Quick Facts (updated 7/22/2019)
- Refresh PM and Refresh Lacri-Lube are BACK IN PRODUCTION
- Starting to appear in Walgreens, Publix and other stores
- Refresh PM is currently IN STOCK at dryeyeshop.com (we expect LacriLube within another week or so)
- Availability of ointments in general still relatively limited.
- RECALL ALERT: Walmart Equate, CVS, Walgreens, and certain other lubricating ointments were recently recalled, along with a large number of eyedrops, gels and ointments. Details of 100+ ophthalmic product recalls
Refresh PM Details
Current status: Back in production. Available in many stores.
Background: Refresh PM went on backorder at the manufacturer in 2017 due to issues which have forced them to change from metal to laminate tubes. There were long delays involved in re-launching the product in new packaging.
Ointments Reference List (alternatives)
If you are a manufacturer and have corrections to this list, please let us know. Last updated 7/22/19.
| Brand | Status | White Petrolatum | Mineral oil | Other ingredients |
| Refresh PM (Allergan) | In production, available in some stores | 57.3% | 42.5% | Lanolin alcohols |
| Refresh Lacri-Lube (Allergan) | In production, available in some stores | 56.8% | 42.5% | Chlorobutanol (preservative) and lanolin alcohols |
| Activeyes (Generic for Refresh PM) | 57.3% | 42.5% | Lanolin alcohols | |
| Equate Restore PM (Walmart) | 57.3% | 42.5% | Lanolin alcohols | |
| Walgreens Lubricant Eye Ointment | RECALL ALERT | 57.3% | 42.5% | Lanolin alcohols |
|
CVS Health Nighttime Dry-Eye Relief Generic for Refresh PM. |
57.3% |
42.5% | Lanolin alcohols | |
| CVS Health Overnight Ointment Generic for Systane PM. | 94% | 3% | Anhydrous liquid lanolin 3% | |
|
Retaine PM |
5g size Backorder - no ETA |
80% | 20% | - |
| Soothe Night Time Ointment |
Available |
80% | 20% | - |
| Lubrifresh PM | RECALL ALERT | 83% | 15% | Lanolin alcohol |
| Genteal Ointment (Alcon) | Rolling backorders and shortages | 93% | 4% | Anhydrous liquid lanolin |
| Systane Nighttime Ointment (Alcon) | Rolling backorders and shortages | 94% | 3% | Anhydrous liquid lanolin |
| Puralube | RECALL ALERT | 85% | 15% |
What do I do when I can't get my favorite ointment?
Here are some tips for shopping and strategies:
Check the ingredients
- How much petrolatum may matter: Lubricant eye ointments are pretty simple products. They are all mostly petrolatum and mineral oil (like vaseline). Most of them also contain lanolin alcohol and one of them contains a preservative. But the main difference amongst the various lubricant eye ointments is the PROPORTION of petrolatum to mineral oil. Some people manage fine on any ointment, but some people find that too much petrolatum can be irritating.
- Additional ingredients: If you try to buy an ointment that is not on this list, please look out for preservatives or other irritants amongst the ingredients.
- Lanolin: Most lubricant eye ointments on the US market contain lanolin alcohol EXCEPT Retaine PM and Soothe Nighttime. If you have to switch up ointments anyway, maybe it's a good time to try one without the lanolin alcohol.
DID YOU KNOW?
We have a handy ingredients reference page with active and inactive ingredients of all sorts of eye lubricants that you can use to research and compare drops, gels and ointments any time. Add it to your favorites - and consider letting your doctor know, too!
Non-ointment alternatives
I know many people who cannot tolerate ointments. They use polymer gels instead. A polymer gel is made of the same stuff as many of the popular drops, but in a higher concentration and in a tube rather than a vial or bottle. Genteal Gel is far and away the most popular of these. What you must be aware of about gels is that they usually contain a "dissipating preservative", one of those preservatives that supposedly dissipates on contact. Talk with your doctor and use only what they approve, of course. I know a great many severe dry eye patients that have used Genteal Gel for years, and while it's not a personal favorite, I have a lot of respect for it because of the people I know who use it. Systane makes a lookalike, and no doubt there are generics available as well. ADDENDUM: There have been ongoing shortages of both Genteal and Systane gels for some months now too.
Then there's drops and gel-drops. For some people, the combination of a high quality drop with decent staying power (maybe one with an oil, or sodium hyaluronate) plus a mask, shield or goggle can perform just as well as an ointment if not better.
Maybe it's time to revisit the "big picture" of your overnight strategy
There are three different aspects of dry eye night care, in my opinion:
- Preparation: Warm compress, for those who need them or are so inclined.
- Lubrication: Drops, gel, or ointment. You find what works for you.
- Physical barrier protection: This is especially critical for those whose lids do not fully seal overnight, but anecdotally, it seems to help most people with severe overnight symptoms regardless of their lids. For examples, check out our Night Protection products collection.
My point here is that it is not just all about the goop. Set your eyes up for a really good overnight experience across the board. For some, though certainly not all, this will help reduce your dependence on the availability of any one lubricant product.
Want us to keep you up to date on Refresh PM or Lacri-Lube status?
We have a list of people to notify by email or phone when anything changes. It's always possible that something could change for the better and that Refresh PM could come back sooner than expected. We can only hope so, anyway! We can call or email you as soon as Refresh PM is back in stock. Please contact us (email/phone/text/chat) and we'll put you on the list. Don't worry - signing up for this will not subscribe you to our general mailing list or any other.
cellulose based ointments works pretty good as well. though i switched to sodium chloride hypertonicity ointments recently due to irritation.
The plastic tube lets too much ointment out at once. The meddle tube let the exact amount out & put the ointment at the base of eye ball where it is needed. With this plastic tube the ointment curles backwards rather than going in the lid, and too much comes out at one time, the ointment fluids from the lids run out & down the cheeks
So I know some people are feeling like Refresh PM changed. I’ve very much been expecting that… partly just because, honestly, it’s been gone so long. But the other thing is the packaging. They switched from a metal to a laminate tube and while it shouldn’t change it my feeling based on what everyone says is that it does change it – witness the Ocusoft one, i.e. Retaine PM, where their former 3.5g size (metal tube) really did seem different to a lot of people than the 5g size (plastic tube if I remember right… we never sold that one here so I’m not 100% sure).
Anyway I am confident that what they say about the formula changing is quite true. But the difference in the tube type can, I think (based on feedback… i don’t use this stuff myself) affect the consistency slightly. Remember the difference between Refresh PM and the Walmart brand? A bit like that. I’m going to suggest for those who don’t like the “new” tubes of Refresh PM, try putting it in your fridge and see if that makes a difference.
Bought the new refresh pm and it’s changed. Like others posted here it’s not the same formula even though they say it did not change. Unfortunately been waiting all this time and now it’s a product that won’t even help my eyes.
Can I make my own ointment? I can buy “white petrolatum” and “mineral oil” at a pharmacy for a fraction of the price and sterilize it myself but would it be safe enough for personal usage in my eye? I read on some pharmaceutical blogs, scientists sterilize both of these ingredients by baking the mixture of the two at 160 degrees Celsius for 2 hours. If anyone thinks this can be done safely, please let me know!