Frequently Asked Questions
Safety and Use
What is the right dose for eyedrops?
Multiple studies support that 7-10 microliters is the ideal-sized drop size for the average human eye. Typical eyedrop bottles administer upwards of 50 microliters. The Nanodropper adaptor reduces the size of each drop the ideal 10 microliter range.
Why are smaller eyedrops safer?
There’s a limited space on your eye that can hold extra liquid. After that limit is met, the excess will be blinked out of your eye, absorbed into tissues around your eye, or drained through your tear ducts. The bigger the initial drop, the bigger your eye’s response to the foreign sensation. This means more medication is absorbed into your body, instead of just in your eye as intended by your doctor. This can have what is called “systemic side effects,” where the medication acts as if it was administered through an IV. Because the severity is volume-dependent, the smaller drops have been shown in some clinical studies to be safer.
I use 2 medications, can I share one Nanodropper for both bottles?
The Nanodropper adaptor is a sterile medical device and is not intended to be taken off the bottle once installed. We recommend using one adaptor per medication to prevent risk of contamination, infection, and injury.
Can I clean and reuse the Nanodropper adaptor?
The Nanodropper adaptor is a sterile medical device and is not intended to be taken off the bottle once installed. Please use one adaptor per medication bottle and discard at the end of the bottle-life. There are no FDA-approved home sterilization methods for medical devices. Reuse of the Nanodropper may lead to contamination, infection, and/or injury.
When should I throw away the bottle of eyedrops?
Our recommendation is always to follow the instructions included with your medication and to have a conversation with your eye doctor and follow their instructions. For general guidance, most preservative-containing eyedrop bottles are safe to use up to the printed expiration date on the bottle, as long as you follow the manufacturer’s storage guidelines.
My tip is clogged or I am experiencing a dribble of medication when I use my drops!
If fluid gets trapped between the original bottle tip and the Nanodropper tip, it can cause two types of problems:
1) With certain types of medications this trapped fluid can clog the tip of the Nanodropper and prevent future drops from coming out, or
2) Sometimes this trapped fluid can create a siphon effect where multiple drops will drip out as soon as the bottle is un capped or turned upside down.
Fortunately, we have an easy fix for both problems! Please follow the steps in this video everytime you take a drop to avoid those problems in the future.
Environmental
Is the Nanodropper adaptor recyclable?
The cap and base are #2 HDPE plastics. They can be recycled normally with other clean plastics. #2 plastics currently have the highest rate of recycled plastics, and are not one of the “mixed plastics” that actually end up in landfills. Mixed plastics are labeled #3-7 and currently lack the ability to be recycled into new products at the end of their life.
Why is the shipping box so big?
As a medical device, our shipping boxes have to be validated to meet FDA guidelines. We’re working on shipping Nanodropper adaptor sets of 1-4 quantities in smaller boxes in the future. Also, please see our list of local clinic partners to purchase directly in-person. By choosing this option, you’re helping our environmental efforts to reduce the number of shipments and boxes!
How is Nanodropper helping with healthcare waste?
The environmental impact of manufacturing medications is something that we know is both understudied and burdensome. Eyedrops are no exception, and medication waste, packaging and shipping of those medications, and even the number of times that you are visiting the pharmacy to pick up these medications is something Nanodropper is helping to reduce, one drop at a time.
Sustainability Statement:
Nanodropper was developed to reduce waste found in current standard-of-care practices in chronic eye disease management, one drop at a time. We are committed to our goal of minimizing waste at every step of the life cycle, from pharmaceutical manufacturing, to single-plastics use, and CO2 emissions. As we continue to grow, sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do.
