Using eye drops safely: technique, timing and questions

Start with a clear plan

Before the first dose, ask which eye needs treatment, how many drops to use, and when to use them. Ask the pharmacist to explain any label instruction you do not understand, including storage, expiration, shaking the bottle, or contact-lens use. Different products can have different directions.

If you use several bottles, keep an up-to-date list of their names and schedules. Bring that list, or the bottles themselves, to an appointment. Include nonprescription drops and other medicines, vitamins and supplements. Some glaucoma medicines can interact with other treatments. ².

A practical way to put in drops

The National Eye Institute recommends the following approach. Ask your care team to watch your technique if you are unsure. ¹.

1. Wash your hands with soap and water. Keep your fingers away from the bottle tip.
2. Tilt your head back and look upward. Gently pull the lower eyelid down to make a small pocket.
3. Hold the bottle above that pocket without touching your eye, eyelid or lashes. Squeeze in the prescribed number of drops.
4. Close your eye gently. For at least one minute, apply light pressure at the inner corner near your nose, rather than pressing on the eyeball. This helps limit drainage into the nose.

If your directions call for another drop in the same eye, follow the instructed interval; MedlinePlus advises waiting at least five minutes. Replace the cap after use. Do not wipe or rinse the dropper tip. If you wear contact lenses, remove them unless the product specifically allows use with lenses, and follow its instructions for reinsertion. ⁴.

Give each medicine time

When using more than one type of eye drop, wait at least five minutes between products unless your clinician gives different instructions. Ask for a written schedule if several medicines are due around the same time. ¹.

For glaucoma, drops lower eye pressure to help protect the optic nerve. They do not restore vision already lost, and you may not feel an obvious benefit. Keep following your prescribed plan rather than judging whether you need treatment by how your eyes feel. If side effects, cost or remembering doses is a problem, tell your clinician so the plan can be reviewed. ².

Protect the bottle and question bold claims

Eye drops must be sterile. Avoid letting the tip touch your fingers, clothing or other surfaces. Check the FDA’s current alerts if you are concerned about a product or recall. Products sold without a prescription should not claim to treat glaucoma, cataracts, retinopathy or macular degeneration; the FDA states that there are no over-the-counter drug treatments for these conditions. ³.

If you develop eye pain, discharge, a change in vision, discomfort or other unexpected symptoms while using eye drops, stop using that product and contact a health professional promptly, as the FDA advises. For a prescribed medicine, explain what happened and ask how to safely continue your treatment plan. Do not simply leave the problem until your next routine appointment. ³.

Ask for help with the difficult part

Trouble aiming or squeezing a bottle is worth mentioning. Your eye doctor may suggest an aid for putting in drops. ¹.

• Can you watch me put in a drop and check my technique?
• What should I do if I miss a dose or am unsure a drop went in?
• How should I space these bottles, and when can I put contact lenses back in?
• Who should I call about side effects, refills or difficulty using the bottle?