How to Use Eye Drops Correctly

How to Properly Apply Eye Drops

April 25, 2011

I must get asked this over a dozen times each week.. The key to instilling eye drops properly is to not waste drops by missing and to not contaminating the tip of the dropper bottle by touching your lases, skin, or eye with it. This video demonstrates 2 effective ways to instill your eye drops properly.

Here are some additional tips on instilling your eye drops:

Use adequate lighting
Keeping your drops chilled makes it easier to feel when and where the drop lands on your eye.
If you are having trouble with medication, practice with a bottle of artificial tears, this way you will not be wasting those expensive drops.
One drop at a time is more than enough, but instil another if you are unsure the first went in.
Some bottles have ‘accessories’ that help you squeeze the bottle.
If you are using more than one type of eyedrop, wait at least two minutes before instilling the second drop This avoids the second drop washing away the first before the active drug is absorbed into the eye.
Some people taste the drops in their mouth a few minutes later. If this is unpleasant, ask one of our staff to show you how to perform ‘punctal occlusion’.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If putting drops in your own eye is too difficult, it may be easier to ask someone to do it for you.

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How to Properly Apply Eye Drops

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