{"product_id":"viscotears-liquid-gel","title":"Viscotears Liquid Gel 10g","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e✔ Stock on hand — ships NZ-wide from Rose Optometry, Hamilton.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eViscotears — a carbomer gel that sits between a drop and an ointment\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eViscotears Liquid Gel is a \u003cstrong\u003ecarbomer\u003c\/strong\u003e gel. It is thicker than an artificial tear and thinner than a paraffin ointment, which puts it in a genuinely useful middle ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBecause it is thicker than a drop, it stays on the eye longer — the obvious step up when a standard artificial tear has stopped lasting between doses. Because it is thinner than an ointment, the blur is brief rather than disabling, which means you can actually use it during the day. That is not true of \u003ca href=\"\/products\/poly-visc-eye-ointment\"\u003ePoly Visc\u003c\/a\u003e. It suits moderate dry eye through the day, or an evening dose when a full ointment would be too much.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe honest caveat: this version contains cetrimide, a preservative.\u003c\/strong\u003e The manufacturer is upfront about it and so are we. Preservatives are hard on the ocular surface with repeated exposure, and a gel is typically used several times a day. Do that every day, indefinitely, and a preserved product can quietly become part of the problem. If you are a frequent or long-term user, buy the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/viscotears-gel-pf-preservative-free-30-vials\"\u003epreservative-free Gel PF vials\u003c\/a\u003e instead. For genuinely occasional use, the preserved tube is fine and considerably cheaper.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it's for\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eModerate dry eye where an ordinary artificial tear no longer lasts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDaytime use, when an ointment would blur too much.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn evening step-up short of a full night-time ointment.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOccasional rather than all-day-every-day use — for that, choose the preservative-free vials.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNot for use with contact lenses in.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions we get asked\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it blur my vision?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, but usually for under a minute — far less than an ointment. Still worth putting it in before you settle rather than before you drive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I use it with contact lenses in?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. Remove your lenses first and give it at least 30 minutes before putting them back in. Carbomer gel on a lens surface is a mess, and this version is preserved as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow often can I use it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollow the dosing on the pack. The practical limit here is the preservative rather than the gel itself: if you are needing it more than about four times a day, move to \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/preservative-free-eye-drops-nz\"\u003epreservative-free\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it contain a preservative?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes — cetrimide. That is the single most important thing to know before choosing between this tube and the PF vials.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow long does it keep once opened?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollow the discard-after-opening period printed on the tube, and write the date you opened it on the tube itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the difference between this and Viscotears Gel PF?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSame carbomer gel; the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/viscotears-gel-pf-preservative-free-30-vials\"\u003ePF version\u003c\/a\u003e comes in single-dose vials with no preservative. It costs more per dose. If you use a gel daily and indefinitely, that is money well spent; if you use it now and then, it isn't.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA last point nobody selling you a gel will make.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA gel manages dryness; it does not treat the cause. If you are using drops several times a day and still uncomfortable, the drop isn't the problem — the diagnosis is. Most often the cause is the oil glands in the lid margin, which respond to \u003ca href=\"\/products\/iflo-usb-heated-eye-mask\"\u003eheat\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lid-hygiene-blepharitis-nz\"\u003elid hygiene\u003c\/a\u003e rather than a thicker lubricant. Read \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/eye-health\/evaporative-dry-eye-mgd-why-your-drops-arent-working\"\u003emeibomian gland dysfunction\u003c\/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.myhealth1st.com.au\/appointmentWidget\/?practiceId=9357\u0026amp;treatmentId=3022\"\u003eBook a free Dry Eye Evaluation\u003c\/a\u003e in Hamilton — 15 minutes, no cost.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhy buy from Rose Optometry\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndependent, optometrist-owned New Zealand practice — in Hamilton since 1969.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree optometrist advice with every order; reply to your order email and a clinician answers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree NZ shipping on orders over $100, sent from Hamilton.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Bausch and Lomb","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52819764150553,"sku":"4030571004837","price":18.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0793\/9263\/7209\/files\/viscotears-all-minv2-e1650339543525.png?v=1783997549","url":"https:\/\/store.roseoptom.co.nz\/products\/viscotears-liquid-gel","provider":"Rose Optometry","version":"1.0","type":"link"}