How to use eyedrops

Hello again!

Patients often ask me for instructions on how to use eye drops properly. I wrote about it some time last year. If you missed it then here is a synopsis.{{more}}

Using eye drops correctly can save you time, hassle and pain. If you use the appropriate technique you can administer eye drops both comfortably and efficiently. Here is a list of things that you might need along with your eye drops – a mirror, tissues, a hand towel and antibacterial soap.

Here is the correct way to use eye drops:

1. Use the antibacterial soap to wash your hands thoroughly.

2. Stand or sit in front of your mirror.

3. Take off the top of the eye drop bottle.

4. Bend your head back and pull your lower eyelid down as gently as possible.

5. Hold the dropper of the bottle over one eye and squeeze a drop inside the lower eyelid. Don’t touch your eyes or eyelashes with the tip of the dropper. In fact, don’t touch anything else with it.

6. Once you’ve used the dropper let go of your eyelid and blink a few times, so that the drop spreads evenly over the surface of your whole eye.

7. Wipe away with a tissue the liquid that falls onto your cheeks, if any.

8. If prescribed for both eyes, repeat the process with your other eye.

9. If you are supposed to use more than one drop, wait for a couple of minutes before repeating the procedure. If put it in too quickly, the second drop might wash away the first one. Giving the first drop time to settle in is effective and very important.

Next week we will talk about how to take care of your eye drops when you aren’t using them and the list of things you need to know about eye drops if you’re going to be using them on a regular basis. Until then, have a great weekend.

Dr Kenneth Onu is a resident Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Beachmont Eye Institute/Eyes R Us.
Send questions to: Beachmont@gmail.com
Tel: 784 456-1210