How to Use Eye Drops

The instillation of eyedrops remains one of the less precise, yet more accepted means of topical drug delivery. The method of administration is cumbersome at best, particularly for the elderly, patients with poor vision who have difficulty seeing without eyeglasses, and patients with other physical handicaps. Perhaps surprisingly, most patients become quite adept at routine instillation.

The pharmacist should advise each patient to keep the following points in mind to aid in the instillation of eyedrops.

How to Use Eye Drops.

Wash Hand
With one hand, gently pull lower eyelid down.
If dropper is separate, squeeze rubber bulb once while dropper is in bottle to bring liquid into dropper
Holding dropper above eye, drop medicine inside lower lid while looking up; do not touch dropper to eye or fingers.
Release lower lid. Try to keep eye open and not blink for at least 30 seconds.
If dropper is separate, replace on bottle and tighten cap.

Precautions when using eyedrops

If dropper is separate, always hold it with the tip down.
Never touch dropper to any surface.
Never rinse dropper.
When dropper is at top of bottle, avoid contaminating cap when removed.
When dropper is a permanent fixture on the bottle (i.e., when supplied by a pharmaceutical manufacturer to the pharmacist), the same rules apply to avoid contamination.
Never use eyedrops that have changed color.
If you are using more than one kind of drop at the same time, wait several minutes before using other drops.
After instillation of drops, do not close eyes tightly and try not to blink more often than usual, as this removes the medicine from the place on the eye where it will be effective.