13 Best-Selling Japanese Eye Drops for Tired, Dry, or Red Eyes

Table of Contents

What's So Special About Japanese Eye Drops?
What Are the Best Japanese Eye Drops to Buy?
    What Are the Best Eye Drops in Japan? Top Two Japanese Eye Drops
    Need a Wake-Me-Up? #1 Most Recommended Cooling Eye Drops
    Stare at the Computer for Too Long? Best Digital Eye Strain Relief Eye Drops
    Allergies? Inflammation? Check Out These Medical Eye Drop Recommendations!
    Eyes Failing as You Get Older? Japan's Top Eye Drop Selections for Aging Eyes
    Best Night Recovery Eye Drops: The New Must-Have for Good Beauty Sleep
Conclusion

What's So Special About Japanese Eye Drops?

Japanese eye drops, together with Japanese sunscreens and sheet masks, are some of the best-selling products at Japanese drugstores. While Japanese products are known for their high quality and, in the case of medicines, effectiveness, the main reason for this wild success has to do with the sheer variety of Japanese eye drops out there on the market. Compared to the pharmacies in other countries, the drugstores in Japan have entire walls solely dedicated to the various types of eye drops out on the Japanese market.

Dry eyes? Tired eyes? Red eyes? Irritated, itchy eyes from allergies? No matter what the symptom, there's sure to be eye drops out there for you in a Japanese drugstore. The wide selection also means that no matter your budget, you are sure to find something. All you have to do is look out for the Japanese word for eye drops, "megusuri" (目薬).

What Are the Best Japanese Eye Drops to Buy?

With such a wide selection of Japanese eye drops to choose from, finding the perfect one to cure your ailments can be an incredible struggle. We've scoured the rankings of several top Japanese retailers to come up with this comprehensive list of best-selling eye drops in Japan. Use this list the next time you drop by any drugstore in Japan!

What Are the Best Eye Drops in Japan? Top Two Japanese Eye Drops

If you have multiple eye problems that you'd like to treat or you're simply looking for the best of the best, these are the two Japanese eye drops that you need to look at. You're sure to find these two eye drops at any drugstore you drop by in Japan—they're that popular!
 

・V Rohto Premium (Vロートプレミアム)

Rohto is one of the top brands for eye drops in Japan, with a history that goes all the way back to 1909. Out of the many eye products in its arsenal, the V Rohto Premium remains its bestseller. This one eye drop can do it all—add moisture back into the eyes, reduce redness, relax tired eye muscles, etc. It might be a bit pricey, but its 12 active ingredients and incredible effectiveness warrants its price, so give it a try!

How to use: Apply 1-2 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 1,500 yen (plus tax) for 15mL
Use with contacts: Only with hard contacts

 

・Sante Medical 12 (サンテメディカル12)

Santen is one of Rohto's top competitors, with a history that starts all the way in 1899, and Sante Medical 12 is their answer to Rohto's V Rohto Premium. This eye drop also has 12 active ingredients that work together to tackle all sorts of eye problems, including fatigue, redness, dryness, and so on. One of these ingredients helps improve eye focus, which comes much needed during crunch time.

How to use: Apply 1-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 1,480 yen (plus tax) for 12mL
Use with contacts: Not recommended as its red color may stain your contacts

Need a Wake-Me-Up? #1 Most Recommended Cooling Eye Drops

Cooling eye drops are one of the most popular kinds of eye drops on the market, and for good reason. When you apply them on your eyes, they impart a burning sensation that immediately gets rid of any fatigue. Although this might sound scary, once you get used to it, the burning quickly changes into a refreshing feeling that's easy to get addicted to. If you want that cooling, refreshing feeling without any burning, avoid buying any eye drops with the key cooling ingredient, menthol (メントール)!
 

・Rohto Cool 40α Eye Drops (ロートクール40α)

While there are many cooling eye drops on Japanese drugstore shelves, the one that comes the most recommended is Rohto's Cool 40α eye drops. It's loaded with four active ingredients that work in tandem to reduce eye inflammation and fatigue. Most importantly, it is ultra-cooling and is sure to wake you up when absolutely nothing else will.

