7 Eye Drop Mistakes You Might Make

Ever stare at your phone or computer for hours, leaving your eyes dry and tired? You probably reach for eye drops to cope.But eye drops aren’t something to use casually. Lots of people get them wrong.

See if you’re making these mistakes:

1. Buying drops at the pharmacy for dry, tired eyes?

Nope.

Dryness and fatigue can come from climate, habits, or health issues[1]. Better to see a doctor first for the right fix.

If you can’t see a doctor right away, grab preservative-free artificial tears (like sodium hyaluronate or carbomer drops). They mimic natural tears to ease dryness.

Still uncomfortable after using them? See a doctor.

2. Putting drops directly on your eyeball?

Wrong!

Lots of people drop them right on the cornea (the clear "black part")—bad idea. The cornea has super sensitive nerves; drops here make your lids snap shut, wasting the medicine.

Do this instead: Pull down your lower lid, and drop into the space between the lid and your eye (the conjunctival sac). It spreads the medicine without irritation.

3. Using more drops for better results?

No—1 drop is enough.

Your eye’s conjunctival sac is smaller than one drop. Extra just gets wasted.

Still dry after 1 drop? Wait 5 minutes, then add a second. For prescription drops, follow your doctor’s dose.

4. Keeping eyes open after drops?

Close them.

Skip the phone after dropping. Close your eyes gently and rest 3–5 minutes.

This keeps drops from leaking out, slows their exit, and lets them absorb better—so they work. Wasting drops is minor; missing treatment is not.

5. Wondering why your throat tastes bitter?

Eyes connect to your throat through tear ducts—just like your nose. Unabsorbed drops flow through them, causing that bitter taste.

Fix it: After dropping, gently press the inner corner of your eye to block the tear duct. This keeps drops on your eye longer and avoids toxic reactions (like with atropine, used to slow teen myopia)[2].

6. Keeping opened drops too long?

Most last 1 month after opening; some longer—check the label.

Opened drops pick up bacteria, raising infection risks.

Stay safe:

· Wash hands first.

· Set the bottle cap upside down (don’t flip it cap-down).

· Keep the bottle tip away from eyes, lashes, or skin—drop from a small distance.

7. Using regular drops with contacts?

No!

Regular drops have ingredients that can damage contacts—clouding or staining them.

Stick to preservative-free artificial tears. They ease dryness, and early on, sodium hyaluronate drops even help protect your cornea[3].

Quick guide—save this:

1. Wash hands; cap upside down; keep bottle tip off your body.

2. Pull down lower lid; drop 1 into the conjunctival sac.

3. Close eyes 3–5 minutes, pressing inner corner.

4. Use opened drops within 1 month.

5. Contacts? Go for preservative-free artificial tears.

6. Dry/tired eyes? See a doctor first.