Quick answers
- What is Systane?
- Systane is a brand name of Polyethylene glycol 400 and propylene glycol, Propylene glycol, Mineral oil and petrolatum and Hypromellose 2910 (4000 mpa.s), an over-the-counter medicine. The FDA NDC Directory lists 17 Systane products in 6 strengths and forms.
- Who makes Systane?
- Alcon Laboratories, Inc. lists 16 of the 17 Systane products in the FDA NDC Directory.
- Is there a generic or store brand of Systane?
- Yes. The FDA NDC Directory lists 7 other products with the same active ingredients, strength and form as a Systane product, 7 of them generic or store brands. Ask your pharmacist whether one is right for you.
- What do pharmacies pay for Systane?
- CMS lists a National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) for 6 Systane strengths and forms (see the table below). That is what pharmacies pay to buy it, not what you pay: your price depends on your insurance and your pharmacy.
- Has Systane been recalled?
- FDA enforcement reports list 3 recalls of Systane products; the newest started April 21, 2026. A recall usually concerns specific lots, not every product.
What Systane is
Each Systane product as listed in the FDA NDC Directory, by active ingredient, strength and form, with its official label. “Same medicine, other names” counts the other products with exactly the same active ingredients, strength and form (generic versions, store brands and other brands); inactive ingredients can differ.
Polyethylene glycol 400 and propylene glycol · over-the-counter medicine
| Strength and form | Product names | Same medicine, other names | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| polyethylene glycol 400 4 mg/mL · propylene glycol 3 mg/mL gel (ophthalmic) | Systane | 2 products, 2 companies | DailyMed |
| polyethylene glycol 400 4 mg/mL · propylene glycol 3 mg/mL solution/ drops (ophthalmic) | Systane ULTRA, Systane Hydration Pf Preservative Free, Systane Ultra Preservative Free, Systane Lubricant | 2 products, 1 company | DailyMed |
Its page quotes the Drug Facts label and lists every brand and store brand: Polyethylene glycol 400 and propylene glycol →
Propylene glycol · over-the-counter medicine
| Strength and form | Product names | Same medicine, other names | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| propylene glycol 0.06 mg/mL emulsion (ophthalmic) | Systane COMPLETE PF, Systane COMPLETE, Systane Balance | None listed | DailyMed |
| propylene glycol 6 mg/mL emulsion (ophthalmic) | Systane Pro PF | 1 product, 1 company | DailyMed |
Its page quotes the Drug Facts label and lists every brand and store brand: Propylene glycol →
Mineral oil and petrolatum · over-the-counter medicine
| Strength and form | Product names | Same medicine, other names | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| mineral oil 3% · petrolatum 94% ointment (ophthalmic) | Systane Nighttime | 1 product, 1 company | DailyMed |
Its page quotes the Drug Facts label and lists every brand and store brand: Mineral oil and petrolatum →
Hypromellose 2910 (4000 mpa.s) · over-the-counter medicine
| Strength and form | Product names | Same medicine, other names | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| hypromellose 2910 (4000 mpa.s) 0.3% gel (ophthalmic) | Systane | 1 product, 1 company | DailyMed |
Its page quotes the Drug Facts label and lists every brand and store brand: Hypromellose 2910 (4000 mpa.s) →
FDA approval
Systane products are sold under an FDA over-the-counter monograph: rules that set the allowed active ingredients, strengths and label wording, so these products do not need an individual FDA approval.
What pharmacies pay (NADAC)
The National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) is the average price U.S. retail pharmacies paid to buy one unit of a medicine (one tablet, one mL or one gram), from a monthly survey of pharmacy invoices by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). State Medicaid programs use it to pay pharmacies.
This is not the price you pay. What you pay depends on your insurance (copay or coinsurance), your pharmacy and any discounts, and pharmacies also charge for filling a prescription. Ask your pharmacist or your health plan what your price will be.
| Strength and form | Generic or brand | Pharmacies pay |
|---|---|---|
| hypromellose 2910 (4000 mpa.s) 0.3% gel | Brand: Systane | $0.9037 per gram |
| polyethylene glycol 400 4 mg/mL · propylene glycol 3 mg/mL gel | Brand: Systane | $1.13 per mL |
| polyethylene glycol 400 4 mg/mL · propylene glycol 3 mg/mL solution/ drops | Brand: Systane | $0.4665 per unit |
| polyethylene glycol 400 4 mg/mL · propylene glycol 3 mg/mL solution/ drops | Brand: Systane | $0.5671–$1.15 per mL 8 packages, lowest to highest |
| propylene glycol 0.06 mg/mL emulsion | Brand: Systane | $1.00–$1.36 per mL 7 packages, lowest to highest |
| propylene glycol 6 mg/mL emulsion | Brand: Systane | $1.35 per mL |
NADAC list of November 4, 2026; these prices took effect between August 19, 2026 and October 21, 2026. Shown only where a package’s NDC code matches the NADAC list exactly, and only for that exact strength and form: nothing is averaged across strengths. Strengths and forms not listed here have no NADAC price.
Source: NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) 2026, data.medicaid.gov (CMS) →
Companies that list Systane
The company named on the package (holder, repackager or distributor), as listed in the FDA NDC Directory, with its number of Systane products.
- Alcon Laboratories, Inc.16 products
- Alcon Research Ltd1 product
Recalls
From FDA enforcement reports, matched by the product’s NDC code or label. A recall usually covers specific lots: check the lot number on your package and ask your pharmacist. Do not stop a medicine on your own.
-
April 21, 2026 · Class II · Ongoing · D-0491-2026
Lack of Assurance of Sterility: Due to FDA inspection observations that it believes may impact product quality.
Systane, Lubricant Eye Gel, Night Gel, Sterile, 10g (0.35 oz), Processed in France for: Alcon Laboratiroes, Inc., Fort Worth, TX 76134, USA, NDC 0065-0474-01 — Alcon Research LLC
-
June 29, 2022 · Class II · Terminated · D-1314-2022
CGMP Deviations: products were stored outside the drug label specifications.
Systane, Lubricant Eye Drops, Polyethylene Glycol 400 0.4% Lubricant, Propylene Glycol 0.3% Lubricant, Original, Long Lasting Dry Eye Relief, Sterile, a) 15 mL (0.5 FL OZ) NDC 0065-0429-15, b) 30 mL (1 FL OZ) NDC 0065-04 — Mckesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Corporate Office
-
June 29, 2022 · Class II · Terminated · D-1316-2022
CGMP Deviations: products were stored outside the drug label specifications.
Systane Balance, Lubricant Eye Drops, Propylene Glycol 0.6% lubricant, Restorative Formula, Sterile, 10 mL (1/3 FL OZ) bottle per box, Alcon, NDC 0065-1433-02. — Mckesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Corporate Office
Sources
- NDC Directory (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drugs@FDA (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drug labeling (SPL, openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drug recall enforcement reports (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 27, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) 2026 — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), data.medicaid.gov, list of November 4, 2026, retrieved November 7, 2026
Which names get a brand page: a name the NDC Directory lists for a medicine, held by one company (the FDA application holder, or the company named on most of its products), that is not just a description, and that is not the only product of its medicine.