How to use: Apply 2-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 480 yen (plus tax) for 12mL
Use with contacts: Only with hard contacts

Stare at the Computer for Too Long? Best Digital Eye Strain Relief Eye Drops

Computers, smartphones, and other blue light technology are now a fixture of our daily lives. While the benefits are great, the downsides are also immense. They produce blue light, which in large amounts becomes an enemy to the eyes, making them strain and thus tire faster. This is what's known as "digital eye strain" in the medical world. Luckily, the Japanese have come up with eye drops that help heal and protect against blue light damage!
 

・Sante PC (サンテPC)

Sante PC is one of the top eye drops in the market if you're looking for relief or protection from daily blue light exposure. It contains eight different active ingredients, including the maximum concentration for vitamin B6, which activates tissue metabolism in damaged eyes, speeding up their recovery. It also has menthol in it to help reduce eye fatigue.

How to use: Apply 1-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 800 yen (plus tax) for 12mL
Use with contacts: Not recommended as its red color may stain your contacts

 

・Rohto Digi-Eye (ロートデジアイ)

Rohto Digi-Eye rivals the Sante PC in popularity and quality, with its soothing effects being felt up to eight hours after use. Not only does it help protect against blue light, but it is even said to reduce redness in the eyes, so if they're looking red after a long stint on the computer, consider getting this. Another reason why you might want to get this is because it has two kinds of packaging—the normal kind, shown above, and virtual idol Hatsune Miku-themed packaging!

How to use: Apply 1-2 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 880 yen (plus tax) for 12mL
Use with contacts: Not recommended as its yellow color may stain your contacts

Allergies? Inflammation? Check Out These Medical Eye Drop Recommendations!

Medical eye drops are for those who want the absolute best. They are often targeted towards a specific need or packed full of active ingredients to alleviate the pains and aches of a host of eye problems. Along with this top-tier quality, however, comes a price that may shock you after looking at some of the other Japanese eye drops in this list. That said, depending on your situation, these may be the most suitable.
 

・Zaditen AL (ザジテンAL点眼薬)

Allergic to things like house dust or pollen? Sick and tired of puffy eyes? If so, you'll definitely want to try this. Its main ingredient is ketotifen fumarate, which acts as an antihistamine for the eyes, relieving allergic symptoms. One other good thing to note is that it is incredibly gentle, possessing no ingredients that will restrict the blood vessels, a common worry that many have about eye drops.

How to use: Apply 1-2 drops per eye, 4 times a day
Price: 1,380 yen (plus tax) for 10mL
Use with contacts: Should not be used with contacts

 

・Soft Santear (ソフトサンティア)

Many eye problems occur when the eyes get too dry. Santen, realizing this, created Soft Santear, which does one thing—moisturize the eyes. It has a formula that closely replicates actual human tears, and when you apply it, there is no stinging whatsoever. Many Japanese eye drops tend to include menthol, which imparts a burning or tingling feeling when applied. If you absolutely can't handle that, this is the most gentle eye drop you can possibly purchase.

How to use: Apply 2-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 500 yen (plus tax) for 5mL x 4 bottles
Use with contacts: Can be used with any type of contacts

 

・Soft Santear Hitomi Stretch (ソフトサンティアひとみストレッチ)

The "Hitomi Stretch" version of the Soft Santear comes with a much more complicated formula and, fittingly, a higher price. This eye drop specifically targets and alleviates any discomfort that may come from wearing contacts, and also helps improve overall eye focus. Since it comes with four 5mL bottles per box, you can put several in places you really need it—one in your bag, another on your desk, and so on!

How to use: Apply 1-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 1,200 yen (plus tax) for 5mL x 4 bottles
Use with contacts: Can be used with any type of contacts except for colored lenses

Eyes Failing as You Get Older? Japan's Top Eye Drop Selections for Aging Eyes

As you get older, your eye muscles start to weaken, resulting in quicker fatigue and blurred vision. There are eye drops in Japan that help slow down that aging! However, please note that there is no magic elixir that'll completely stop your eyes from aging, and that nothing is better than a proper visit to an ophthalmologist.

