Running Out of Eyedrops Too Soon? 5 Ways to Help Save on Eyedrop Waste
Eyedrop waste is probably something you don’t think much about. Just about everyone has to use eyedrops at some point, and for good reason. Whether you use artificial tears to ward off dry eye disease or medicated eyedrops for eye diseases like glaucoma, eyedrops can function like tiny miracle workers for your eyes. What’s more, a lot of non-prescription eyedrops can be used frequently as needed.
But the usefulness of eyedrops, unfortunately, comes with one drawback: they run out quickly. This is because of the eyedrop waste from every drop – they’re about five times too large for your eye to fully absorb.
Have trouble keeping your eyedrop supply topped off? Here are 5 of the easiest ways to help your eyedrops last longer to save on time, money, and most importantly, your eye health!
1. Check Your Form
One of the most basic ways to get more lifetime out of your eyedrops is to correct the way you take them. If you feel the familiar waterfall of eyedrop solution rolling down your face after instilling a drop, there’s a chance your posture is allowing gravity to steal away some of your precious solution. Over time, this waste can really add up.
For proper eyedrop etiquette, the National Eye Institute suggests tilting your head back until you see the ceiling, gently pulling your lower eyelid to create a pocket for the drops to collect, and then carefully squeezing out just one drop. For better results, ensure that you tilt your head back far enough to encourage the eyedrops to remain within your lid’s reservoir instead of trickling away.
Feel free to use this step-by-step guide we published as well!
2. Use an Adaptor to Minimize Eyedrop Size
If your posture is on point and you still can’t stop eyedrop solution from spilling out of your eye, it isn’t really your fault. Roughly 80% of your eyedrops are wasted because they’re too large for your eye to fully absorb.
The simplest and most cost-effective way to combat this problem is to grab a Nanodropper Adaptor. The Nanodropper Adaptor twists on to most eyedrop bottles and helps your eyedrop supply last up to three times longer. It reduces the size of your eyedrop to about 10 microliters (about 60% smaller than an average drop), which is right around what your eye can actually absorb. These small drops have been shown to be just as effective. So making them smaller simply reduces the waste of each drop, multiplying your savings every day!
3. Try a Different Brand
All eyedrop solutions contain a certain level of viscosity to them, otherwise known as the drops’ thickness or “stickiness.” Drops with higher viscosity are more likely to remain on your eyes longer compared to cheaper brands that might be more watery. Gel-based artificial tears are good at alleviating dry eye symptoms for this reason, but generally cost more as a result.
Some prescription eyedrops will have several brands associated with them as well, including generic versions. Check with your eye doctor to discuss the possibilities (just never start or stop a drop regimen without consulting them first!).
If your over-the-counter artificial tears aren’t cutting it after a couple of refills, it might be time to try another brand. Even if a high-quality brand is more expensive, the change could pay for itself if it leads to less frequent use. Everyone’s eyes are different, so your eyes might react better to a slightly different take on artificial tears compared to others! Watch this video for some guidance from Dr. Joseph Allen, an optometrist in Minnesota.
4. Analyze Your Health Habits
It’s been proven many times that your general health will directly impact the performance of your eyes. Eating well, exercising, and practicing mindfulness can produce many ocular benefits, from better vision to avoiding eye complications down the road. While many eye diseases (like glaucoma and macular degeneration) can come about solely through genetics, lacking the crucial vitamins and minerals your eyes need to function can increase your odds of developing a setback that would require eyedrop use.
In the case of dry eye, factors such as screen time, poor sleep, long hours of close-up work, and too much caffeine can leave your corneas irritated and dry. Along with improving your general wellbeing, making a point to fix these issues can reduce your regular eyedrop cravings down to a more conservative routine (or even a rare occurrence). You can also make sure to take eye breaks every so often by closing your eyes for a few minutes or practicing the 20-20-20 rule.
5. Discover the Root of the Issue (Dry Eyes)
In the case of medicated eyedrops, your eye doctor likely has you on a specific regimen you shouldn’t stray from. Artificial tears, while relatively harmless in large amounts, are not typically a permanent solution for aggravated dry eyes.
If your dry eye symptoms persist more than two weeks without a break, you should consider checking in with your local eye doctor to receive a formal exam. You might have a condition that predisposes your eyes to dry up faster than usual (such as meibomian gland dysfunction, or MGD). If this is the case, it may be time to transition to prescription drops. There are also special non-invasive laser procedures that can help to remove buildup that prevents your eyes from producing quality tears.
