How to Put in Eye Drops After Cataract Surgery
The drop goes in the pocket, not on the eye. Pull the lower lid down, hold the bottle clear of the lashes, and let one drop fall in.
- Six steps, in the order they happen
- A 42-second film of the whole thing
- Six clinics in five locations islandwide
Camden (Orchard)Joo ChiatClementiBedokToa Payoh
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Over 10,000 cataract surgeries performed
Over 99% success rate with minimal downtime — under 1% have major complications based on studies.
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Your drops are checked at your first review
The day after surgery the shield comes off, the eye is examined and the drops are gone through with you.
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Ask before you stop, swap or add a drop
They are treating inflammation and infection risk you cannot feel, which is why the course is finished rather than abandoned.
Putting in eye drops after cataract surgery
To put in eye drops after cataract surgery: wash your hands, check the bottle, tilt your head back and pull the lower lid down to make a pocket. Hold the bottle about 3cm above the eye, touching nothing, and let one drop fall in. Close the eye gently and press the inner corner for a minute.
It is more awkward than it sounds, and almost everybody misses at least once. The rest of your recovery covers what the drops are for and how long they continue. If the operation is still ahead of you, what cataract surgery involves sets out the day itself.
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Wash your hands
Soap and water, then dry them on a clean towel.
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Check the bottle
The right drop, in date, and within however long you were told to keep it once opened. Never use a bottle prescribed for someone else.
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Tilt your head back
Look up at the ceiling. Resting your head against a wall or a high-backed chair steadies it, and lying down works just as well.
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Pull the lower eyelid down
With a clean finger, draw the lower lid down and away from the eye. The pocket it opens is where the drop goes — not onto the eyeball itself.
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Hold the bottle about 3cm above the eye
Steady that hand against your forehead or cheekbone, and squeeze one drop into the pocket. The tip must not touch your eye, your lashes or your finger.
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Close the eye and press the inner corner
Close it gently — do not screw it shut or blink hard. Press lightly beside your nose for about a minute. That closes the tear duct (punctal occlusion) and keeps the drop on the eye.
What goes wrong most often
None of these is a disaster, and most people do at least one. Each just quietly wastes a dose or a bottle.
- Touching the tip to the eye or lashes
- Easily done — and it is how a bottle picks up bacteria, in an eye that is still healing. If it happens, set that bottle aside and let us know.
- Putting in two drops to be sure
- A natural instinct, but the eye holds less than one drop. The second runs down your cheek, and the bottle empties early.
- Blinking hard or squeezing the eye shut
- Hard not to, though it pumps the drop straight back out. Let the lid close gently.
- Two different drops back to back
- The second washes the first away before it works. Leave five minutes between them.
- Wiping across the eye afterwards
- Dab your cheek with a clean tissue instead — and however much it itches, do not rub the eye.
- Stopping because the eye feels normal
- It is meant to feel normal, which is what makes this one tempting. The drops treat what you cannot feel, so it is worth finishing the course.
Order, timing and missed doses
Your surgeon’s instructions always come first — those are written for your eye.
If two drops are due at the same time
Leave five minutes between them — back to back, the second washes the first away before it works. Five is the top of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s three-to-five-minute interval. An ointment, if you have one, goes last: it blurs vision for a while and slows whatever follows it.
If you miss a dose
Put it in when you remember, then carry on at the usual times. Do not double up to catch up. One missed dose is nothing to worry about — if you have lost a whole day, or lost track, just let us know.
Looking after the bottle
Keep the cap on, the tip clear of everything, and store it as the label says — a few need the fridge, most do not. Start a fresh bottle once you are past the time you were told it stays good, and please do not share one, even with family.
If you cannot manage it yourself
Let our friendly staff know rather than skipping doses. Somebody else can put them in, and it is often easier for them than for you. If you live alone, do mention it at a review — there are straightforward answers, and our eye clinics in Singapore can go through it with you in person.
Struggling with the drops after your surgery? Talk to our friendly staff for a same-day appointment (subject to availability).
Common questions
How do I put in eye drops after cataract surgery?
Wash your hands, check the bottle, tilt your head back and pull the lower eyelid down to make a pocket. Hold the bottle about 3cm above the eye, tip touching nothing, and let one drop fall in. Close the eye gently and press the inner corner for about a minute.
What if the drop misses my eye?
Put in another. A drop that ran down your cheek has not been taken, and replacing it is not the same as doubling a dose that went in. If you keep missing, try lying down — it takes most of the aiming out of it.
Does it matter which eye drop goes in first?
The order matters less than the gap: if two are due at once, leave five minutes between them so the second does not wash the first out. An ointment, if you have been given one, goes last.
What if I forget a dose?
Put it in when you remember and carry on at the usual times. Do not double up to catch up. If you have missed most of a day, or lost track, tell us rather than working it out yourself.
How do I know the drop actually went in?
You will usually feel it, and the eye waters briefly. If you are unsure, assume it went in rather than adding another. Counting what is left in the bottle against the days remaining is more reliable than memory.
Can someone else put the drops in for me?
Yes, and many people find it easier. They wash their hands first and follow the same steps, standing behind you while you lie down or tilt your head back. If nobody can help, say so at a review — there are simple ways to manage alone.
Not sure you are doing it right?
Send us a message and we will talk it through. If you have had surgery with us and something about the eye does not feel right, say so and we will bring your review forward.
