That's so weird that the episodes are so transient!
About the closest I've ever come to an explanation of why tears work is that tears actually have an immune component to them. Tear ducts are one of the inroads into the body for germs, so tears are just naturally set up to fight invasions. My thought is that something in my tears helps him fight the effects of the virus, however short-lived the effect might be. If that's the case, then artificial tears would probably not work.
That being said, though, I've had no way to test my 'theory', so artificial tears might be worth a try.
If you try them, and it works, please post back--it's hard work producing enough sadness to keep JD's eyes clean when he's having an episode.
Your feline family is adorable!
Thanks for sharing the pic!
I had to laugh at your description of their eating habits! JD and Dusty always eat like they're starving. Takes them 5 minutes to empty their dishes and lick them spotless! I can't imagine having any food left over for the other cat to steal, although I'm sure they both fantasize about getting everything!