And people put asbestos on their christmas trees back in the day - I don't think "obvious harm" is a high enough standard.
Meanwhile, Restasis (cyclosporine A) (or a generic) works well, and doesn't have to be applied all day long, just two or three times a day. It does burn the eye initially, but it's not harmful, and the burning goes slowly away over time. It does take a few months to start working.
You also can't find anybody in the world without traces of lead, arsenic, uranium, radium, and other chemical elements in their blood.
> Why cant you just use theratears?
Because they don't work.
A. Absorbed into your body forever.
B. Becomes a part of the water cycle.
C. Is broken down.
And even choice A eventually becomes choice B, ideally after significant time though.