Systane Complete PF eye drops. Click image to enlarge.

Using preservative-free artificial tears prevents ocular irritation caused by benzalkonium chloride; however, patients may find themselves compromising on convenience and cost due to the single-use packaging commonly used for these formulations. One way to combat this problem is to redesign the tip of a multi-dose bottle to ensure a tight seal when not in use, an approach Alcon is planning to use with its preservative-free version of Systane Complete lubricant eye drops, which the company says will debut in the United States this year. 

The bottle features a one-way valve that prevents contaminated liquid from re-entering the container; Alcon calls this design “PureFlow” and says it eliminates the need for preservatives. This design is already used in the company’s Systane Ultra and Systane Hydration preservative-free products.

Alcon says Systane Complete provides both fast hydration for rapid symptomatic relief and lipid stabilization for long-lasting tear film support to address all forms of dry eye: evaporative, aqueous-deficient and mixed.

For more information, visit www.alcon.com.