Your activity: 10 p.v.

Carboxymethylcellulose: Drug information

Carboxymethylcellulose: Drug information
(For additional information see "Carboxymethylcellulose: Patient drug information")

For abbreviations, symbols, and age group definitions used in Lexicomp (show table)
Brand Names: US
  • Artificial Tears [OTC];
  • Biolle Gel Tears [OTC];
  • Biolle Tears [OTC];
  • GenTeal [OTC] [DSC];
  • Lubricating Plus Eye Drops [OTC];
  • Refresh Celluvisc [OTC];
  • Refresh Digital PF [OTC];
  • Refresh Digital [OTC];
  • Refresh Liquigel [OTC];
  • Refresh Optive Advanced PF [OTC];
  • Refresh Optive Advanced [OTC];
  • Refresh Optive Mega-3 [OTC];
  • Refresh Optive PF [OTC];
  • Refresh Optive [OTC];
  • Refresh Plus [OTC];
  • Refresh Relieva PF [OTC];
  • Refresh Relieva [OTC];
  • Refresh Repair [OTC] [DSC];
  • Refresh Tears [OTC];
  • Sterile Lubricant [OTC];
  • TheraTears Nighttime [OTC];
  • Theratears PF [OTC];
  • Theratears [OTC];
  • Ultra Fresh [OTC]
Pharmacologic Category
  • Ophthalmic Agent, Miscellaneous
Dosing: Adult
Dry eyes

Dry eyes: Ophthalmic: Instill 1-2 drops into eye(s) 3-4 times/day

Dosing: Older Adult

Refer to adult dosing.

Dosage Forms: US

Excipient information presented when available (limited, particularly for generics); consult specific product labeling. [DSC] = Discontinued product

Gel, Ophthalmic, as sodium:

GenTeal: 0.25% (15 mL [DSC])

Refresh Liquigel: 1% (15 mL)

Refresh Optive: 1 % (10 mL)

Theratears: 1% (28 ea) [contains calcium chloride anhydrous, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, sodium phosphate]

Gel, Ophthalmic, as sodium [preservative free]:

Biolle Gel Tears: 1% (1 ea)

Refresh Celluvisc: 1% (30 ea)

TheraTears Nighttime: 1% (30 ea)

Liquid, Ophthalmic, as sodium:

Sterile Lubricant: 0.7% (15 mL)

Solution, Ophthalmic, as sodium:

Artificial Tears: 1% (15 mL)

Lubricating Plus Eye Drops: 0.5% (30 ea, 50 ea)

Refresh Digital: 0.5% (10 mL)

Refresh Liquigel: 1% (30 mL)

Refresh Optive: 0.5% (15 mL)

Refresh Optive Advanced: 0.5% (10 mL)

Refresh Plus: 0.5% (30 ea, 50 ea, 70 ea)

Refresh Relieva: 0.5% (10 mL)

Refresh Repair: 0.5% (10 mL [DSC])

Refresh Tears: 0.5% (15 mL, 30 mL)

Theratears: 0.25% (15 mL, 30 mL) [contains calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, sodium phosphate, monobasic monohydrate]

Ultra Fresh: 0.5% (15 mL, 30 mL)

Generic: 0.5% (15 mL)

Solution, Ophthalmic, as sodium [preservative free]:

Artificial Tears: 1% (15 mL)

Biolle Tears: 0.5% (32 ea)

Refresh Digital PF: 0.5% (30 ea)

Refresh Optive Advanced PF: 0.5% (30 ea)

Refresh Optive Mega-3: 0.5% (60 ea) [nacl free]

Refresh Optive Mega-3: 0.5% (30 ea)

Refresh Optive PF: 0.5% (30 ea, 60 ea)

Refresh Plus: 0.5% (30 ea, 50 ea)

Refresh Relieva PF: 0.5% (30 ea, 10 mL)

Theratears PF: 0.25% (30 ea, 32 ea [DSC])

Generic Equivalent Available: US

May be product dependent

Use: Labeled Indications

Artificial tear substitute

Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:

Refresh Celluvisc may be confused with Restasis

Adverse Reactions

There are no adverse reactions listed in the manufacturer's labeling.

Metabolism/Transport Effects

None known.

Drug Interactions

There are no known significant interactions.

