Instilling eye drops independently is becoming increasingly important due to pressure on home care

According to Oculoo, an estimated 1.7 million people in the Netherlands use eye drops every day. Eye drops are used for conditions such as glaucoma, dry eyes, inflammation and after cataract surgery. So for many people, instilling eye drops is not a one-off action, but a fixed part of the day.

Yet daily use does not automatically mean that instilling eye drops is easy. Oculoo’s own research among older eye drop users shows that many people continue to struggle with instilling drops independently. Aiming correctly above the eye, squeezing the bottle in a controlled way and being sure that the drop lands properly in particular remain recurring problems.

At the same time, care is changing. Home care organisations are under pressure and in more and more regions, attention is turning to which tasks people can carry out themselves with the right support. Instilling eye drops is a clear example of this. Instilling drops independently is therefore becoming increasingly important, but this does require practical aids that fit users’ everyday reality.

Why instilling eye drops independently is becoming more important

At first glance, instilling eye drops seems like a small action. Yet for many people it is a precise and vulnerable moment. The user has to tilt their head back, keep the eye open, position the bottle above the eye, apply enough force and dose the drop correctly.

That sounds simple, but in practice it often goes wrong. Especially among older people, reduced vision, trembling hands, stiff fingers, less hand strength or uncertainty can make instilling eye drops independently difficult.

On top of that, more and more people are living at home for longer. This makes self-reliance in care more important. Not because everyone has to be able to do everything alone, but because the available care capacity has to be deployed ever more precisely.

VGZ calls instilling eye drops independently an example of sensible care. At Thebe, the regional approach led, according to VGZ, to 51% fewer people needing support with instilling eye drops. This shows that good instruction and aids not only help clients, but can also reduce pressure on home care.

What Oculoo sees in its own research

Oculoo surveyed 230 older eye drop users about how they experience instilling eye drops independently. This revealed that 76% of older people continue to struggle with instilling eye drops, even when they already have experience with existing aids.

In addition, earlier research by Oculoo showed that roughly half of older eye drop users are not aware of any aid for instilling eye drops. That is striking, because aids are precisely intended to make people more independent in everyday actions such as instilling eye drops.

The most important conclusion from the research is that the problem does not lie solely in a lack of explanation. Many users know that they have to instil drops and also understand why that is important. Yet carrying it out does not always go well. So it is not only about knowledge, but above all about grip, strength, stability and confidence.

Where does instilling eye drops often go wrong?

Three problems come up again and again in Oculoo’s conversations and research results.

1. Holding the bottle properly above the eye

Many users find it difficult to position the eye drop bottle properly above the eye. They can’t see the bottle as well, become uncertain about the distance to the eye or are afraid the nozzle will touch the eye.

As a result, drops sometimes end up beside the eye. It can also happen that someone tries to instil drops several times, because it is not clear whether the drop landed properly.

2. Squeezing enough and in a controlled way

A second problem is squeezing the bottle. Some eye drop bottles are small, slippery or stiff. For people with less hand strength, rheumatism, osteoarthritis or trembling hands, it can be difficult to apply exactly the right amount of pressure.

Too little pressure means no drop comes out. Too much pressure can cause several drops to come out of the bottle at once. That makes the action unsettling and frustrating.

3. Doubt about whether the drop landed properly

Many users doubt afterwards whether it went well. Did the drop reach the eye? Was too much used? Did the bottle touch the eye? Do the drops need to be applied again?

That uncertainty makes instilling eye drops independently a burden. Especially when someone has to instil drops daily or several times a day, this can become a recurring moment of stress.

Instilling eye drops independently takes more than explanation

Instruction remains important. A doctor, pharmacist, optometrist or district nurse can explain how eye drops should be used. But explanation alone does not always solve the practical problem.

Someone can know exactly what is intended and still find the action itself difficult. Especially where there is reduced vision, limited hand function or fear of touching the eye, extra support is needed.

