Pataday

About Pataday

Pataday is an over the counter eye allergy drop brand built around olopatadine, an antihistamine that was sold by prescription before it moved to store shelves. The line comes in small dropper bottles and sits in our eye drops category, though it is a different kind of product from an artificial tear.

What we carry

• Pataday Once Daily Relief, the standard formula, as a single bottle or a twin pack.
• Pataday Extra Strength, a 2.5 mL bottle at the higher 0.7 percent concentration of olopatadine.
• Pataday Extra Strength twin pack, two 2.5 mL bottles for anyone who keeps one at home and one in a bag.

How to choose

The practical difference across the Pataday range is concentration. Once Daily Relief uses 0.2 percent olopatadine. Extra Strength uses 0.7 percent, the highest concentration sold without a prescription. Both arrive in the same style of bottle, so the decision is usually about strength first and pack size second.

Pack size is the simpler call. A twin pack suits an allergy season that runs for weeks. A single bottle makes more sense if you are trying the brand for the first time.

Worth knowing

These are allergy drops, not lubricating drops, and the two are not interchangeable. If your eyes feel gritty and tired rather than itchy, the artificial tears in our eye drops and lubricants category are the better place to look. Contact lens wearers should read the carton, which covers how these drops sit alongside lens wear.

Everything you need to know about using a Pataday bottle is printed on the packaging, so read it before you start. If you are unsure which product fits, or your eyes are red and uncomfortable, speak with your eye care professional before adding anything new to your routine.