Are microplastics from food packaging found in commercial eyedrops?

What's actually in it

Most eyedrops come in small plastic squeeze bottles made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) or polypropylene. The liquid inside sits in constant contact with the plastic. Each time you squeeze the bottle, the liquid passes through the plastic tip. Microplastic particles can flake off the inner walls and the dispensing tip into the solution.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Sci Pollut Res Int tested commercial eyedrop products for microplastic contamination. The researchers filtered the eyedrop solutions and analyzed the particles they found under microscope and spectroscopy.

They detected microplastic particles in the eyedrop samples. The plastic types matched the packaging materials, confirming that the bottles themselves were the main source. The particles varied in size, with some small enough to potentially interact with the cells on the surface of the eye.

Your eyes are sensitive and have a thin protective layer. Putting microplastic-containing liquid directly onto the surface of your eye is a direct route of exposure. While the health effects of ocular microplastic exposure are still being studied, it adds to your overall microplastic body burden.

If you use eyedrops daily for dry eyes or allergies, the cumulative exposure from this source alone could be meaningful. Glass-bottled eye products or preservative-free single-use vials may reduce plastic contact.