Using Eye Drops
After your cataract surgery you will need to put some drops into your eye for 4 weeks. By the end of the 4 weeks you will have mastered the art, but it can be difficult at first. The best techniques are described below.
Assistant:
If you are lucky enough to have someone else able to put your drops in for you this is the easiest technique of all. Sit in a chair with a high back so you can rest your head against a support. Your assistant then holds the dropper upside down, pulls your lower lid down and away from your eye to create a trough, and drops a single drip from the bottle into the trough. If they find this difficult you can also lie flat on a bed or sofa and they can apply the drops to your eye from just above.
Self application:
Putting in your own drops is a skill. Each individual tends to develop their own technique but the broad principles are the same - it is very difficult at first and then easier and easier. If you can try the mirror and trough technique first. In this technique you avoid tipping your head backwards, instead you look closely into a mirror, hold the drop bottle in one hand and pull your lower lid down with your other hand to create a trough, then gently tip the bottle to allow a single drop to drip into the trough. On releasing your eyelid the drop will wash over your eye.
The head back technique is very similar but done without a mirror, positioning the bottle to be directly above your eye and lower lid trough. An alternative is to lie flat on your back and position the bottle directly above your eye and lower lid trough.
It is very important to use your drops regularly to prevent infection and inflammation, so whichever technique you use, persevere until you are sure the drops are reaching your eye.