・Sante Beautéye (サンテボーティエ)

This eye drop may have beautiful packaging, but it's not just the perfume bottle shape that keeps customers coming back. Sante Beautéye is a game changer in the eye drop market, as it contains taurine, an active ingredient that promotes cell turnover in the eyes, helping them to remain "young" and recover quicker from daily stressors. It also has a mild rose fragrance and gentle cooling effect.

How to use: Apply 1-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 1,500 yen (plus tax) for 12mL
Use with contacts: Not recommended as its red color may stain them

 

・Rohto Gold 40 (ロートゴールド40)

With six active ingredients, including taurine—previously mentioned for its incredible cell turnover effect—this eye drop is amazing for the older generation that often suffer from eye fatigue. Of course, you don't have to be old to use it; this product is especially popular with people in their 20s, too! Pick up the mild version if you're not a fan of how menthol feels on the eyes.

How to use: Apply 2-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 780 yen (plus tax) for 20mL
Use with contacts: Only with hard contacts

 

・Lion Smile 40 Premium (ライオンスマイル40 プレミアム)

Unlike the other eye drops mentioned in this section, Lion Smile 40 Premium has a whopping 10 different active ingredients! Three especially key ingredients—vitamins A, E, and B6—are amazing at alleviating eye fatigue and itchiness, two common ailments that become more common as you age. It also contains several other components that have an antihistamine effect on the eyes, which is great for anyone with incredibly puffy or itchy eyes. It may be more pricey compared to the other eye drops in this section, but the benefits are well worth it. Like the others, you don't have to be old to be able to use this! It has plenty of fans among the younger demographic.

How to use: Apply 1-3 drops per eye, 3-6 times a day
Price: 1,400 yen (plus tax) for 15mL
Use with contacts: Only with hard contacts

Best Night Recovery Eye Drops: The New Must-Have for Good Beauty Sleep

Night recovery eye drops are perfect if you really need to wake up with bright and clear eyes. Unlike what its name may suggest, you still have to apply these eye drops several times a day. The difference is, the last time should ideally be right before you go to bed. They are especially effective while you're sleeping, working their magic to get rid of the day's stress, pollutants, and so on.
 

・Rohto Youjunsui (ロート養潤水α)

Rohto Youjunsui is the gold standard when it comes to night recovery eye drops. Apply the last drop around five minutes before you go to bed, after taking off your contacts, and let it work its magic in your sleep. Not only will it alleviate eye fatigue, this product also adds back any moisture your eyes lose during the day as well as fortifies them for the next day. Did we mention that it also has taurine to improve cell turnover in your eyes?

How to use: Apply 1-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 880 yen (plus tax) for 13mL
Use with contacts: Only with hard contacts

 

・Sante Beautéye Moon Care (サンテボーティエ ムーンケア)

Sante Beautéye has a night version, and it's just as beautiful as the day version. This eye drop contains panthenol and potassium L-aspartate, which both facilitate turnover in the eyes, alleviating the stress accumulated from a day's worth of work. Of course, it contains several other ingredients that add moisture back into the eyes, repair any damage that the eyes took over the day, and so on. As a bonus, it has a beautiful, subtle floral scent that'll lull you right to sleep.

How to use: Apply 1-3 drops per eye, 5-6 times a day
Price: 1,500 yen (plus tax) for 12mL
Use with contacts: Only with hard contacts

Conclusion

We hope that this article has helped you decide on which Japanese eye drops best fit your needs! All of the eye drops we have selected are incredibly popular, so you should be able to find most of them at your nearest Japanese drugstore. If you happen to be in Hokkaido, we highly recommend the drugstore SATUDORA for any and all of your medical needs. And if you're curious on what else you should consider picking up during your visit, we've put together a list of the top 50 medical and beauty products at Japanese drugstores to stock up on.

Disclaimer: We are not doctors. Before applying anything to your eye, consider seeing an ophthalmologist. The same holds true if your eye problems persist even after using one of the Japanese eye drops we introduced.

 

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