How many people in the Netherlands have difficulty administering eye drops?
Applying eye drops independently: a bigger problem than you think
Every day, hundreds of thousands of people in the Netherlands hold a bottle of eye drops above their face, tilt their head back and try to get a drop in exactly the right spot. For many people that works fine. But for a remarkably large group it is a challenge every single time — or it regularly fails. The Oculoo eye drop glasses were developed for precisely those situations: when an ordinary bottle simply asks a little too much. But how big is this problem in the Netherlands, really?
The problem in focus
The Netherlands has around 1.7 million eye drop users. That is according to figures from the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Statistics for 2023. Most users are older: among people aged 88 and over, more than 300 in every 1,000 residents receive an eye preparation, compared with 50 in every 1,000 among people under twenty. It is precisely among older people that the difficulties add up: trembling hands, stiff fingers, reduced vision and trouble holding the bottle steady above the eye.
How the Oculoo eye drop glasses solve this
The Oculoo eye drop glasses remove the two biggest obstacles: aiming and squeezing. By placing the bottle in the holder of the glasses, the dropper automatically points at the eye. Users no longer have to hold the bottle straight themselves or guess where the drop will land — the glasses do that work. This makes administering eye drops considerably easier and more reliable, also for people with limited hand function or reduced vision. Alongside the standard Oculoo for regular eye drop bottles, there is the Oculoo Minim, specially designed for single-use bottles — the difference lies in the dimensions of the holder, tailored to that smaller packaging.
Who are the Oculoo eye drop glasses for?
The eye drop glasses are primarily intended for people who use eye drops daily or several times a week and find it difficult. Think of older people with glaucoma or dry eyes, people who have recently had eye surgery and temporarily need to administer several types of drops, or chronic users who notice their technique deteriorating. Informal carers and home care workers who help someone else with drops can also benefit from the glasses. The Oculoo eye drop glasses are available through pharmacies and eye clinics in the Netherlands.
Practical information
The Oculoo eye drop glasses are available for €18.95 including VAT. Both variants — the standard Oculoo and the Oculoo Minim — are available through pharmacies and eye clinics. If you would like to add the glasses to your range as a healthcare professional or distributor, you can get in touch via the Oculoo website for information about delivery and purchasing options. Broader delivery is expected in the third quarter of 2025. Individual users are advised to ask their own pharmacy or eye clinic about availability.
Applying drops independently is no small matter
The problem of administering eye drops affects hundreds of thousands of people in the Netherlands — from older people who can no longer hold the bottle steady to patients who temporarily depend on help after eye surgery. The Oculoo eye drop glasses offer a practical solution that makes applying drops independently easier, without medical promises but with concrete ease of use. Would you like to know more about the Oculoo or the Oculoo Minim? Get in touch via the website, ask at your pharmacy or clinic, or have your healthcare provider find out about the purchasing options.
