Deep research and expert guides on maintaining your visual health.
Why Proper Eye Drop Technique Matters When treating eye conditions (like glaucoma), eye drops deliver medication directly to the eye. However, much of a drop can wash away through the tear ducts into the body, lowering the drug’s effect on the eye and raising the risk of side effects. For example, studies estimate that up to 80% of a topical eye drop drains through the nasolacrimal (tear) duct...
Eye drop technique is the set of steps a person uses to put liquid medication into the eye safely and effectively. It covers how to hold the bottle, how to aim a drop without touching the eye, and what to do after the drop goes in. Typical steps include washing your hands, tilting your head back, pulling down the lower eyelid to create a small pocket, and squeezing a single drop into that pocket. You should avoid letting the bottle touch your eye or eyelashes to prevent contamination and infection. After putting a drop in, gently closing the eye and applying light pressure to the inner corner can help the medicine stay on the eye longer and reduce swallowing of the drug. If you need more than one type of eye medicine, waiting several minutes between different products prevents the first one from being rinsed away. Good technique increases how well the medication works, reduces side effects that happen when the drug is absorbed into the body, and avoids wasting medicine. Poor technique can lead to poor control of eye conditions, more frequent dosing, and higher risk of irritation or infection. Most patients can learn proper technique quickly with a little practice, and health professionals can demonstrate it if needed. Being comfortable with the process helps people stick to their treatment and get better results from their eye medications.
