1. Always wash and dry your hands first.
2. Remove your contact lenses (unless your ophthalmologist has asked you to leave them in).
3. Gently pull the lower eyelid down to form a small pocket.
4. Squeeze the dropper bottle downwards to release a drop into the pocket.
5. Keep your eyes closed for a few minutes.
6. Wipe any excess from your eyelids with a clean tissue.
7. At the end, repeat washing your hands (as they have come into contact with the medication and your face).

Tips and tricks

• Avoid touching the tip of the bottle against your eye or eyelid to avoid scratching your eye or contaminating the contents of the bottle.
• Try using a mirror.
• You could also try tilting the head back or lying down on your back.
• If administering drops for somebody else, avoid dropping the drop from height and again avoid touching the eye.
• If struggling with a bottle of drops e.g. too hard or too small, inform your ophthalmologist to explore alternatives and ask assistance from friends or family in the meantime.
• Your ophthalmologist may also recommend drop assistance devices that can help you.
• If you need to take more than one eye drop at the same time, allow 5 minutes between the different drops.
• If your ophthalmologist has also prescribed you an eye ointment, always use the drop first and then the ointment.
• Remember to use your drops exactly when and how your ophthalmologist advised you.
• Check your ophthalmologist’s instructions.
• Check the expiration date of your medication: Most drops can stay open for 1 month after opening unless stated otherwise.
• Check the bottle of what you are administering to your eyes before use: Many bottles for eye drops, ear drops , nail glue, nasal drops etc can look similar.
• We do not share eye drops (or any other medication) with friends and family.