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Aids for administering eye drops

(4 Posts)
choughdancer Sun 27-Aug-23 09:07:19

Mum isn't applying her eyedrops every day. She's 100 and forgets. The doctor asked me to go over every day to make sure she takes them. I did this for the first time yesterday, and can see that she finds it very difficult both to position the bottle and to squeeze it. I tried to put them in for her and made a mess of it!

I've looked up some aids for applying the drops, but wondered if the wonderful gransnetters could advise on which they have found most helpful, especially for elderly people.

Thank you in advance.

Foxygloves Sun 27-Aug-23 09:26:32

I wish I could remember the model but I bought one for my Dad after his Glaucoma op many years ago. He was on is own by then and most of his eye drops were missing the eye and running down his cheek. I accompanied him to his post-op check up with (IMO) an extremely brusque and somewhat intimidating consultant. Dad was very in awe of this “great man” possibly being of his generation in his attitude towards doctors and especially surgeons.
So I took a deep breath and explained the problems Dad had been having and showed him the gizmo.
“Nurse!” he bellowed and when she scuttled in he showed her it . “Bloody brilliant!” he bellowed again.”Every patient should be given one”.
“Yes” she replied dryly “I told you that when I showed you one 6 months ago”
Anyway, happy ending, the consultant thawed when he found he and Dad had a shared love of Borders rugby and they ended up chatting like best buddies.
(The eye dropper looked a bit like this, but you could also check Amazon. )

choughdancer Sun 27-Aug-23 09:43:49

Thank you Foxygloves! I'll look for one like that. Your story about your dad reminds me of mine; if anyone mentioned cricket or rugby, they were friends for life and a 'jolly good chap'!

Margiknot Thu 14-Sep-23 20:32:31

I don’t know how to do links but I found this site helpful because I kept missing with my drops. Different bottle types need different aids. If you go to the Moorfield Eye hospital website - there is a helpful section ‘ eyedrop compliance aids’ I imagine local eye clinics can help also.