Renowned global dry eye product manufacturer ROHTO has entered the Australasian market with Rohto Dry Aid Intensive Dry Eye Relief Eye Drops engineered to address evaporative dry eye.
The over-the-counter product became available in New Zealand around mid-2024 and in Australia later that year.
ROHTO cites market data showing it’s the world’s number one eyecare1 and eye drop brand,2 with a century of ocular research behind it. Rohto Dry Aid Eye Drops are designed to address evaporative dry eye – the most common form accounting for up to 86% of cases –with a targeted mechanism of action and a unique patient experience.
“Ask any eyecare professional: managing dry eye disease (DED) remains one of the most frustrating, persistent challenges in clinical practice,” the company said.
“Despite the vast array of artificial tears and prescription options, there’s still no universal solution that fully addresses the complexity of DED – especially in an era of escalating digital device use.”
According to the ROHTO, its formulation offers three key benefits:
- Lipid layer stabilisation: Sesame oil and castor oil integrate with and supplement the lipid layer, improving spreadability and reducing evaporation.
- Cooling sensation: Menthol activates TRPM8 channels, stimulating tear production while delivering rapid, cooling comfort and analgesia.
- Long-lasting hydration: Ingredients like povidone and polyoxyl stearate bind water and reinforce tear film structure, providing extended relief of up to 12 hours and ocular protection with its unique Tearshield Technology.
“Unlike standard sodium hyaluronate-based drops, Rohto Dry Aid has both polar and non-polar lipid components – critical for maintaining a stable tear film,” ROHTO said in a statement.
“It supports the complex structure of meibum, composed of cholesterol esters, wax esters, phospholipids, and fatty acids. This nuanced lipid replenishment helps restore natural ocular surface homeostasis.”
Neurosensory relief through TRP modulation
Rohto Dry Aid’s inclusion of menthol is said to offer more a cooling effect by engaging the delicate sensory TRPM8 corneal receptors, which are sensitive to temperature changes and linked to basal tear secretion.
According to the company, these receptors are now recognised for their role in alleviating ocular discomfort, which may persist even without visible signs of inflammation. With 43% of dry eye patients potentially experiencing neuropathic pain, TRPM8-targeted therapy creating a soothing effect on this pathway is a promising area of intervention.
Clinical evidence: head-to-head trials ‘provide compelling evidence’
In a 2023 study by Bilgic et al,3 Rohto Dry Aid was reported to outperformed 0.15% sodium hyaluronate in patients with low oil levels, showing longer tear break up time (TBUT), reduced corneal staining, and lower ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores.
The study concluded Rohto Dry Aid is an effective and safe treatment for evaporative dry eye cases with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) as it improves both ocular surface and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) findings by supporting the lipid layer, ROHTO said.
Bilgic et al4 found sodium hyaluronate eye drops did not provide a sustained improvement in tear film stability or ocular surface symptoms compared to Rohto Dry Aid. The authors suggest that treatments supporting the lipid layer are particularly beneficial for dry eye characterised by tear lipid layer deterioration.
Meanwhile, a separate study by Torkildsen5 found Rohto Dry Aid offered longer-lasting relief than other eye drops containing polyethylene glycol 400 and propylene glycol, ROHTO said.
“Subjects using Rohto Dry Aid reported significant improvements in visual tasking activities (e.g., watching television, driving at night), which were not significant in the other eye drop group.
“Daily diary symptom scores for the other eye drop group tended to worsen from morning to evening, a trend not observed in the Rohto group, suggesting a potentially longer duration of symptomatic relief with Rohto.”
Rohto Dry Aid also demonstrated a sustained increase in tear film break-up time (TFBUT) at 20- and 60-minutes post-instillation.
“The study concludes that both products provide comparable relief for DED signs and symptoms, but Rohto Dry Aid offers superior relief for discomfort associated with visual tasking and appears to provide longer-lasting symptomatic relief throughout the day,” the company said.
A welcome innovation designed to support clinical practice in ANZ
With an elegant balance of lipid support, neurosensory comfort, and tear film hydration, Rohto Dry Aid “redefines what patients can expect from an over-the-counter eye drop”.
“For practitioners, it offers a novel, evidence-backed option for managing the growing burden of DED, especially in screen-heavy lifestyles,” the company said.
“As clinicians, we’re constantly seeking products that blend science with patient satisfaction. Rohto Dry Aid represents a new potential breakthrough in comfort for Australian and New Zealand patients – one that speaks to both the art and the evidence of dry eye care.
More reading
Optometrists going back to the future on dry eye disease
The Save Sight Institute Dry Eye Registry: Building the ‘big’ picture of dry eye
What space travel teaches us about dry eye
References
1.IQVIA Global OTC Insight -Eye Care market defined as IQVIA OTC Group2 Eye Care selected in all available IQVIA Global OTC Insight countries for the period from 2020 to 2024 in SU, reflecting estimates of real-world activity. IQVIA is a global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry. Copyright IQVIA. All rights reserved.
2. IQVIA Global OTC Insight -Eye Drop market defined as IQVIA OTC Group2 Eye Care limited to NGB, NGQ, NGN selected in all available IQVIA Global OTC Insight countries for the period from 2020 to 2024 in SU, reflecting estimates of real-world activity. IQVIA is a global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry. Copyright IQVIA. All rights reserved.
3. Ahmet Alp Bilgic, Huri Sabur, Mutlu Acar & Filiz Canpolat (2023): Effects of lipid-containing eye drops on the ocular surface and in vivo confocal microscopy findings in patients using systemic isotretinoin, Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, DOI: 10.1080/15569527.2023.2166523
4. Ahmet Alp Bilgic, Huri Sabur, Mutlu Acar & Filiz Canpolat (2023): Effects of lipid-containing eye drops on the ocular surface and in vivo confocal microscopy findings in patients using systemic isotretinoin, Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, DOI: 10.1080/15569527.2023.2166523
5. Torkildsen G, Brujic M, Cooper MS, Karpecki P, Majmudar P, Trattler W, Reis M, Ciolino JB. Evaluation of a new artificial tear formulation for the management of tear film stability and visual function in patients with dry eye. Clin Ophthalmol. 2017 Oct 19;11:1883-1889. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S144369. PMID: 29089744; PMCID: PMC5656345
