Ocular lubricant ophthalmic and Light Sensitivity: What Users Say

• Min...
• August 27, 2020

For Dry Eye Disease "I had a PRK vision correction surgery 6 months ago. My doctor recommended Systane and gave the individual package samples. I was fine with and, a couple of months ago, I bought the Systane lubricant long-lasting. Recently, I started seeing streaks of lights like lightning on my left eye floaters. I am also having sensitivity to light. I went back to my doctor and he couldn’t see anything wrong but sent to a retina specialist who told me he sees bubble liquid but nothing else wrong with my eye. I came to read the reviews tonight and I was shocked to see someone has experienced the same symptoms. I am going to stop using it immediately and I hope the floaters and lighting will clear. Not to I have been dizzy. I will write back in a week."

• Ida...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2021

For Dry Eye Disease "My doctor suggested using Systane 4 times a day for dry eyes. After the second dose, I felt terrible, my eye was tearing nonstop and had burning and stinging sensations as if there were sand rubbing against the eye. The eye became very red, very sensitive to light, and the vision was very blurred, feeling like a white fog covering the eyesight! I stopped it right away, and it feels much better. I read the leaflet that came with it, and it stated that these symptoms and lots more were side effects of this drug."

• Jen...
• September 23, 2015

For Eye Redness "Was prescribed this for dry eyes by optometrist, told to use twice daily. Ever since 1st use, eyes stung and got extremely red, vision got worse, blurry vision, redness, itchy, and sensitivity to light. Did not realize it was this until I stopped use. Was told to use every 2 hours, and vision was getting worse. This product did not work for me."

• PJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2018

"In preparation for cataract surgery, my ophthalmologist told me to use Systane four times a day. After the first eye was done, I was also told to use it in the operated eye for irritation as needed. So now after repeated use and both eyes getting worse and worse in terms of dryness, irritation, and light sensitivity, I finally had the DUH moment and figured out the Systane was making my eyes miserable. It's now been about 19 hours since I stopped the drops, and both eyes are SO, SO much improved. Maybe this stuff is okay for an occasional dose, but most certainly not repeatedly."

• Cab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2017

"After using these eye drops twice daily, my vision would be blurred. I didn't think anything of it, the blurriness would last for a few minutes and eventually pass. After using the eye drops for about a month now, my blurred vision has increased, lasting for hours. My eyes are red, sensitive to light, and often feel as if something is in my eyes. I have currently discontinued the use of these eye drops, and hopefully my eyes will self-correct and are not permanently damaged. The side effects of these drops are worse than the initial symptoms I started out with."

• Tom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2023

For Dry Eye Disease "So glad I read all these reviews. I started a week ago with Systane Complete for dry eye and eye fatigue. Thought I was going crazy since my eyes aren’t focusing, can’t keep them open, and have moderate light sensitivity. Seems to be getting worse the longer I use it. Going to stop and try to refresh or blink and see what happens. Will post a follow-up in a while."

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 23, 2022

For Dry Eye Disease "My eye doctor prescribed Systane for dry eye. I started using the product right after my exam, once a day, and since then I had issues with my eyes. Some kind of dizziness, sensitivity to light, and some eventual blurry vision and pain in the back of my eyes, it came and went. I went back to the doctor after one week to check what was going on, as I did not present any of those symptoms before the eye exam. The eye doctor said that I was not using the drops enough times a day. So, I used them more. But I started noticing that weird sensation in my eyes after I used them, like very heavy eyes that would last for hours. So I started to decrease the use of the drops, and my eyes seemed to be getting better, but I still have the heaviness that comes from time to time. So I started to research because I have been dealing with this for almost a month, and by reading these reviews, I am almost sure it is the drops. I am not using them anymore. Thank God it was not such a long time."

• dli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2021

For Dry Eye Disease "I was using Systane Ultra and Complete as recommended by my eye specialist. I also use Azopt and Lumigan drops for glaucoma. I had been using the glaucoma drops for at least 2 years without problems. Shortly after starting to use the Systane, it became very uncomfortable installing the Azopt and Lumigan drops. After approx. a couple of months of Systane use, I decided to try to figure out why my eyes had become so sensitive to light and why it hurt so much when installing my glaucoma drops. I stopped the use of Systane, and after a couple of days or so, no more eye stinging or sensitivity to light. Not everyone will have my same problems, but just giving Systane users a heads up.....Don Little"

• Sys...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 5, 2022

For Dry Eye Disease "Due to ocular rosacea, my eyes are quite dry at night, so I gave these a try. The redness, burning, light sensitivity, and tearing began after day one. I was traveling for my daughter’s wedding and was very concerned that I may have pink eye. I tried the day and night drops one more day, and the pain and symptoms worsened. I used a competitor product so I’d be presentable for the big event to whiten and soothe my eyes! I never used Systane again. Now, after five days, the symptoms are subsiding some, but the redness and burning are still present. I can’t recommend this product."

• avi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 18, 2016

For Eye Redness "I have tried everything to help with my dry eyes. Lacriserts have helped me so much! I was putting eye drops in my eyes 100 times a day, and they still were so painful and dry. I had light sensitivity and terrible pain. After using these, I hardly ever have to use eye drops anymore. My light sensitivity is gone, and I feel about 90% better and more normal. I do find that towards the end of the day I may have to remove them because they get a little globby and can smear my vision, but a small trade-off for feeling so much better."

• cth...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2018

"All of the less common side effects I have been experiencing after my cataract surgery by using this medication: burning, itching, redness, sensitivity to light, etc. This was prescribed to me by my ophthalmologist after surgery. At this point, I am going to stop using this and contact my physician for further assistance."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2025

"Repeated eye reaction with very painful light sensitivity, blurred vision, streaking lights, and one time redness that lasted multiple days. Symptoms stopped when I stopped using Systane Dry Eye Complete PF. It's preservative-free, so some other ingredients are causing the reaction. Disappointed that this was recommended so strongly to me by the eye doctors after reading all of these bad experiences."