Skip to content
ClinCalc Pro
Menu
Calculators Drugs Pathways AI Dx Donate Get the App
Ocular lubricant Pregnancy: UK SPC (Minims Artificial Tears) §4.6, verbatim: 'There is no evidence of safety of the drug in human pregnancy but it has been in wide use for many years without apparent ill consequence. If drug therapy is needed in pregnancy this preparation can be used if recommended by a physician and it is considered that the benefits outweigh the possible risks.' This summary may be incomplete — check the full SPC.

Hyetellose

Brand names: Minims artificial tears

Hyetellose (hydroxyethylcellulose) is a cellulose-derived ocular lubricant used as an artificial tear preparation to relieve dryness and irritation of the eye.

Adult dose

Dose: Ocular lubrication (tear-deficient dry eye): one or two drops instilled into the affected eye
Route: Topical (ophthalmic) — instilled into the affected eye
Frequency: Three or four times daily, or as often as is required
Same product, same route (ophthalmic instillation), same use (ocular lubricant / artificial tear). || VERBATIM SPC §4.2 Posology and method of administration, in full: 'One or two drops instilled into the affected eye three or four times daily, or as often as is required.' That single sentence is the whole of §4.2 — the label gives no separate regimen by indication, no separate paediatric regimen, and no age banding. || WHY maxDose IS EMPTY: the label sets no ceiling. Its own frequency statement ends 'or as often as is required', so there is no maximum daily number of drops or applications to quote, and inventing one would not be traceable to the source. || FORMULATION NOTE, stated for accuracy rather than as a caveat on the dose: this page is titled by the single ingredient name (hyetellose), while the SPC it is sourced from is for the finished Minims product, whose §4.3 refers to 'the active substances' in the plural. The dose above is the finished product's dose as licensed, which is what a clinician instilling these drops needs; it is not a dose for hyetellose as a raw ingredient in some other preparation. If this page is ever re-scoped to cover hyetellose-containing products generally, each such product needs its own SPC.

Dose independently re-sourced from UK Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) via the eMC — clinician-reviewed. Always confirm against the product SmPC and your local formulary before prescribing.

Contraindications

  • UK SPC §4.3, in full: 'Hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1'

Side effects

  • §4.8: 'May cause transient mild stinging'
  • §4.8: 'or temporarily blurred vision'

Monitoring

  • §4.4: 'If irritation persists or worsens or continued redness occurs, discontinue use and consult a physician or ophthalmologist.'
  • §4.5 Interactions: 'None known.'

Clinical monograph

How it works

As a hydrophilic polymer it increases the viscosity of tears and forms a moisture-retaining film over the ocular surface, prolonging tear contact time and lubricating the cornea and conjunctiva.

Prescribing in practice

  • Preserved formulations may cause ocular surface irritation with frequent or prolonged use, so prefer a preservative-free product for long-term or frequent dosing.
  • May be instilled as often as required for symptomatic relief and is generally well tolerated.
  • Separate the instillation of different eye drops and apply ointments last when several products are used.

Monitoring

No systemic monitoring is required; assess symptom relief and ocular surface health clinically.

Counselling the patient

  • Expect transient blurring after instillation and wait until vision clears before driving.
  • Avoid touching the dropper tip to the eye and discard within the recommended period after opening.

Evidence & guidelines

Cellulose-based artificial tears are an established option for dry eye symptom relief in routine ophthalmic care.

Reference: Drug verified in RxNorm (NLM); confirm dosing against the manufacturer SPC (eMC). Verify against your local formulary and current prescribing references before prescribing. The structured dose values shown have been reviewed by a clinician. Monograph status: clinician-reviewed (2026-07-04).

Related

Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.

Calculators
Drugs
Pathways