Patient info Open main menu

Viscotears single dose unit 2.0 mg/g eye gel – patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

Last updated: · Text from the MHRA, as of · About this document

Medicine status: Pharmacy medicine (P) Details

Medicine strength:
2.0 mg/g
Other strengths and forms:
Contains active substance:

Patient leaflet - Viscotears single dose unit 2.0 mg/g eye gel

1. What Viscotears is and what it’s used for

Viscotears contains the active ingredient, carbomer (polyacrylic acid). Viscotears is used to make your eyes more comfortable when they feel dry. It is one of a group of eye drops called ‘artificial tears’.

2. Things to consider before you start to use Viscotears

DO NOT use Viscotears if:

•• If you are allergic to carbomer or any of the

other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).

Take special care:

•• in children and adolescents aged to 18 years,

the safety and efficacy of Viscotears at the posology recommended in adults has been established by clinical experience, but no clinical trial data are available.

Warnings and precautions

•• Only use Viscotears in your eye(s). •• If you have problems with your eyes apart from sore or dry eyes talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start to use Viscotears.

•• If you experience eye pain, vision changes, irritation of the eyes, persistent redness, or if the condition worsens or persists, discontinue use and consult your doctor.

•• If you are taking other medicines. Please, also read the section “Using other medicines”. Other medicines and Viscotears

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have recently used or might use any other medicines.

If you are using other eye drop or eye ointment medicines, wait at least 5 minutes between each medicine. Viscotears should always be the last eye drops used.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

If you wear contact lenses, you should remove them before using Viscotears and wait at least 15 minutes before putting your lenses back in. Driving and using machines

Some people may find that their vision is blurred immediately after using Viscotears. If affected, wait until your vision clears before you drive or use machinery.

3. How to use Viscotears

If your doctor has prescribed Viscotears he/ she will tell you how and when to use it and the dose will be on the pharmacist’s label.

The usual dosage is:

Adults (including the elderly): One drop in each affected eye, three or four times a day. Children and adolescents aged to 18 years:

The safety and efficacy of Viscotears in children and adolescents at the posology recommended in adults has been established by clinical experience, but no clinical trial data are available.

carbomer (polyacrylic acid)

Graphics&Packing

Technology Section

ICN POLFA RZESZÓW S.A. ULOTKA PIL

Nazwa produktu

Product Name

Viscotears gel 0.2%

(single dose unit) 0.6ml

Kolor nadruku Colours | Dane techniczne Technical data (do not print)

Black Cutting

Kraj

Country (ISO) UK Nr wykrojnika

Spec No 14821

Opracowane przez

Designed by - Kod Wytwórcy

Manufacturer code 42543PB285/3-UK

PIL size 148 x 210 mm

Krój czcionki

Font used

NewsGoth BT font family Gramatura papieru

Paper weight

  • g/m2

Komentarze Comments (Reason for the change)

PMR_ICN-18-0173-A Factory (Packing site): DMP Berlin

Akceptacja Techniczna Technical Approval

Akceptacja Działu ds. Rejestracji Regulatory Affairs Dept. Approval

If you are not sure ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Each Viscotears Single Dose Unit (SDU) should only be used once. Use immediately after you open it. Follow these instructions carefully and ask your pharmacist if there is anything you do not understand.

How to use your eye drops

1 Wash your hands

2 If you wear contact lenses, remove them before

using the drops and do not replace for at least 15 minutes.

3 Remove one SDU from the strip, shake

the gel to the tip of the SDU and twist off the cap.

4 Tilt your head backwards.

5 Rest one hand on your cheek and gently pull

down your lower lid.

6 Look upwards.

7 Gently squeeze the SDU to insert one drop in

your eye.

8 Blink a few times to spread the liquid gel

evenly over your eye.

9 Wipe away any excess gel from around

the eyelids.

10 Take another SDU and repeat for the other eye

if required.

NOTE: Do not touch your eye or the surrounding area with the tip of the dropper as this may cause injury to the eye and contaminate the gel. If you use more Viscotears than you should,

it is not expected that you will suffer any side effects from this, however, should you notice any problems you think are related, seek medical attention.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. You may experience the following reactions in your eyes:

Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people): blurred vision

Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people): eye discomfort, eyelid crusting, eye irritation.

Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): eye swelling, eye pain, itchy eye, eye redness, increased tear production.

Or, reactions in other parts of your body: Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): skin inflammation.

Additional side effects from post-marketing experience that have been reported for which the frequency is not known: Allergic reactions (symptoms may include itching, redness, swelling, or pain of the eye or redness, swelling or rash of the skin around the eye).

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via:

United Kingdom

Yellow Card Scheme

Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Viscotears

Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not store the drops above 25ºC. Keep the single-dose units inside the carton.

Do not use the eye drops after the expiry date shown on the pack.

Take any unused Viscotears back to your pharmacist to be destroyed. Do not throw them away with your normal household water or waste. This will help to protect the environment.

6. Further information

Viscotears contains 2.0 mg/g of the active ingredient, carbomer (polyacrylic acid). The gel also contains the inactive ingredients sorbitol, sodium hydroxide and water. Each single-dose unit contains 0.6 ml of gel. Each pack contains 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 units. Some of the pack sizes may not be marketed. The product licence holder and manufacturer responsible for release on to the market is Dr. Gerhard Mann chem.-pharm. Fabrik GmbH Brunsbütteler Damm 165-173,

13581 Berlin, Germany

Viscotears is a trademark of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates.

© Bausch & Lomb Incorporated

This leaflet was revised in March 2018.

P9UK03 42543PB285/3-UK

About this document

Source: MHRA - Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (products.mhra.gov.uk) · Marketing authorisation: PL 13757/0019

Last revision stated in the text: March 2018 · MHRA data as of 13 October 2026

Found a mistake? Tell us on the contact page.

The information on this site does not replace the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.

Facts about Viscotears single dose unit 2.0 mg/g eye gel

Prescription needed? No, but it is sold only in pharmacies (P)
Active substance Carbomer
Strength 2.0 mg/g
Pharmaceutical form Eye drops
How is it taken Ocular
Excipients Sorbitol, sodium hydroxide and water for injections.
Pack sizes 10 gram
Is it available? Listed as available (NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices – not a record of current supplies)
Shelf life 2 years.
For single use only. Use immediately after first opening.
Storage Do not store above 25°C. Keep containers in outer carton.
Marketing authorisation PL 13757/0019 (first authorised 6 December 2004)
Marketing authorisation holder Dr. Gerhard Mann chem.-pharm. Fabrik GmbH Brunsbütteler Damm 165-173
Codes GTIN 4030571004349 · BNF 11080100

Sources: the MHRA product information (products.mhra.gov.uk) and the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d), release 10.1.0 of 12 October 2026, NHS Business Services Authority. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.