How to Use Eyedrops – Round Bottle
Step 1
Remove cap. Hold the bottle upside down between thumb and middle finger.
Step 2
Gently tilt head back. Position bottle above eye. (Do not touch eye with dropper tip.)
Step 3
With your other hand, place finger under eye and gently pull down to create a pocket between the eye and the lower eyelid.
Step 4
Place your index finger on the bottom of the bottle and push to dispense one drop. Be sure that the bottle doesn’t touch the eye or it may become contaminated.3
Step 5
Keep your head tilted backward and close your eyes for two to three minutes while gently pressing your index finger on the inside corner of your eye.4
Learn the Proper Technique in Five Easy Steps
Studies show that a significant number of patients have trouble getting their eyedrops into their eyes, or mistakenly believe that they are taking them correctly when in fact they're not.1 So if you're having difficulty taking your eyedrops, you're not alone.
Common problems include missing your eye, putting more than the prescribed number of drops in each eye, and letting the bottle touch the eye – which can cause contamination of the bottle.2
Because you won't fully benefit from the medication you've been prescribed if you don't take it properly, it's important to learn the correct technique for taking eyedrops. Here are five simple steps to make sure you're applying them the right way.
Step 1
Remove cap. Hold the bottle upside down between thumb and middle finger.
Step 2
Gently tilt head back. Position bottle above eye. (Do not touch eye with dropper tip.)
Step 3
With your other hand, place finger under eye and gently pull down to create a pocket between the eye and the lower eyelid.
Step 4
Place your index finger on the bottom of the bottle and push to dispense one drop. Be sure that the bottle doesn’t touch the eye or it may become contaminated.3
Step 5
Keep your head tilted backward and close your eyes for two to three minutes while gently pressing your index finger on the inside corner of your eye.4
Perhaps most importantly, if you continue to have difficulty taking your drops, let your doctor know. There's nothing to be ashamed of – many patients have the same problem. And understanding what you're going through will be important for him or her to have a clear picture of how your treatment is working.
- 1. All About Vision,Most Glaucoma Patients Are Not Using Their Eye Drops Correctly, http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/glaucoma_news.htm#ins. Accessed March 22, 2013.
- 2. Review of Ophthalmology, Beyond Compliance: Getting the Drops In, Review of Ophthalmology®#32A3F6. Accessed March 24, 2013.
- 3. Karmel M., American Academy of Ophthalmology,EyeNet Magazine,Surprising New Treatment for Glaucoma: Get the Drops in the Eye, http://www.aao.org/publications/eyenet/201004/glaucoma.cfm. Accessed March 25, 2013.
- 4. Glaucoma Research Foundation.What is Glaucoma? Eye drop tips.http://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/eyedrop-tips.php. Accessed March 12, 2013.