A simple step-by-step guide from Dr Cheryl Lee

Eye drops look simple — but surprisingly, many people don't use them correctly.

The drop may miss the eye, the bottle tip may touch the eyelashes, or the medication may drain away before it has a chance to work.

Whether you are using artificial tears for dry eyes, prescription medication for glaucoma or inflammation, antibiotic drops, atropine for myopia control, or drops after eye surgery, the technique matters.

Here is the simple method I teach my patients.

How to Put Eye Drops in Your Eyes

1. Wash your hands

Wash and dry your hands before handling your eye drops.

Clean hands help prevent bacteria and other contaminants from getting into your eyes or onto the bottle.

2. Check the bottle

Make sure you have the correct eye drop and the correct eye.

Check the expiry date and read the instructions.

Some eye drops are suspensions and need to be shaken gently before use. If your bottle says “shake well”, remember to do this before each use.

3. Get comfortable

Sit down and tilt your head back slightly.

If you find this difficult, lie down instead.

Looking upwards can make it easier to apply the drop without blinking.

4. Pull down your lower eyelid

Look upwards.

With one finger, gently pull down your lower eyelid to create a small pocket.

This pocket is where the drop should go.

5. Hold the bottle above your eye

Hold the bottle in your other hand.

Keep the tip close enough to aim accurately, but do not let it touch your eye, eyelashes or eyelid.

If you need more stability, rest your hand lightly against your forehead.

6. Apply ONE drop

Gently squeeze the bottle and allow one drop to fall into the pocket.

You do not need to aim directly at the centre of the eye.

One drop is usually enough.

The eye can only hold a limited amount of fluid. Additional drops often simply spill out rather than giving you more medication.

7. Close your eye gently

Close your eyes gently for about 1–2 minutes.

Don't squeeze your eyelids tightly and don't blink repeatedly.

This gives the medication more time to remain on the surface of the eye.

8. Close the tear duct

For many prescription medications, gently press your finger against the inner corner of your closed eye, beside the nose, for about one minute.

This reduces drainage through the tear duct into the nose and throat and can reduce systemic absorption.

This is particularly useful when using certain medications such as glaucoma drops.

9. Wipe away any excess

If some of the drop runs onto your cheek, gently wipe it away with a clean tissue.

Don't rub your eye.

The most common mistakes I see

❌ Touching the bottle tip to the eye

This can contaminate the bottle.

Instead: keep the tip just above the eye without touching the lashes, eyelid or eye.

❌ Putting in several drops

More is not necessarily better.

Instead: one drop is generally sufficient unless your doctor has specifically instructed otherwise.

❌ Blinking repeatedly

Rapid blinking can push the drop out of the eye.

Instead: close your eyes gently and let the medication stay there.

❌ Looking directly at the bottle

This can make you instinctively blink.

Instead: look upwards while applying the drop.

❌ Squeezing the bottle too hard

You don't need to empty a large amount of medication into your eye.

Instead: gently squeeze until one drop comes out.

❌ Rubbing your eyes afterwards

This can irritate the surface of the eye and may remove the medication.

Instead: gently blot away any excess from the skin.

What if I need more than one type of eye drop?

If you have been prescribed several different eye drops, don't put them in one immediately after another.

As a general rule, leave at least 5 minutes between different eye drops, unless your ophthalmologist has given you different instructions.

This prevents the second drop from washing the first one out.

What about eye ointment?

If you are using both drops and an eye ointment, the ointment generally goes last, because it can form a thicker layer over the eye.

Follow the specific instructions given for your medication.

Why do eye drops sometimes taste bitter?

Have you ever put an eye drop in and suddenly tasted it in your mouth?

That's normal.

Your eyes are connected to your nose and throat through the tear drainage system. Some of the medication can drain through this pathway and produce a taste in the mouth.

Gently closing your eyes and pressing the inner corner near the nose can reduce this drainage.

How to apply eye drops without missing

If you regularly struggle to get the drop into your eye, try these simple tricks:

Look up.
Don't watch the bottle coming towards your eye.

Lie down.
This can make the process much easier if you have difficulty tilting your head back.

Stabilise your hand.
Rest your hand lightly against your forehead.

Use a mirror.
This can help you see exactly where the bottle is positioned.

Ask for help.
If arthritis, tremor, poor vision or difficulty with your hands makes the process challenging, ask someone you trust to help.

There are also eye-drop aids available for people who have difficulty squeezing or positioning the bottle.

How to put eye drops in a child's eyes

Children often find eye drops difficult because they instinctively blink or move when the bottle approaches.

For younger children, having them lie down can make the process easier.

Keep the approach calm and gentle. If your child repeatedly struggles with prescribed eye drops, ask your ophthalmologist to demonstrate the technique.

This is particularly relevant for children using atropine eye drops as part of myopia control.

Eye drops after eye surgery

After cataract surgery, ICL surgery or other eye procedures, using your prescribed eye drops correctly is particularly important.

You may have several medications to use at different times of the day.

The most important things are:

• Use the medication exactly as prescribed

• Keep your hands clean

• Don't touch the bottle tip to your eye

• Don't share eye drops

• Keep track of your dosing schedule

• Don't stop prescribed medication early unless your doctor tells you to

If you are unsure which drop to use or when to use it, ask rather than guess.

What if I miss my eye?

Don't panic.

Simply try again.

If you are repeatedly unable to get the drop into your eye, your ophthalmologist or optometrist can show you a technique that works better for you.

Why do some eye drops sting?

A brief mild sting can occur with some eye drops.

However, significant pain, marked redness, swelling, worsening vision or a persistent reaction should not simply be ignored.

If you are concerned about a reaction to a prescribed medication, contact your eye doctor.

A simple routine to remember

WASH → PULL DOWN → LOOK UP→ ONE DROP → CLOSE EYES

Wash your hands.

Look up.

Pull down the lower eyelid.

Apply one drop.

Close your eyes gently.

Press the inner corner if appropriate for your medication.

That's it.

With the right technique, applying eye drops becomes much easier.