The Best Eye Drop Instillation Technique - The Bridge Method

The Best Technique for Drop Instillation 

Patients often tell me they have a hard time putting drops in their eyes. They complain that they waste expensive medications by dropping it onto their face.  

The problem with the way most people insert eye drops is that they hold the bottle over their eye and don’t have very good aim.  When you hold your hand above the eye there is nothing for you to use as a reference.  You don’t know how far below to the right or left your eye is from where the bottle drop is aligned.  

The Bridge Method can be used with any type of bottled eye drop, medication or an artificial tear, it doesn’t matter. This technique is a little harder to perform with the preservative-free vialed drops that I ask you to use, but it can still work.   

Currently, my favorite artificial tear to use is Refresh Optive MEGA-3.  These are preservative-free and contain a blend of natural oils to replenish the tear film.  This tear is best to be used without contact lenses.  You can purchase these awesome tears here.

The Bridge Method  

1) Wash your hands  

2) With your left hand, rest the eye drop bottle on the bridge of your nose with the tip facing the right eye    

3) Tilt your head backward and look up towards the ceiling    

4) Use your right middle finger to pull down on the lower lid  

5) The left hand now squeezes the bottle and they drop falls perfectly into your right eye. 

6) Repeat steps 2 – 5 using the opposite hand for the left eye 

If these drops are a prescription medication, continue with the next steps: 

7) Close both eyes 

8) Gently press the index finger of each hand to the inner corner of the eye near your nose.

9) Apply gentle pressure for 60 seconds.  

Steps 7 – 9 ensure the medication stays in the eye and is fully absorbed.   Putting pressure on the lids blocks the drainage system for the medication to leave the eye.  This increases the absorption in the eye instead of the medication being absorbed systemically.  This step is not necessary when using an artificial tear, but it won’t hurt to do so for tears as well. 

There you have it.  A simple plan to successfully put drops in your eye.  No more waste.  When you utilize the Bridge Method, the bottle is resting on your nose, and the drop lands inside the eye every time. 

Leave a comment below and let me know if this method worked for you.  You can also tell me your favorite artificial tear to use.  I can’t wait to hear about your success.  Please leave a comment below and tell me the name of your favorite artificial tear.

Also, The Ultimate Guide to Artificial Tears is now available.  This guide takes you through a flow chart to determine the best type of artificial tear for you.  It also lists the types of artificial tears available, why you would choose each type and the names of the tears in each category.  It seems like a lot, but it is the Ultimate guide.  Get the guide here.