If you've been diagnosed with glaucoma, chances are good you've been prescribed eye drops. The treatment is intended to help maintain the pressure in the eye.
But many people have difficulty putting eye drops in. Here are some tips from glaucoma.org that address some common troubles:
* If your hands shake: Try approaching your eye from the side; this allows you to rest your hand on your face to help steady your hand. You can also try wrist weights (1 or 2 pounds) to decrease mild shaking.
* If you have trouble getting the drop into your eye: Turn your head to the side or lie on your side and close your eyes. Place a drop on the inner corner of your eyelid, the side closest to the bridge of your nose. Open your eyes slowly and the drop should fall right into your eye.
* Trouble holding onto the bottle: wrap something like a paper towel around the bottle to make it wider. There are also assistive devices to help with eye drops.
You should also always make sure to wash your hands before putting in drops, make sure the dropper stays clean, and be careful not to let any part of the dropper touch your eye.
Allyson Good curates senior living, health, and family content. She is formerly the Managing Editor of Active Life, a print newspaper published in 2016-2017 for seniors, choosing practical articles on health, money, safety, and everyday living for older readers. She is also an avid gardener and offers up Garden Hints and Tips on a regular basis.
