It’s never nice to see our precious cats in pain, so if your cat looks like they have sore eyes, you’ll probably want to find a solution as soon as possible. No matter if your cat has dry eyes, an infection, or an allergy, there are plenty of different eye drops out there to choose from.
By using eye drops, you can soon help your cat feel more comfortable, as well as ease their symptoms. When looking for the best cat eye drops online, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s where we come in! Our reviews of the top 10 cat eye drops available on the market today include all the information you need to decide which one will be best for your cat’s individual needs.
We’ve also included a handy buyer’s guide with more information that will help make your decision-making process even easier.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
| Image | Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall  |  | Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Ophthalmic Gel | CHECK PRICE | |
Best Value  |  | Tomlyn Opticlear Cat Eye Drops | CHECK PRICE | |
Premium Choice  |  | Remend Eye Lubricating Drops | CHECK PRICE | |
 | Dr. Goodpet Eye-C Cat Eye Drops | CHECK PRICE | ||
 | Thomas Labs Terra Cat Eye & Ear Drops | CHECK PRICE |
The 10 Best Cat Eye Drops
1. Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Ophthalmic Pet Gel — Best Overall
We selected the Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Ophthalmic Pet Gel as the best eye drops for your cat. This gel provides an alternative to antibiotic eye drops but still contains plenty of effective ingredients to help relieve and soothe your cat’s eye condition. It’s suitable for treating eye abrasion, pink eye, general irritation, allergies, and more.
It’s also pH balanced, meaning it won’t sting or irritate your cat’s eyes when applied. The gel formula is also easy to apply and helps add moisture if your cat’s eyes have been dry and uncomfortable. There are plenty of positive reviews for these eye drops, so you can be confident that they’re a great option to keep in your cat’s first aid kit. As a bonus, they’re also suitable for other animal species, which is great if you have multiple pets!
- Safe for daily use
- Veterinary recommended
- Non-irritating
- Pain-free
- Easy to apply
- None that we can see
2. Tomlyn Opticlear Cat Eye Drops – Best Value
As the best cat eye drops for the money, we highly recommend the Tomlyn Opticlear Cat Eye Drops. These are designed to be used as an eyewash to help flush any irritants or allergens from your cat’s eyes. The isotonic buffered solution is formulated to have the same pH as your cat’s tears, meaning this will help your cat feel comfortable and it is painless to apply.
The ergonomic design of the bottle helps you apply this solution to your cat’s eyes easily and quickly. If you need to flush out foreign matter, then you can simply squeeze the bottle a little more to allow the solution to flow faster.
- Great value for money
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Ergonomic bottle design
- pH balanced
- None that we can see
3. Remend Eye Lubricating Drops — Premium Choice
As our premium choice eye drops for cats, our recommendation is the Remend Eye Lubricating Drops. These drops use hyaluronic acid as the active ingredient, something that is made naturally by your cat’s own body and helps lubricate the eye. The hyaluronic acid within these drops has been medically modified to help relieve and soothe dry eyes.
The small bottle is easy to hold, making it quick and hassle-free to administer these drops into your cat’s eyes. There are plenty of happy reviewers who find that these preservative-free eye drops help relieve their cat’s dry eyes.
- Easy to administer
- No prescription required
- Adds lubrication
- Expensive
- Small bottle
4. Dr. Goodpet Eye-C Cat Eye Drops
The Dr. Goodpet Eye-C Cay Eye Drops are a great choice if you’re looking for a natural solution to help soothe and heal your cat’s eye problems. The homeopathic formula contains zinc and vitamin C to either protect your cat’s eyes daily or be used as a treatment for tear stains or other minor eye complaints.
This bottle comes with a small dropper, and although the manufacturers suggest that this is easy to use, we find it can be more difficult to apply than a standard bottle applicator. However, plenty of reviewers suggest that these eye drops did indeed help solve the eye problems that their cat was having.
- All-natural solution
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Can reduce tear stains
- Small bottle
- The dropper can be difficult to use
5. Thomas Labs Terra Septic Cat Eye & Ear Drops
Thomas Labs Terra Septic Cat Eye & Ear Drops are a great multi-purpose option. They can be used on both eyes and ears to accelerate healing if your cat has soreness or an infection. The active ingredient is silver, known to have antibacterial properties.
