Eye Drops - Plainfield,IL

Updated on November 30, 2008
M.J. asks from Plainfield, IL
26 answers

Hello Ladies, I need your help! My 2 year old has pink eye, her doctor gave me drops to put into each eye 3x a day. I have found this task impossible, she wiggles and moves, squeezes her eyes and the drops end up everywhere but in her eyes! any advice would greatly help.
Thanks - MJ

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So What Happened?

Thank you all so much!! I used a combination of methods and have managed to get the drops in her eyes. I swaddled her in a blanket and placed the drops in the corners of her closed eyes, as many of you suggested, and like magic the drops rolled right into her eyes!! Yipee! she only fussed for a second so majority of the medication stayed in her eyes. You guys are the greatest, have a great Thanksgiving! - MJ

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C.T.

answers from Chicago on

You need 2 people - one to do the pinning and holding open of the lids and the other to do the drops. Once the drops are in let the eyes close. Some will come out, but most will stay in.

C.

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M.H.

answers from Chicago on

Hello
I had some luck by having my daughter lay on her back with her eyes closed. Then place the drops in the inner corner of her eye and then blink. I hope it helps, Good luck!

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M.E.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M., My pediatrician said to lay the child on their back and tell them to close their eyes. Then put a few drops in the corner of the eye near the nose and make a little "puddle." The drops will seep into their eye as they slowly open. Good luck!

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E.F.

answers from Chicago on

I haven't read the other posts so I don't know what they said but I would lay her down. You may have to sort of restrain her a little. Even with this method kids don't like it because the medicine stinks a little at first. So when she is laying down she already has her eyes closed which is what you want. then you put the drop in the inside corner of her eye and when she opens it it will naturally spill into her eyes. We were on vacation one year and my uncle needed some help putting drops in and i had him tip his head back and close his eyes (he thought i was crazy) and then when he opened his eyes it just went in and he was so excited and said that is the best experience I've ever had with eye drops. So it even works for grown men.

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C.B.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M.,

My son also had to have drops in his eyes (and drops in his nose, too!) The Dr. recommended playing the "close your eyes, open your eyes" game and while I didn't think it would work, it has helped with my son (and his Dad, who hates having drops in his eyes) because I think it takes the apprehension out of seeing what's coming! Have your daughter close her eyes, put the drops in the corner and then have her open her eyes. The amount of solution that ends up in the eye is more than the amount that ends up running down her face! Good luck...

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P.G.

answers from Chicago on

simple you've already fought the fight . Tell her this is the easy way , lay with her eyes closed not tight .... put a drop in the corner. tell her it may feel alittle funny this way but when she is ready not to turn her head and open her eyes enough of the drop will go in then do the other side . do not fight her let her do it. tell her when it is done in both eyes that she has done it like a big girl and now gats a piece of candy. she may go for this maybe not it worked for my son cause even at 2 he was in control.... good luck

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J.C.

answers from Chicago on

Have your daughter close her eyes and put the eye drops in the corner of her eyes. Then have her open her eyes and the drops should coat her eyes.

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A.N.

answers from Chicago on

Holding ( very gently) the LOWER eye lid out ..put the drops in the trough..then release.. it is much easier than trying to hit an open eye.. and can be done even if she's sqeezing them shut tightly.. Wash your.. and her hands well before and after..putting drops in. Also..to help her keep her eyes closed long enough to make sure the drops work thier majic.. try reading a favorite story to her..or making one up so she isn't worried about missing the pictures. Tell her to watch the pictures in her head..like a good dream.

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G.H.

answers from Chicago on

Have the child watch you put eye wash drops in your eyes and in your husbands eyes so she sees that it doesn't hurt or there is nothing to be afraid of. Laugh and make light of it while you're doing it to eachother. When it's time for your daughters drops make sure you place the eyedropper to the outside corner of her eye so the splat is not so scary or messy. Happy Thanksgiving.

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M.A.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M.. I have read all your responses and I have to agree with one. I used to pin my kids down, I would sit over them with my legs on there arms to they could not move, it only takes a few seconds and your not hurting them your just holding them still for a second. I would spread their eye open with my fingers and drop it in. I had to do the same with medicine sometimes. I never tried putting them in the inner eye but I would try that since everyone says it works well.

Good Luck

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C.K.

answers from Chicago on

First of all I would call back the doctor and ask for a gel if there is one in that percription second to put drops in my girls eyes I lay the child down on the floor and put my legs over the childs shoulders where my calves are next to there head and hold onto there head with them then I have both hands to put the drops in also put the drops under the bottom lash line gently squeeze the lower lid (it forms a pouch) and put the drop in there its gonna hurt no matter what you do but not as badly as the pink eye also it helps to have a cold washcloth for her afterwards.
c mother of 3 girls

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L.B.

answers from Chicago on

Hi M.

I work at Childrens Memorial Hospital so I know 1st hand what you are goinf through...I feel your pain. A suggestion that I have for you is to swaddler her with a sheet and if you have someone with you then you can have them hold her head. If you don't have a helper then after swaddling her you can lay her down and lightly straddle her and that way she won't wiggle around. I hope this helps...good luck

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

My kids have had pink eye. The easiest way I found was to have them lie down and put the dropper to the bridge of their nose so the drop actually goes into the corner. They don't see the dropper so they didn't squirm as much. After the drop goes in, have her close her eyes and the drop will go over the whole. There is a difference between a bacterial pink eye-kind of like a cold in the eye-that does not get the gook and a viral pink eye that has to be treated or it can lead to other problems. You might also have her look up while she is lying down--like trying to see behind her. Maybe put on her favorite TV show or something and then try to watch it with her head pointing at the TV-if you can picture this. Hope this helps.

