PickGuideSystane Ointment Review: Is Their Best-Seller Worth It?
Systane Ointment is the actual #1 best-seller on eyedropshop.ca's own best-selling collection, ranked ahead of far pricier drops and gels on the same store. It's a small, cheap product compared to most of what we review, but it has real on-site reviews and a verifiable ingredient list, so we're covering it as-is rather than swapping in something flashier.
Systane Ointment is a preservative-free lubricant eye ointment made by Alcon, sold in a 3.5g tube for $7.35 CAD. It's built for one specific job: coating the eye overnight for people with moderate-to-severe nighttime dryness, not for daytime use or use with contact lenses in. The formula is almost entirely white petrolatum (94%), with mineral oil (3%) and anhydrous liquid lanolin (3%) rounding it out — that petrolatum-heavy ratio is what makes it thick enough to blur vision on application, which is normal for an ointment and the reason it's a bedtime-only product. Application is a small amount, about a quarter inch (1cm), applied to the inside of the lower eyelid; contact lenses need to come out first. Once opened, Alcon's own instructions say to discard it after 30 days, regardless of how much is left in the tube. On the product page itself, it carries a 4.76/5 rating from 21 reviews through the store's on-site review widget — a real, specific number for this exact SKU rather than a store-wide average, and a small but genuine sample. The wider eyedropshop.ca storefront also has an independent Trustpilot page showing a 4.7/5 TrustScore from 120 reviews, which lines up closely with the product-specific number rather than contradicting it.
Pros
- Petrolatum-dominant formula (94%) gives a thick, long-lasting overnight coating rather than a thin gel that wears off partway through the night
- Preservative-free, which matters for a product meant to go directly onto the eyelid margin nightly
- $7.35 for a 3.5g tube is meaningfully cheaper than comparable U.S. nighttime ointments like Refresh P.M. ($12.99 for a similar-size tube)
- Made by Alcon, an established eye-care manufacturer with a full, verifiable ingredient list on the box and product page
- On-site rating (4.76/5, 21 reviews) and the store's overall Trustpilot score (4.7/5, 120 reviews) are consistent with each other, not conflicting
- In stock and ships in 1-2 business days at the time of this review
Cons
- Blurs vision on application because of its thickness — it's strictly a bedtime product, unusable before driving, screens, or any daytime task
- Not compatible with contact lenses in the eye — lenses have to come out first, so it's no help for daytime lens-related dryness
- Small 3.5g tube, and Alcon's own instructions say to discard it 30 days after opening no matter how much is left — buying multiples ahead of time wastes product
- On-site review count is real but modest (21 reviews) — a good score, but not a large sample to weigh a purchase on
- It's a single-purpose commodity ointment with no applicator innovation or packaging extras — you're paying for the formula and the price, not added convenience
- No bundle or multi-pack option on this specific listing, so restocking means repeat individual orders
Who It's For
Good For
- People with moderate-to-severe nighttime dry eye who wake up with gritty or burning eyes and need overnight coating, not just daytime drops
- Contact lens wearers who remove their lenses before bed and want a preservative-free overnight option
- Budget shoppers who want a known Alcon-brand nighttime ointment without paying Refresh P.M.-level U.S. import pricing
Skip If
- You need relief you can use during the day or with contacts still in — this is a bedtime-only, lenses-out product
- You want to stock up on several tubes at once — the 30-day-after-opening discard rule makes bulk-buying one product inefficient
- You want a deep, large-sample independent review base before buying — 21 on-site reviews is decent but not extensive
How It Compares: Systane Ointment vs Refresh P.M. Lubricant Eye Ointment
| Spec | Systane Ointment | Refresh P.M. Lubricant Eye Ointment |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.35 (3.5g) | $12.99 (0.12oz / ≈3.5g) |
| White petrolatum | 94% | 57.3% |
| Mineral oil | 3% | 42.5% |
| Preservative-free | Yes | Yes |
| Brand | Alcon | AbbVie / Allergan |
Both are preservative-free, petrolatum-based nighttime ointments from major eye-care manufacturers, but the ratios differ: Systane leans much more heavily on petrolatum, which tends to feel thicker and more occlusive, while Refresh P.M.'s roughly even split with mineral oil can feel a touch lighter. At close to half the price of Refresh P.M., Systane Ointment is the better value unless you already know you prefer Refresh's specific texture.
See Refresh P.M. Lubricant Eye Ointment →
Verified Ratings
Key Specs
| Brand | Alcon (Systane) |
| Format | Lubricant eye ointment, 3.5g tube |
| Active ingredients | White Petrolatum 94%, Mineral Oil 3% |
| Other ingredients | Anhydrous Liquid Lanolin 3% |
| Preservative-free | Yes |
| Contact lens use | Remove lenses before applying |
| Application | ≈1/4 inch (1cm) to inner lower eyelid |
| Storage temperature | 8–27°C |
| Discard after opening | 30 days |
| Intended use | Nighttime/bedtime dry eye relief |
| Price | $7.35 CAD |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Systane Ointment with my contact lenses in?
No. The product's own instructions say to remove contact lenses before applying it, and it isn't designed to go on top of lenses.
Why does my vision blur after applying it?
It's expected — the formula is 94% white petrolatum, which is much thicker than a liquid drop or gel. That thickness is what lets it coat the eye overnight, but it also means it isn't meant to be used before driving, screens, or anything requiring clear vision.
How long will one tube actually last?
Less than the 3.5g might suggest for infrequent users, because Alcon's instructions say to discard the tube 30 days after opening regardless of how much product is left — plan for roughly monthly replacement if you use it nightly.
Verdict
Systane Ointment isn't a glamorous pick, but it earns its best-seller spot honestly: it's a cheap, preservative-free, petrolatum-based nighttime ointment from an established eye-care brand, with a real (if modest) on-site rating that lines up with the store's independent Trustpilot score. If you specifically need overnight dry-eye relief and you're comfortable with the tradeoffs every ointment has — blurred vision on application, lenses out first, discard a month after opening — this is a reasonable, low-risk buy at $7.35. If you want something usable during the day or with lenses in, look at the store's drops instead.