Evaluating the Cost-Effectiveness of Generic Artificial Tears Eye Drops: A Comparative Analysis of Dosing Variations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51412/psnnjp.2026.005Keywords:
Artificial tears eye drops, dry eye disease, cost-effectiveness, dosing variationsAbstract
Background: Dry eye Disease (DED) is a prevalent condition that significantly impacts quality of life and productivity. Artificial tears are a common treatment for DED, but differences in bottle design and manufacturing can lead to variability in drop volume, resulting in inconsistent dosing and increased healthcare costs. This study aimed to compare the dosing variations and cost-effectiveness of generic artificial tears eye drops.
Methodology: Six brands of generic artificial tears were evaluated for quality and cost-effectiveness. The brands underwent organoleptic evaluation, pH measurement, viscosity determination, and sterility testing. A comparative economic analysis was conducted to evaluate the number of drops per bottle, drop volume, cost per year, and cost-effectiveness.
Results: All six brands met the acceptable standards for ophthalmic solutions, with clear and colourless appearances. However, the actual volume of the eye drops in each bottle was not consistent with the labelled volume for all brands. The number of drops per bottle and drop volume varied between the vertical and horizontal positions among brands. The cost per year ranged from N 38,000 to N 154,000, and the cost-effectiveness ranged from N 13,620 to N 55,197. Brand E was the most cost-effective option.
Conclusions: Our study reveals that brand and dispensing position substantially affect the number of drops per bottle, potentially leading to inaccurate medication quantity estimates. This discrepancy may cause patients to experience stockouts or accumulate excess medication, compromising treatment efficacy and safety.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Okafor Chibundo Nmesoma, Omachoko Sunday Odoma, Ifeanyi Godfrey Eyah, Isaac Johnson Ajeh
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