Topics Covered:  Sodium Hyaluronate in eye drops - Purpose Natural Synthetic Gel vs. Drop Form?

Hyaluronic acid is an extremely common ingredient in shampoos and skin care products.  It works so well because it is a naturally occurring substance produced by our bodies to be a super hydrator providing moisture to joints and skin... and our eyes.  Hyaluronic acid is also called Hyaluronan.

The most used lubricant for eyedrops sold on mEYEspa is a version of Hyaluronic Acid called Sodium Hyaluronate.   The Sodium Hyaluronate in eye drops is synthetically made to be 100% pure, safe and sterile.  It acts exactly like the natural product of your body.  So it is a synthetic, more bioavailable version of a naturally produced lubricant.

Aptly named products such as HYLO and Hyabak are straight up preservative-free Sodium Hyaluronate and are terrific for those requiring lubrication alone.    Thealoz DUO and I-Drop MGD also contain Sodium Hyaluronate but also add anti-evaporative ingredients which are better for computer users - See blog on Grandma's Drops!

Using straight, natural sodium hyaluronate (synthetically produced) is a common

first line treatment for winter dry eyes when the humidity is low and we dry out!  Use at least twice daily for some therapeutic effect and combine with compresses or Omega 3 supplementation for amplified effect.

When you see a product comes in Drop vs. Gel form such as HYLO and HYLO Gel, it is the concentration of Sodium Hyaluronate that is variable.   Higher concentrations give longer lasting relief and are especially great overnight (I-Defence is the highest at 0.4% ).  However, they do blur vision temporarily and would not be advisable for computer or driving use.

So, is "Our Clinic's #1 eye drop ingredient is... natural?" - Yes... but Sodium Hyaluronate is synthetically produced to be more bioavailable and to maintain sterility, purity and consistency.

Related Topics:  Do Eye Lubricant Sprays work?,  Best Eye Drop / Artificial Tear