Quick Note on Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in Eye Drops

A few comments came up in my DIY eye drops post, warning that HA eye drops can cause nerve damage or glaucoma. I looked into this, and here’s the clear picture:

Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate) eye drops are one of the most widely used treatments for dry eye worldwide. They’re considered safe and effective, with no evidence linking topical use to optic nerve damage or glaucoma progression. In fact, HA drops are often prescribed to glaucoma patients to soothe irritation from their glaucoma meds.

The concern seems to come from misreading studies where HA was injected into the eye chamber (to artificially raise pressure in animal models)—that’s not the same as topical drops, which stay on the surface.

Commercial HA drops (0.1–0.4%) have been studied extensively and are well-tolerated. Our DIY version (with HA powder dissolved in water/CS) is similar in concentration and safe when fresh and sterile.

If anyone has sensitive eyes or concerns, start low and monitor—but the science doesn’t support the nerve damage claim for topical HA.

Eyes are precious—always listen to your body!

Here are a couple of reliable sources that address the safety of hyaluronic acid (HA) eye drops, particularly in relation to glaucoma patients or optic nerve concerns. These show HA is commonly used safely in glaucoma contexts (often to counter side effects from glaucoma meds) with no evidence of optic nerve damage from topical use.

1. Therapeutic Effects of Sodium Hyaluronate on Ocular Surface Damage Induced by Benzalkonium Chloride Preserved Anti-glaucoma Medications (2015 study on glaucoma patients):
   https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4725570/

• • Key point: Sodium hyaluronate eye drops were administered to glaucoma patients on preserved anti-glaucoma meds and significantly improved ocular surface health without any reported optic nerve issues or worsening of glaucoma.

2. Exploring the effects of an ophthalmic solution containing high concentration hyaluronic acid (0.4%) and taurine 0.5% on the ocular surface of glaucoma patients under topical hypotensive therapy (2017 study):
   https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2642048

• • Key point: HA eye drops improved ocular surface parameters in glaucoma patients on long-term therapy, with no negative effects on IOP or optic nerve mentioned.

The concerns about nerve damage seem to stem from misinterpretations of animal studies using injected HA (not topical drops) or unrelated filler complications. Topical HA drops are widely regarded as safe, even in glaucoma patients.

Who Might Need Caution or Avoid HA Eye Drops

• Known hypersensitivity or allergy to HA or any ingredients in the formulation (rare, but can cause irritation, redness, or allergic reaction).
• Active eye infection or inflammation — Avoid until cleared, as any drop can introduce contaminants.
• Recent eye surgery — Consult doctor first (some surgical HA uses are different, but topical drops are usually fine post-healing).
• Very sensitive eyes — Some report temporary burning or discomfort (start low concentration).

GO HERE FOR THE DIY RECIPE:
https://staging.mohrhealthyliving.com/diy-eyedrops-msm-with-hyaluronic-acid/