What Is Miebo? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

If your doctor has prescribed Miebo or you're exploring options for dry eye disease, this guide covers everything you need to know: what Miebo is, what it treats, how to use it correctly, and what sets it apart from other dry eye medications on the market.

What Is Miebo?

Miebo is the brand name for

perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution — a sterile, water-free, preservative-free eye drop manufactured by Bausch + Lomb (developed by Novaliq GmbH). It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2023 for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) in adults. It is available by prescription only and has no generic equivalent as of 2026.

Miebo is notable for being the

first and only FDA-approved prescription eye drop that directly targets tear evaporation — the #1 cause of dry eye. Previous prescription dry eye treatments (Restasis, Xiidra, Cequa) all work by reducing inflammation to increase tear production. Miebo works in an entirely different way.

What Does Miebo Treat?

Miebo is FDA-approved to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) in adults. Dry eye disease is one of the most common disorders of the ocular surface, affecting more than 38 million Americans. Approximately 9 in 10 people with dry eye have evaporative dry eye — meaning their tears evaporate too quickly, often due to a dysfunctional tear film lipid layer.

Signs of dry eye disease include damage to the corneal surface (seen on corneal fluorescein staining). Symptoms include:

• Eye dryness, grittiness, or a sandy/foreign body sensation
• Burning or stinging in the eyes
• Eye redness
• Blurry or fluctuating vision
• Light sensitivity
• Eye fatigue, especially with screen use

Miebo is particularly well-suited for patients with evaporative dry eye associated with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) — a condition in which the oil-producing glands in the eyelids don't produce sufficient lipid to protect the tear film.

What Is the Dosage for Miebo?

The standard FDA-approved dosage of Miebo is:

• 1 drop in each affected eye, 4 times daily (QID)

Each bottle contains 3 mL of 100% perfluorohexyloctane and approximately 270 drops — enough for about 30 days when dosing both eyes four times per day. Miebo comes in a single concentration: 100% perfluorohexyloctane.

How to Use Miebo Correctly

1. Wash your hands thoroughly before use
2. If wearing contact lenses, remove them before using Miebo. Wait at least 30 minutes before reinserting.
3. Hold the bottle upright and remove the cap. Avoid touching the tip of the bottle.
4. Gently squeeze the bottle while holding it upright, then invert the bottle over your eye and apply one drop. Miebo's unique squeeze-and-invert delivery mechanism produces smaller drops than conventional eye drops.
5. Blink gently. Avoid rubbing the eye immediately after instillation.
6. Repeat for the other eye if directed.
7. If using other eye drops, wait 5–10 minutes before applying them (apply Miebo last to avoid dilution of its monolayer).

How Long Does Miebo Take to Work?

In the pivotal GOBI and MOJAVE clinical trials, patients began experiencing improvements in eye dryness symptoms as early as Day 15 of treatment. The full therapeutic effect was measured at Day 57 (8 weeks), where Miebo demonstrated statistically significant improvements in both corneal staining (the sign) and eye dryness VAS score (the symptom) compared to saline control.

The KALAHARI long-term safety study showed that benefits continued with sustained use up to 12 months.

What Makes Miebo Different from Other Dry Eye Drops?

• 100% water-free and preservative-free: Most eye drops contain water. Miebo's water-free formula reduces the risk of bacterial contamination without requiring preservatives, which can worsen dry eye over time.
• Targets the lipid layer: Miebo replaces the function of the healthy meibum (natural eye oil) by forming a monolayer that slows evaporation.
• No stinging or burning: The vast majority of patients in studies described Miebo as silky, smooth, and soothing — unlike cyclosporine drops, which commonly cause burning.

The Bottom Line

Miebo is a first-in-class, FDA-approved dry eye treatment that targets the root cause of evaporative dry eye. It's water-free, preservative-free, and generally well-tolerated. If you want to understand the science of how it works, read our article: How Does Miebo Work? Mechanism of Action Explained.