Can you put eye drops on your eyelids?

Quell’s directions are for drops in the eye, not on the eyelid: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. A drop on the lid mostly runs off the skin and never reaches the tear film it’s meant for. Dry or flaky eyelid skin is a different problem from a dry eye surface, so ask a pharmacist or doctor about a product labeled for skin around the eyes.

Where the drop is supposed to go

A lubricating drop works on the tear film, the thin layer of oil, water and mucus that covers the front of the eye. Quell is designed to reinforce the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss. To do that, the drop has to land on the eye itself, usually in the small pocket formed when you gently pull the lower lid down. Blinking then spreads it across the surface.

The eyelid is skin on the outside and a moist lining on the inside. A drop that lands on the outer lid sits on skin, where it can’t mix with the tear film. Most of it will roll down the cheek or soak into your lashes. That isn’t harmful in itself, but it means the drop missed. Our guide to the tear film’s oil layer explains what the drop is working with.

Dry eyelid skin is a different issue

People sometimes ask about putting eye drops on their lids because the lids themselves feel dry, tight or flaky, especially in winter. That’s a skin concern, and eye drops aren’t labeled for it. The label’s Uses line is specific: For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye. It names the eye, not the skin around it.

The skin of the eyelids is thin, and heated indoor air, cold wind, hot showers, harsh cleansers and frequent rubbing can all leave it dry. Some practical steps:

• Wash your face with lukewarm water and a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser, and pat the lids dry instead of rubbing.
• Remove eye makeup gently at night rather than scrubbing.
• Keep humidity up in the bedroom during heating season.
• Ask a pharmacist which moisturizers are labeled for use around the eyes, since not every face cream is.
• See a doctor if the lids are swollen, crusted, painful, or if a rash spreads.

How to aim so the drop doesn’t land on the lid

Missing the eye and hitting the lid is the most common reason drops end up on skin. A steadier technique:

• Wash your hands first.
• Tilt your head back, or lie down, and look up toward the ceiling.
• With one finger, gently pull the lower lid down to make a small pocket.
• Hold the bottle above the eye, close enough to aim but without touching anything.
• Squeeze gently so a single drop falls into the pocket.
• Let go of the lid, close your eye softly for a moment, and avoid squeezing it shut.

If you flinch, try resting the hand holding the bottle on your forehead to steady it. Our guide on how to put in eye drops without flinching has more tricks, and how to use eye drops as directed covers the routine from start to finish.

Keep the tip off the lid and lashes

When aiming is tricky, it’s tempting to bring the bottle closer, and that’s when the tip brushes a lash or the lid. The label is clear: Do not touch tip of bottle to any surface to avoid contamination. Eyelids and lashes carry oils, makeup and whatever was on your fingers, and a tip that touches them can carry that back into the bottle.

If the tip does touch your lid, don’t wipe it with a tissue or rinse it under tap water. Replace the cap and, if you’re concerned, ask a pharmacist whether to keep using that bottle. Check it before the next use too. The label’s “Do not use” line reads: If this product changes color.

When a drop lands on the eyelid anyway

It happens to everyone. If you felt the drop hit your lid or cheek and nothing cool in the eye, it probably missed. Blot the skin with a clean tissue. Whether a second try counts against your directions is something the label doesn’t spell out, so use judgment: if the drop clearly never reached your eye, one more attempt is reasonable. Our guide on how to know if the eye drop went in describes what a successful drop feels like.

If you wear eye makeup, put drops in before applying it, or at least before eyeliner and mascara, so a missed drop doesn’t smear anything. Our guide on eye drops before or after makeup covers the timing.

Other label lines worth knowing

Before the first use, read the caution: Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only. Quell is milky by design: The eye drops have a naturally milky-brown appearance. This is normal and does not indicate a problem with the product. Store it within the labeled range: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). If your eyes don’t settle, the label tells you when to stop: Stop use and ask a doctor if you feel eye pain or changes in your vision, if irritation or redness continues, or if the condition worsens or persists for 72 hours.

If you keep missing the eye because of a tremor, stiff hands or trouble tilting your head, ask someone to help; our guide on putting eye drops in someone else’s eyes is written for the helper.