Digital eye drop instillation--a novel method

Local drug treatment in ophthalmology by the use of eye drops has meant that potent drugs can be used, thereby minimising systemic side effects. While seemingly a simple task, insertion of eye drops can be problematic for certain patients and in particular circumstances.

To describe a novel method for the administration of eye drops, which overcomes the main problems of conventional eye drop administration.

Our pragmatic method of eye drop application provides a way of improving compliance and reducing ocular surface injury. Our experience to date is that the technique is at least as safe as that used for insertion of contact lenses from an infection risk perspective.