Video: How to put in eye drops

Eye drops bring relief if you have allergies, red eyes, dry eyes and so more, but easing your discomfort requires putting in eye drops correctly.

Is there a wrong way to put in eye drops? Yes. You don’t want eye drops running out of your eye and down your face. That’s messy.

And it’s expensive. Prescription eye drops – even over-the-counter eye drops – are costly. Putting in eye drops the wrong way isn’t just wasteful – it’s hitting you in your wallet.

So, what is the right way to put in eye drops?

Follow these 10 steps to put in your eye drops correctly:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water. Then dry your hands with a clean towel.

(Video of hands being washed and then dried)

2. If you are wearing contact lenses, remove them. The only exception is if you are using eye drops that are specifically formulated to re-moisten your contacts or if your doctor advised you to use the drops in this manner.

(Video of contact lenses being removed)

3. Either lie down or tilt your head back, and look up at the ceiling. Concentrate on a point on the ceiling, keeping your eye wide open.

(Video of person getting in position to put drop in eye)

4. Use your fingers to keep more of the eye drop in your eye. How to do this? Place one or two fingers on your face about an inch below your eye; gently pull down to create a pocket between your lower eyelid and your eyeball.

(Video showing how to use fingers to keep more of the drops in your eye)

5. Hold the bottle close to your eye (about an inch away). Be careful not to let the dropper touch your eye or eyelashes, since this can introduce bacteria and other organisms into the eye drops in the bottle.

(Video showing how to hold bottle and dropper near the eye getting the drops)

6. Squeeze lightly to place one drop inside your lower eyelid.

(Video of eye drops being put in)

7. Remove your hands from your face, gently close your eyes and tilt your head down for a few seconds. Try not to blink, as this can force some of the drop out of your eye before it has had a chance to be absorbed.

(Video of person closing eyes and tilting head down)

8. Use a clean tissue to absorb and wipe away any drops that spill out of your eye and onto your eyelids and face.

(Video of tissue wiping away stray drops)

9. Replace the cap of the bottle and screw it on securely. Never wipe the dropper tip with anything, as this may contaminate the drops.

(Video of eyedropper being put in bottle and lid being screwed on)

10. Wash your hands to rinse away any stray eye drops.

Easy-peasy, right? If you are putting drops in both eyes, just repeat steps one to 10 with your other eye.

(Video of hands being washed once drops are put in eye)

SEE RELATED: Eye drops: Which type is best for you?

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR EYE CARE? Find an eye doctor near you.

Page published on Thursday, October 3, 2019