Many people find it frustrating to put in their eye drops. For this reason, lots of people with glaucoma avoid using their medicated drops, which defeats the purpose of the treatment. If you struggle with keeping your eyes open, missing your target, or ensuring that your drops last long enough between refills, here are some practical tips and tools to make eye drop use easier and more efficient.*

Proper Preparation 

Optometrist Neal Guymon, creator of the YouTube channel Dr. EyeGuy, recommends starting with the basics. Before applying eye drops, he says, wash your hands thoroughly to avoid introducing bacteria to your eyes. Then, to best administer the drops:

• Use your dominant hand to hold the dropper and your non-dominant hand to gently pull down your lower eyelid, creating a pocket for the drop. 
• Balance the dropper hand on the other hand to steady it and avoid holding the bottle too high, which can make the process less controlled.
• After applying the drops, close your eyes and lightly press the small puncta (drainage holes) near your inner eyelids. 

Putting pressure on these points for 30 seconds prevents the drops from draining too quickly, ensuring the medication stays on your eye longer.

Simple Hacks and Tools for Easy Application

Change Position

If keeping your eyes open is problematic, Guymon says:

• Lie down and place the dropper over the bridge of your nose. 
• With your eyes closed, let the drop land on your eyelashes or the corner of your eye. 

When you blink, the drop spreads evenly. This method, he adds, is also ideal for children.

Use Guides

Eye drop tools like guides and finger-mounted applicators are also available online to help aim the drops accurately. The Nanodropper®, a screw-on attachment for standard bottles, reduces drop size to match the eye’s absorption capacity of 10 microliters. This simple aid:

• Minimizes waste by eliminating unnecessary runoff, and
• Helps eye drops last five times longer.

Regardless of which tip or tool you choose, making every drop count significantly reduces waste as well as frustration.

Refrigerate Your Drops

Chilled eye drops give a cool sensation upon contact, helping you confirm whether or not the drop landed in your eye. The cooling effect, Guymon says, is especially soothing if you have inflammation or allergies.

*Guymon, N. [Dr. EyeGuy]. (2023, February 25). How To Put In Eye Drops Easy! – 3 Pro Tips! (Eye Drop Tutorial) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P50ENcO4z30 

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