{"id":153,"date":"2026-01-26T12:23:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T11:23:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/?p=153"},"modified":"2026-02-01T13:14:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T12:14:16","slug":"from-pharmacy-to-lifestyle-how-eye-drops-can-become-the-next-everyday-ritual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/?p=153","title":{"rendered":"From Pharmacy to Lifestyle: How Eye Drops Can Become the Next Everyday Ritual?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWhere are the eye drops?\u201d I ask the shop assistant.
She smiles, points\u2014and suddenly I realise I\u2019ve been standing right in front of them the entire time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I missed them because they didn\u2019t look like traditional eye drops<\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No clinical white box<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No tired illustration of an eyeball<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No visual cues screaming medicine<\/em><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead: bold colours, sleek packaging, and a presence that felt closer to beauty than to pharmacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is not an accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both products are made by Rohto Pharmaceutical<\/strong>, a Japanese company known for building cult brands that sit comfortably between healthcare and lifestyle. Its portfolio includes Hada Labo, OXY, Acnelogy, Rohto Eye Drops, Mentholatum, Lipice and Sunplay. In Poland, Rohto is also the owner of DAX Cosmetics, a brand many consumers already recognise from the beauty aisle\u2014not the pharmacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rohto Eye Drops sit in the mid\u2011to\u2011premium <\/strong>OTC segment, priced above basic<\/strong> artificial tears and closer to \u201cspecialty\u201d eye care products positioned around cooling, freshness and instant relief. But price is not the real differentiator here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Targeting is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Optic Glow: When Eye Care Meets Beauty Culture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One variant in particular\u2014Optic Glow\u2014shows how pharmaceutical products can borrow from beauty marketing without losing credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The visuals are unapologetically aesthetic: bright, wide-open eyes, bold eye makeup, strong colour contrasts. The message is clear and emotionally relevant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even the best eye makeup doesn\u2019t look good on tired, irritated eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That single insight unlocks a perfect product\u2013market fit<\/strong>.
This is no longer just an \u201ceye problem solution.\u201d It\u2019s a beauty enhancer<\/strong>, a backstage product that makes the final look work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it resonates\u2014because eye fatigue is not a niche issue. It\u2019s mainstream Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Eye Problems Are No Longer a Medical Exception \u2014 They\u2019re the Norm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at the data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 50% of European adults have a refractive error (myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism), meaning they need glasses or contact lenses.\nAccording to the European Eye Epidemiology (E3) Consortium, this equals over 227 million people with myopia alone in Europe\n(European Eye Epidemiology Consortium, 2015)\n\nDry eye symptoms affect between 15% and 30% of adults in Europe, depending on country and age group\n(BMJ Open, 2023)\n\nAmong contact lens wearers, around 20\u201340% report dry eye symptoms, and dryness is one of the main reasons people stop wearing lenses altogether\n(Life (Basel), 2022)\n\nIn several European countries, 10\u201330% of adults wear contact lenses, with particularly high usage in Northern and Western Europe\n(Statista, 2025)\n\nScreen exposure is accelerating the issue: ophthalmologists across Europe report a sharp increase in screen-related eye fatigue and dryness, especially among younger consumers\n(TFOS DEWS II Report)<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This is not a fringe problem<\/strong>.
This is a mass lifestyle condition<\/strong> driven by screens, indoor heating, air conditioning, contact lenses, makeup, UV exposure and urban living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet the category still behaves as if it\u2019s selling cough syrup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The White Space: Turning Eye Drops into Daily Rituals<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rohto shows what\u2019s possible\u2014but the opportunity is much bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Screen Workers: The New Office Ritual<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    Millions of Europeans spend 8\u201310 hours a day staring at screens. Digital eye strain is universal\u2014regardless of profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Why not position eye drops as a micro-break ritual?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Two drops.\nA 60-second pause.\nInstant refresh.<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
    Not treatment\u2014performance recovery<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Students & Night Owls<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      Whether it\u2019s studying until 3 a.m. or dancing until sunrise, tired eyes are a shared experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      Position eye drops as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \u201cTwo drops that make your eyes look like you slept eight hours.\u201d<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
      Functional? Yes<\/strong>.
      Aspirational? Absolutely<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. Beauty & Wellness Enthusiasts<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        We already ritualise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        matcha in the morning\npilates at noon\nskincare at night<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
        So why not eye care?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
        A daily eye-refresh moment fits perfectly into the beauty\u2013wellness\u2013biohacking ecosystem<\/strong>. Imagine collaborations with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • blue-light-blocking glasses<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • yoga studios<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • skincare brands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          Eye drops become the new wellness accessory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Why the Market Is Still Wide Open<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          Despite the scale of the problem, most eye drop brands still look:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          overly medical\nvisually outdated\nemotionally disconnected<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
          White boxes. Clinical fonts. Stock images of eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
          Consumers, meanwhile, have evolved. They expect design<\/strong>, identity<\/strong> and ritual<\/strong>\u2014even from functional products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          Especially from functional products<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          Women wear makeup daily that contributes to eye dryness. Winter heating dries indoor air. UV awareness is rising\u2014but eye protection is still overlooked. SPF exists for skin. Why not for eyes as a daily habit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          The demand<\/strong> is there<\/strong>.
          The need<\/strong> is proven<\/strong>.
          The shelf<\/strong>, however, is still boring<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Final Thought<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          The next growth wave in OTC eye care won\u2019t come from stronger formulas alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          It will come from reframing eye drops as part of modern life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • like lip balm<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • like hand cream<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • like supplements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            Rohto has shown the direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            For FMCG and pharma brands willing to step beyond the \u201cmedicine look,\u201d the opportunity is vast\u2014and still largely untapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Key Sources<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
            European Eye Epidemiology Consortium (E3):
            https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC4385146\/
            <\/p>\n\n\n\n
            BMJ Open \u2013 Dry Eye Disease in Europe:
            https:\/\/bmjopen.bmj.com\/content\/13\/3\/e067007
            <\/p>\n\n\n\n
            Life (Basel), 2022 \u2013 Dry Eye & Contact Lenses:
            https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9605398\/
            <\/p>\n\n\n\n
            Statista \u2013 Contact Lens Wearers in Europe:
            https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/431375\/individuals-who-wear-contact-lenses-in-selected-european-countries\/
            <\/p>\n\n\n\n
            TFOS DEWS II Epidemiology Report:
            https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1542012417305733<\/p>\n\n\n\n
             <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
            \u201cWhere are the eye drops?\u201d I ask the shop assistant.She smiles, points\u2014and suddenly I realise I\u2019ve been standing right in front of them the entire time. I missed them because they didn\u2019t look like traditional eye drops. No clinical white box. No tired illustration of an eyeball. No visual cues screaming medicine. Instead: bold colours, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[9,8,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-foreign-markets","category-innovations","category-redesign-concepts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=153"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":249,"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/153\/revisions\/249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/monikapieczonka.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}