The gentle formula won’t harm healthy tissue, so you know it’s only going to work where necessary. These are non-toxic and safe to use every day. The only thing we don’t like about these eye drops is that the dropper top of the bottle is a little difficult to use and that they are expensive.
- Non-toxic
- pH neutral
- The dropper is hard to use
- Expensive
6. Miracle Care Sterile Eye Wash
Miracle Care Eye Clear Sterile Eye Wash is a great option if you’re looking for a product that can be used to gently remove dirt and debris from your cat’s eyes. If they suffer from allergies or frequently end up with dust in their eyes, this soothing formula can be used to flush out your cat’s eyes to bring immediate relief.
It can also help control tear stains, with the bonus that it doesn’t contain bleach or any other strong chemicals. There are plenty of happy reviewers online who have found this eyewash to be safe and effective.
- Good value for money
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Multi-purpose formula
- Non-medicated
7. Nutri-Vet Eye Rinse
The Nutri-Vet Eye Rinse for cats is designed to help reduce irritation, as well as clean out any debris. It can also help remove tear stains and prevent new stains from forming. It can be used as eye drops, using one or two drops each time, or as an eye rinse by flushing your cat’s eye with more solution.
If you live in an area with a high amount of airborne pollen or many pollutant particles, this is an excellent formula to keep on hand for general cleansing. As a bonus, these eye drops are much cheaper than many of the other options out there.
- Gentle formula
- Good value for money
- Multi-purpose
- Non-medicated
- Small bottle
8. I-Med Pharma Drop Vet Plus Eye Lubricant
The I-Med Pharma Drop Vet Plus Eye Lubricant is something you want to have on hand if your cat suffers from dry and irritated eyes. The long-lasting formula is blink activated, meaning your cat’s eyes will stay feeling soothed for longer. This can also be used as a cleansing rinse by applying it to a piece of gauze or cloth and wiping across your cat’s eyes.
Unlike many eye drops and rinses, this formula is a thicker gel-like consistency. While some owners prefer this, it can take longer to apply, so you’ll need your cat to stay still for longer. And that can be a challenge!
- Long-lasting
- Expensive
- Not medicated
- Thick gel
9. Neoterica Cliny Universal Pet Eye Cleaner
These premium quality eye drops have a two-in-one function and can be used to both remove tear stains and clean and refresh your cat’s eyes. The natural formula contains boric acid and soothing panthenol to help disinfect and reduce inflammation.
This seems to be primarily aimed toward dog owners, but the packaging does state that it can also be used for cats. The manufacturers recommend using this on a piece of cotton as a wipe rather than as eye drops, but it can be used either way.
- Multi-purpose
- Expensive
- Tricky to apply
- Primarily for dogs
10. Espree Optisooth Eye Wash
This natural eye wash contains aloe vera to help soothe your cat’s eyes, as well as flush out debris. The formula is designed to be gentle, so you can even use this multiple times per day if you want to.
One thing we don’t like about this bottle is that it doesn’t come with a safety seal. These seals are important for guaranteeing the quality and freshness of any eye drops, especially if they’re preservative-free. It means that we wouldn’t want to keep a spare unopened bottle in storage.
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Safe for kittens
- No safety seal on the bottle
- Non-medicated
- Not a long shelf life
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Eye Drops for Your Cat
When choosing the best cat eye drops, it’s important to consider a few different factors before making your decision. Eye drops are definitely something that we would recommend keeping in your cat’s first aid kit.
There’s a range of different types of eye drops for cats, all designed to suit a particular need. Let’s take a look:
- Eyewashes or rinses. These are designed to help flush out debris or allergens from your cat’s eye and function much like an eye bath would for humans. These will generally contain few ingredients.
- Eye drops. These are placed directly into your cat’s eyes, usually between two or three drops at a time. They will often contain a gentle antimicrobial medication like silver or hyaluronic acid. The type of active ingredient will depend on the problem that each eye drop brand is designed to solve.
