Eye health resource
How to Put in Eye Drops Without Missing
Learn a simple step-by-step technique for putting in eye drops while keeping the bottle tip clean and getting the drop into the lower eyelid pocket.
Reviewed for accuracy by Justin Bazan, OD on .
Putting in an eye drop can be surprisingly difficult. The bottle is close to your eye, blinking is automatic, and it is hard to see where the drop is going.
The easiest target is the small pocket created by gently pulling down your lower eyelid. You do not need to aim directly at the center of the cornea.
How to Put in Eye Drops: Step by Step
- Wash and dry your hands.
- Check the label. Make sure you have the correct bottle, correct eye, and correct dosing instructions. Shake the bottle only if its label or your clinician tells you to.
- Remove the cap without touching the dropper tip. Keep the tip away from your fingers, countertop, eyelashes, eyelid, and eye.
- Tilt your head back and look upward. Sitting or lying down can make this easier.
- Gently pull the lower eyelid down. This forms a pocket between the eyelid and the eye.
- Hold the bottle above the pocket and squeeze one drop. One properly placed drop is usually enough unless your prescription specifically says otherwise.
- Close your eye gently. Do not squeeze the eyelids tightly or blink repeatedly.
- Blot excess liquid from the skin. Do not touch the bottle tip to your eye.
What If I Keep Blinking Before the Drop Lands?
Try looking up and away from the bottle rather than watching the drop approach. You can also stabilize the hand holding the bottle by resting part of that hand against your forehead or cheek.
If aiming above the eye makes you anxious, another technique is to lie down, close your eye, place a drop near the inner corner of the closed eyelids, and then open the eye so the liquid can flow onto the ocular surface. Ask your eye doctor whether that method is appropriate for your medication.
Should I Press the Inner Corner of My Eye?
For some prescription medications, your eye doctor may recommend gently pressing the inner corner of the eyelids after the drop is placed. This is called punctal occlusion. It can reduce drainage of medication into the nose and throat and may decrease systemic absorption.
Whether you need to do this—and for how long—depends on the medication. Follow the instructions for your prescribed drop.
What If I Use More Than One Eye Drop?
If you use several prescription drops, follow the schedule given by your doctor or pharmacist. Separate drops may need time between them so one does not immediately wash the other out.
Ointments are usually used after liquid drops because their thicker consistency can interfere with absorption of a drop placed immediately afterward.
Do I Need to Remove My Contact Lenses?
It depends on the product. Some lubricating drops are specifically labeled for use with contact lenses; many prescription or other over-the-counter drops are not.
Do not assume every eye drop is contact-lens compatible. Check the label or ask your eye doctor. If your eye is painful, significantly red, light-sensitive, or unusually blurry, remove your contact lenses and seek eye-care advice rather than trying to medicate through the lens.
Should I Avoid Eye Drops With Preservatives?
Not automatically. Preservatives help keep multidose bottles from becoming contaminated. Preserved artificial tears can work well for occasional use.
When lubricating drops are needed frequently, or when the ocular surface is particularly sensitive, preservative-free tears may be more comfortable. Read more about preserved versus preservative-free artificial tears.
How Do I Keep the Bottle Clean?
- Do not touch the dropper tip.
- Replace the cap promptly after use.
- Store the medication according to its label.
- Do not use a bottle that is contaminated, damaged, or past its instructed discard date.
- Never share prescription eye drops with another person.
When Should I Ask for Help?
If you repeatedly miss the eye, cannot squeeze the bottle, have arthritis or tremor that makes dosing difficult, or are unsure whether a medication is reaching the eye, bring the bottle to your eye-care visit. Technique can often be adjusted.
If an eye condition requires medication, use the medication exactly as directed rather than stopping because instillation is frustrating. Park Slope Eye can review technique during an appropriate visit.
Originally published . Substantially updated .