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S.A.

answers from Chicago on

I had to put drops in my oldest's eyes when she was about that age for something or other. The only way I could manage was to sit on the floor with her legs over my legs and my legs over her arms to pin her down. I used my knees to keep her head still. It seems very mean, but I had to put the drops in her eyes. I would give her lots of hugs after were done and explain that I had to put the medicine in her eyes.

If hubby was around he would pin her arms and hold her head while I put in the drops.

Same when I had to use the snot sucker.

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C.P.

answers from Chicago on

My son had pink eye last year and our pediatrician said antibiotic eye drops were an option, but not necessary, since many cases of pink eye are viral. He stated that the majority of cases resolve on their own within 3-5 days. So, would try to keep the eyes clean with a damp cloth, but not hassle with the eyedrops. Pink eye is contagious as long as there is still discharge from the eye.

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D.I.

answers from Chicago on

This may sound horrible, but it's how I managed to get drops and/or medicine into my oldest son:

Lay her on the ground with her head between your thighs. you can put her arms under your legs as you are sitting over her. This holds her head in place and her arms down.

It sounds worse than it is. I have a son who had to have drops for an eye infection and this was the only way I could get him still and have use of my hands to get the drops in properly.

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E.D.

answers from Chicago on

Hi! I had the same thing with my 2-yr-old last week. Lots of fun, huh? We had her lay back, close her eyes and put the drops on the inside corners of her eyes. She would sit for a minute and eventually open her eyes. We figured it went in when she opened them. If we would have tried to hold her it would have just freaked her out. Try to be as relaxed as possible as not to scare her. Best of luck!!

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C.

answers from Chicago on

We had to put drops in my son's eyes when he was just over a year old. This is what I did: I laid him down on the floor and I sat on the floor also. I placed his legs away from me and put my legs over his arms so his head was between my legs. He was unable to move. I was then able to put the drops in. This was not a fun process and after the first time he knew what was coming but sometimes you have to do what you can to get the medicine in.

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C.P.

answers from Chicago on

If it really becomes an issue, I think you can ask the pharmacist to make it an ointment instead of drops. My son is 18 months and was given an ointment to put over his eyes, which caused no irritation at all. You may have to call your Dr for another script or maybe the pharmacy can switch it out.

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C.G.

answers from Chicago on

Most cases of pink eye are actualy viral so antibiotic drops won't help. Maybe call the dr back and ask him/her about that so you don't have to worry about it. Other than that I have no idea how to get a 2 year old to get drops in their eye, sorry.

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A.C.

answers from Chicago on

My ped has told me that you don't need to use the drops for pink eye. Just let it run it's course. I don't want to sound all "we overmedicate kids, and we're creating superbugs", but if the "cure" is causing more frustration than the actual illness, it's probably not worth it. Will your child allow a hot compress and for you to clear away the buildup? If so, that's probably all you need.

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T.S.

answers from Peoria on

Okay, I know this sounds like the cruelest thing ever, but you gotta get those drops in there. My children never responded well to drops either, and the only thing that worked was to sit on the floor with my legs spread out and place them on their backs with their head between my legs and their arms pinned under. I SWEAR I tried every other option first and I felt horrible torturing them with their medicine, but it worked. I read this in the Parenting magazine a year or so ago so I know I'm not the only one! You can try having her close her eyes and drop it between her eye and nose and try to work it in that way, but that did not work for my 2 year old. Just hang in there and keep telling yourself it really is for their own good! Good luck!

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L.I.

answers from Chicago on

Sit on the floor and lay your daughter down where her head is in between your legs by your inner thighs. Take your legs and put them over her arms and legs to hold her down. It may sound mean but it isnt. With the pressure of your legs she wont wiggle and you can use your hands to do the eye drops. That is how the dr. showed me. Good luck

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T.C.

answers from Chicago on

With my hubby and my son when I do their eye drops, yes my hubby is a big baby, I have them sit and look up and I will pull the bottom lid a bit away and put the drop more in the corner near the nose. It fills up the whole bottom part of the eye and when they close it will go everywhere. It also feels more like something cold gently going in rather then a huge drop splashing with the bottle looking like it will poke out the eye ball from the recievers end!

Also, as long as it is on the eyelashes you know some atleast will get in there. Just keep her hands away for a minute or two and if she does rub or touch make sure you are washing her hands! Also, wash your hands afterwards since it is so contagious... although I am sure you alrady know that!

Good luck and blessings to you and yours! I hope she feels better soon!

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J.K.

answers from Chicago on

Does your daughter still take naps? If so you could wait until she was sleeping and administer the eye drops at those times. You would drop into the inner corner of her eye and gently pull down on lower lid, allowing the medication to roll into the eye.

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V.L.

answers from Chicago on

Read on no more as I have the best, easiest and doctor approved method. Have the child lay on his/her back and gently close their eyes. Aim the dropper at the corner of the eye near the bridge of the nose. As the drop seeps into the eye so too goes the medicine~! It's painless, effortless, and without terror!

I put drops in my own eyes using the same method while standing and tipping my head back (I have dry-eyes) and it's great.

Good luck and no more terrorizing our kids!!

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