A short introduction to using eye drops correctly

Eye drops and artificial tears are necessary for lubricating dry eyes. But using eye drops correctly requires a bit of practice. The following information should help to make using eye drops a smoother and more pleasant experience.

One of the reasons it can be hard to use eye drops is that blinking is a natural reflex of the eye, making it difficult to get the drops in the right place. But following these simple tips will make the entire process a lot easier.

A lot of people prefer having their partner or a family member put their eye drops in for them. Even when it’s possible to ask someone, it’s recommended to learn how to put in eye drops yourself so that you can do so whenever you need.

How do I use eye drops correctly?

1. It’s easiest to put in eye drops lying down. If you can’t lie down then tilt your head back slightly.

2. If you’re right-handed, then hold the eye drop bottle with your right hand, using your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. If you’re left-handed, use your left hand.

3. Pull your lower eyelid down slightly using the two spare fingers on your right hand and pull the upper eyelid up using the index finger of your left hand.

4. Hold the eye drop bottle directly in front of the eye. Look at the bottle or slightly past it.

5. Gently squeeze the bottle so that one or two drops are released.

6. After putting in the drops, let your eyelids go and close your eye for around one minute.

7. Repeat with the second eye.

Good to know

* Eye drops are effective when placed on the eyeball or on the pink area in the corner of the eye close to the nose.

* If the eye drop lands on either the top or bottom eye lashes then you should put the drops in again, as they can’t lubricate the eye from the lashes.

* You should always wash your hands thoroughly before using eye drops.

* If you need to use different types of eye drops then you should wait at least 3 minutes between each application. That way the first drops can be properly absorbed before the next drops are applied.

* Keeping the eye drops chilled in the fridge will help you know whether or not the drops were placed correctly.