That is why instilling eye drops independently must be approached practically. The question is not only: “Does someone know how to do it?” The better question is: “Can someone also carry it out calmly, safely and repeatedly?”

An aid for instilling eye drops can help with this. The National Health Care Institute of the Netherlands describes the eye drop glasses as appropriate care practice that can contribute to greater autonomy and self-reliance when instilling eye drops.

What does this mean for home care?

For home care organisations, instilling eye drops is a small action that can take up a lot of time. Not because instilling the drops itself takes long, but because travel time, planning and care capacity are needed.

When someone has to use eye drops several times a day, that can lead to multiple care visits. That is not always pleasant for the client, who has to wait for a care professional. For home care it means extra pressure on a system that is already heavily burdened.

Instilling eye drops independently can therefore make a big difference. The client can instil drops at the moment it is needed. Home care can spend time on people who really cannot manage without support. Informal carers are less burdened.

But this only works when people are not simply left to their own devices. Instilling drops independently must be supported with clear explanation, suitable aids and a realistic assessment of whether someone can actually carry out the action.

What does this mean for informal carers?

When instilling eye drops independently is not possible and home care is not available, the help often falls to family, neighbours or other informal carers. That may seem practical, but it is not always feasible.

Informal carers do not always live nearby. They are not always available at the right moments. And not every informal carer feels confident enough to administer eye drops.

That is why it is important that people can remain as independent as possible. Not to make help entirely unnecessary, but to reduce dependence where that can responsibly be done.

A good aid can be an in-between solution. The user stays in control, but gets support with the hardest part of the action: positioning the bottle properly and instilling the drop in a controlled way.

What does this mean for people with glaucoma?

For people with glaucoma, eye drops are often part of daily treatment. This is not about a short period, but about long-term and consistent use.

With long-term use in particular, convenience becomes important. If instilling drops causes tension every day, that can affect treatment adherence. People may start postponing, skipping or becoming unsure about the result.

An aid such as eye drop glasses does not treat glaucoma and does not replace medical advice. It can, however, help to administer prescribed eye drops more calmly and independently.

For this group it is important that support is not only discussed once someone gets stuck, but earlier. For example via the pharmacy, eye clinic or home care.

What does this mean after cataract surgery?

Instilling eye drops independently is also important after cataract surgery. Patients are often prescribed eye drops temporarily for the recovery period. That is precisely when instilling drops can be difficult, because the eye is sensitive and someone may be unsure about what is and isn’t allowed.

For many people this is the first time they have to use eye drops intensively. The instruction at the clinic or pharmacy is important then, but at home the patient has to do it themselves.

An aid can help to make the step to instilling drops independently smaller. Especially when someone knows in advance that there is a practical solution, that can reduce uncertainty.

The role of the Oculoo eye drop glasses

The Oculoo eye drop glasses were developed to support people in instilling eye drops independently. The glasses help to position the eye drop bottle better above the eye. This means the user has to search less for the right spot and the action can be carried out more calmly.

In addition, the Oculoo eye drop glasses were designed with attention to controlled squeezing. That is important, because research by Oculoo shows that aiming is not the only problem, but dosing the drop as well.

Oculoo is not a treatment for an eye condition and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or eye care professional. The eye drop glasses are intended as an aid for administering prescribed eye drops more independently and in a more controlled way.

Conclusion

According to Oculoo, an estimated 1.9 million people in the Netherlands use eye drops every day. So for a large group, instilling eye drops is a fixed daily action. At the same time, Oculoo’s own research shows that many older users continue to struggle with instilling drops independently.

The pressure on home care makes this subject extra important. People are increasingly expected to use their eye drops themselves, possibly with the support of an aid. That can have benefits for clients, informal carers and care organisations, but only when it is done responsibly.

The most important conclusion is clear: instilling eye drops independently takes more than just explanation. Users need practical support with aiming, stability, squeezing and confidence.

Eye drop glasses can help with this. Not as a replacement for medical care, but as a practical aid to stay more independent in an action that many people repeat every day.