- Prescription eye drops. These contain stronger ingredients, such as antibiotics or steroids. These were not included in our review list because they’ll need to be specifically prescribed after a veterinary consultation.
You definitely shouldn’t use human eye drops on your cat unless specifically instructed to do so by your veterinarian.
When choosing the best eye drops for your cat, you should also consider the below points:
- Shelf life. It can be nice to know that you have eye drops already in your cat’s first aid kit just in case you need them. If you’re buying eye drops for this purpose, then make sure to select a variety with a long shelf life and a safety seal. This way, you can confidently keep them until you need to use them.
- Some eye drops look just like water, although they do contain active ingredients! Others are a thicker gel-like consistency. Gels tend to be long-lasting, which can give your cat relief for a few hours at a time. Liquids can be easier to apply, though! Some eye drops are even blink activated, so your cat will feel the benefit for a longer time. While the consistency of eye drops does make a difference when applying them, it’s best to select one based on your cat’s requirements first and worry about the consistency later.
- pH neutral. Look for eye drops that are pH neutral or designed to closely match the pH of your cat’s eyes. This means they won’t sting when you put them in, making it much easier to apply them!
- If your cat has pink eye, then there’s not going to be much benefit in using a general-purpose eye rinse that’s designed to flush away debris. While it might offer a small amount of relief, it won’t contain the active ingredients needed to solve the condition. Basically, make sure you select eye drops that will address the specific problem at hand. Your cat might suffer from seasonal allergies, in which case, an eye rinse that helps rinse allergens out of their eyes will feel soothing. But if your cat has a bacterial infection of some kind, you’ll need to pick eye drops that contain the active ingredients to heal this.
- Some gentle eye drops and rinses are designed to be used multiple times per day, while others should only be used once or twice. Make sure to follow the dosage instructions carefully on the specific eye drops you’re using.
- Once opened, some eye drops should be stored in the refrigerator. If that’s the case with the ones you’re using, it’s a good idea to warm the drops up to room temperature before you administer them. Otherwise, your cat could be in for a bit of a shock! Always follow the specific instructions regarding storage, and discard any unused product after the amount of time specified by the manufacturer.
We should also add that if your cat’s eyes appear swollen, bloodshot, or painful or have a large amount of discharge, then you should make an appointment with your veterinarian for a consultation right away. If your cat’s eyes themselves appear cloudy, consider this a medical emergency and schedule an appointment immediately. It can sometimes be difficult to gauge the severity of an eye condition, and cats are very skilled at hiding pain.
Conclusion
As a quick reminder, we selected the Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Ophthalmic Pet Gel as the best overall cat eye drops. This veterinary-recommended gel is safe enough for daily use and is a great alternative to using antibiotic drops. The pH neutral formula can be used for all sorts of conditions, including pink eye and allergic reactions, and flushing out general debris.
As the best value cat eye drops, we suggest Tomlyn Opticlear Cat Eye Drops. As well as offering a great bang for your buck, these are designed to be used as a soothing rinse to help remove debris or allergens from your cat’s sensitive eyes.
We hope that you now have a clearer idea of the different types of eye drops available for cats. From thick lubricating gels to antimicrobial drops designed to help solve a variety of problems, there’s bound to be one to suit your cat’s specific needs.
Featured Image Credit: PxHere
- 1 A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
- 2 The 10 Best Cat Eye Drops
- 2.1 1. Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Ophthalmic Pet Gel — Best Overall
- 2.2 2. Tomlyn Opticlear Cat Eye Drops – Best Value
- 2.3 3. Remend Eye Lubricating Drops — Premium Choice
- 2.4 4. Dr. Goodpet Eye-C Cat Eye Drops
- 2.5 5. Thomas Labs Terra Septic Cat Eye & Ear Drops
- 2.6 6. Miracle Care Sterile Eye Wash
- 2.7 7. Nutri-Vet Eye Rinse
- 2.8 8. I-Med Pharma Drop Vet Plus Eye Lubricant
- 2.9 9. Neoterica Cliny Universal Pet Eye Cleaner
- 2.10 10. Espree Optisooth Eye Wash
- 3 Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Eye Drops for Your Cat
- 4 Conclusion
