meibomian gland dysfunction. If your eyes water and drops only help briefly, this is a better starting point than a plain lubricant.
- Systane ULTRA (25 single-use vials) — a light, fast-settling drop for mild to moderate symptoms. Single-use vials suit anyone who dislikes bottles or needs to carry doses.
- Systane HYDRATION UD (30 vials) — preservative-free with hyaluronic acid for longer retention. A good all-day option for frequent dosers.
- Systane GEL — thick, for severe dryness and overnight use. It will blur your vision for a few minutes, which is why we generally suggest it at bedtime rather than at your desk.
Hylo — sodium hyaluronate, and the bottle is the point
- Hylo-Fresh (0.1% sodium hyaluronate) — mild to moderate dryness.
- Hylo-Forte (0.2%) — more viscous, longer-lasting, for moderate to severe. This is the one we reach for post-surgically and for people whose symptoms persist through the day.
Both use a preservative-free multi-dose bottle rated for six months after opening. If you find single-use vials wasteful or fiddly, this format solves it. Full range: Hylo Eye Drops NZ.
NovaTears — for evaporative dry eye specifically
NovaTears contains no water and no preservative. It spreads as an extremely thin layer that helps stabilise the tear film's lipid layer. Genuinely useful in evaporative dry eye and MGD.
Two things people aren't told: you need far less than you think — one drop, not two or three — and it can blur briefly on instilling. Both are normal.
Optimel — antibacterial manuka honey
Optimel Antibacterial Manuka Honey Eye Drops and the Forte Eye Gel are worth considering where lid margin inflammation or blepharitis sits alongside dryness.
It stings. That's the mechanism, not a side effect — it's a hyperosmotic, antibacterial product. If nobody warns you, you'll assume something is wrong and stop on day two. Build up gradually. Full range: Optimel NZ.
Rohto Dry Aid
Rohto Dry Aid targets all three tear film layers and is a well-priced, widely liked option for mild to moderate everyday dryness. Preserved, so it suits a few doses a day rather than constant use.
A note on what isn't a dry eye drop
AEON Sodium Chloride 5% is hypertonic saline. It is used to draw fluid out of a swollen cornea — for example in Fuchs' dystrophy or after certain surgery. It is not a lubricant and will sting considerably if used as one. We carry it for the people who genuinely need it, but it shouldn't be bought for general dryness.
Likewise, "redness relief" drops sold on supermarket shelves usually contain a vasoconstrictor. They whiten the eye without treating anything, and rebound redness on stopping is well described. We don't stock them.
A reasonable starting point if you're unsure
Eyes water, worse at night, brief relief from drops → Systane BALANCE or NovaTears, plus heat and lid hygiene.
Constant gritty dryness, no watering, using drops often → Systane COMPLETE or Hylo-Forte.
Mild, occasional, screen-related → Systane ULTRA or Rohto Dry Aid.
Dryness plus red, crusted or itchy lids → a lubricant plus lid hygiene, and read the blepharitis article.
Severe, or worst on waking → add Systane GEL at night.
Browse the full range: Dry Eye Drops NZ.
The caveat that matters most
If you are using drops several times a day and still uncomfortable, the drop isn't the problem — the diagnosis is. Persistent dry eye that doesn't respond to a reasonable lubricant deserves an examination, not a fifth bottle. There are causes that no over-the-counter drop addresses: gland dropout, incomplete lid closure at night, medication side effects, and inflammatory conditions that need prescription treatment.
It is a paid, in-depth assessment — TearCheck, meibography and ScoutPro osmolarity — and finding the actual cause usually costs less than another year of the wrong bottles.
→ Book a Dry Eye Evaluation · paid, in-depth assessment · fee confirmed when you book
For the full pathway — what to start with, how long to give it, and what we measure if it doesn't work — see our dry eye guide.
Rose Optometry is optometrist-owned and has been in Hamilton since 1969. Everything here is in stock and dispatched from the practice, with free NZ shipping over $100. If you use the same drop continuously, our Subscribe & Save option takes 10% off and delivers it 4-weekly or 3-monthly.
Written by Jacqueline Rowe — BSc Chemistry, BOptom. Partner Optometrist, Rose Optometry; New Zealand Eye Research Centre.
General information, not a diagnosis.