Pricing: US

Gel (Biolle Gel Tears Ophthalmic)

1% (per each): $0.30

Gel (Refresh Celluvisc Ophthalmic)

1% (per each): $0.39

Gel (Refresh Liquigel Ophthalmic)

1% (per mL): $0.63

Gel (Refresh Optive Ophthalmic)

1-0.9% (per mL): $1.20

Gel (TheraTears Nighttime Ophthalmic)

1% (per each): $0.48

Gel (Theratears Ophthalmic)

1% (per each): $0.35

Liquid (Sterile Lubricant Ophthalmic)

0.7% (per mL): $0.41

Solution (Biolle Tears Ophthalmic)

0.5% (per each): $0.30

Solution (Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Ophthalmic)

0.5% (per mL): $0.63

Solution (Refresh Digital Ophthalmic)

0.5-1-0.5% (per mL): $1.17

Solution (Refresh Digital PF Ophthalmic)

0.5-1-0.5% (per each): $0.44

Solution (Refresh Optive Advanced Ophthalmic)

0.5-1-0.5% (per mL): $0.88

Solution (Refresh Optive Advanced PF Ophthalmic)

0.5-1-0.5% (per each): $0.44

Solution (Refresh Optive Mega-3 Ophthalmic)

0.5-1-0.5% (per each): $0.51

Solution (Refresh Optive Ophthalmic)

0.5-0.9% (per mL): $0.74

Solution (Refresh Optive PF Ophthalmic)

0.5-0.9% (per each): $0.39

Solution (Refresh Plus Ophthalmic)

0.5% (per each): $0.31

Solution (Refresh Relieva Ophthalmic)

0.5-0.9% (per mL): $1.26

Solution (Refresh Relieva PF Ophthalmic)

0.5-0.9% (per mL): $1.39

0.5-1% (per each): $0.50

Solution (Refresh Tears Ophthalmic)

0.5% (per mL): $0.46

Solution (Theratears Ophthalmic)

0.25% (per mL): $0.88

Solution (Theratears PF Ophthalmic)

0.25% (per each): $0.48

Solution (Ultra Fresh Ophthalmic)

0.5% (per mL): $0.56

Disclaimer: A representative AWP (Average Wholesale Price) price or price range is provided as reference price only. A range is provided when more than one manufacturer's AWP price is available and uses the low and high price reported by the manufacturers to determine the range. The pricing data should be used for benchmarking purposes only, and as such should not be used alone to set or adjudicate any prices for reimbursement or purchasing functions or considered to be an exact price for a single product and/or manufacturer. Medi-Span expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind or nature, whether express or implied, and assumes no liability with respect to accuracy of price or price range data published in its solutions. In no event shall Medi-Span be liable for special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of price or price range data. Pricing data is updated monthly.

Brand Names: International
  • Alembic Veldrop (LK);
  • Carmize (GB);
  • Cellufresh (AU, ES, NZ, PH, TH);
  • Cellufresh MD (PH, TH);
  • Celluvisc (AE, AT, AU, CH, DE, DK, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IN, IT, JO, KW, NL, NZ, PH, PT, SA, SE, TH, TW, VN, ZA);
  • Celluvisc MD (TH);
  • Clarastill (PH);
  • CMC (PY);
  • Fresh Tears (BR);
  • Fresh Tears Liquigel (BR);
  • Lacritears (EG);
  • Liangshi (CN);
  • Lubgel (BD);
  • Optive (MY);
  • Qingning (CN);
  • Qingxin (CN);
  • Refresh (LK);
  • Refresh Celluvisc (CO, MY, PE, TW);
  • Refresh Liquigel (AR, CL, CO, EC, EG, GT, HK, MX, PA, PE, SV, TW, VE);
  • Refresh Plus (AU, EG, KR, MY, NZ, TW, VN);
  • Refresh Plus/Celluvisc (HK);
  • Refresh Tear (BD);
  • Refresh Tears (AE, AR, CO, EC, EG, HK, KR, KW, MX, MY, PE, SA, SG, TW, VE, VN);
  • RefreshTears (CL);
  • Thera Tears (NZ)


For country code abbreviations (show table)
  1. Refresh Digital PF (carboxymethylcellulose) [product labeling]. Madison, NJ: Allergan; August 2020.
  2. Refresh Optiva Mega-3 (carboxymethylcellulose) [product labeling]. Irvine, CA: Allergan; May 2017.
Topic 8844 Version 225.0