How to tell if eye drops contain preservatives? How long can they be stored in the refrigerator?

Many people use eye drops, especially those who look at computers all day. So how do you tell whether eye drops contain preservatives? How long is the shelf life of eye drops in the refrigerator?

How to tell whether eye drops contain preservatives

1. Look at the ingredients

Products that contain preservative ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride, chlorobutanol, benzalkonium bromide, potassium sorbate, etc. in the product instructions contain preservatives;

2. Look at the dosage

Eye drops with a single bottle volume greater than 1 ml that cannot be used up within one day generally contain preservatives. Such eye drops are best used up within 15-30 days: eye drops with a volume less than 1 ml that are thrown away on the same day do not need to contain preservatives.

3. Look at the outer packaging

If the eye drops do not contain preservatives, they must be strictly approved by the State Food and Drug Administration and will generally be clearly marked “preservative-free” on the outer packaging box.

How long is the shelf life of eye drops in the refrigerator?

Eye drops need to come into close contact with the eyes and are extremely susceptible to bacterial infection. Therefore, it is generally recommended that the eye drops bottle be used up within one month after opening. Even if stored in the refrigerator, it should not be kept for more than two months.

What should I pay attention to after opening the eye drops?

Before use, please check whether the eye drops in the bottle are transparent and clean. If there is any discoloration, it should not be used. Remember to tighten the bottle cap after each use to prevent contamination.

Some people think that since the shelf life of eye drops is so short, I can't use it up by myself, so I might as well share it with others. This idea is extremely wrong. Eye drops can easily come into contact with eyelashes. There are a lot of bacteria on eyelashes, which can easily contaminate the eye drops. If two people use them together, cross infection is likely to occur.