The aircon in our office makes my eyes really dry. So I bought some eyedrops. They don’t seem to do very much, although my eyes do feel less dry – a product, no doubt, of having just squirted a load of water into them. But I’m always intruiged by what’s in these things, so let’s have a look at what goes into my Boots Reviving Eye Drops:
- Purified water – no great surprise there. Doesn’t specify the relative quantities, but I’m prepared to bet it’s a good proportion, given that all the other ingredients are white powdery substances.
- Sodium Chloride – also known to you and I as good old fashioned table salt. Interestingly, one of the potential health hazards of sodium chloride is eye irritation.
- Potassium Chloride – a particularly versatile chemical. Mainly used in the production of fertiliser, but it’s also popular in the US as the chemical used in judicial executions. Toxic when ingested orally.
- Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose – ah, at last, a chemical with a proper scary name. This appears to be the main active ingredient in the eyedrops – it goes by the name of “Artificial tears” in the US – and it appears to have some sort of film-forming property which is used to stablise foams at warm temperatures.
- Borax – No, not one of Sacha Baren-Coen’s alter egos; this is actually an alternative name for hydrated sodium borate, which is an inorganic herbicide and pesticide. Nice.
- Boric acid – another pesticide. It seems Boots are trying to poison me.
- Benzalkonium chloride – An antiseptic agent, thankfully nontoxic when applied to skin or mucous membranes. Well, that’s a relief.
So, whilst my eyedrops could cause eye irritation or poison me in one of three different ways, but they certainly don’t seem to be making my eyes feel any less tired or sore. Chalk one up to experience, I guess.
I don’t know if they still do it, but Boots used to do a ‘Natural Selection’ product with cucumber and eyebright that really did work on reviving knackered looking eyes.
As for eyedrops etc., never used ’em myself, but lots of people swear by Optrex. With eye drops, I’d swear AT Optrex, but that’s another matter entirely.
Ah, here we go. Hope that helps!
Don’t put that stuff in your eyes! It contains the deadly dihydrogen monoxide.
I can’t believe you have a definition of all those chemicals- wonders of the internet- or are you just that clever?!
A combination of my fearsome knowledge and a little bit of Google-fu.
Eyedrops are also the secret weapon in a scorned air stewardess’ repertoire of Dirty Tricks To Play On Irritating, Rude Or Lecherous Passengers. They act, in sufficient quantity, as a potent laxative and are more or less tasteless. Cue severe discomfort and embarrassment on your 14-hour flight to Tokyo.