What are artificial tears made out of?

The ingredients vary: Artificial tears vary in ingredients based on the manufacturer of the tear. The more viscous tears have carboxymethylcellulose which allows the tear to remain on the eye. Some other brand contain mineral oil to help with evaporative dry eyes. Ask you doctor which tear is best for your type of dry eyes. Everyone's chemistry is different and one drop may work better than another.

Methyl cellulose: This allows the drops to stay on your eyes longer. Many different companies use other ingredients also.

Various ingredients in artificial; tears: Arificial tears are made of saline solution, a lubricant, and a preservative. There is a big difference in the quality of the lubricant and the gentleness of the preservative between name brand tears and store brand.

Methyl cellulose: Commercial lubricating eye drops are formulated to resemble your own tears as closely as possible with added lubricants to extend duration of effectiveness.

"sterile spit": Water, salt, mucin.

Mostly water: Mostly water, some ions to balance the ph, some oily component.