Planning your eye drop supply for the new year

The start of the year is a good moment for a quick look in the medicine cabinet. Count what you have, check the dates, and work out how much you actually used last year, so the next order is the right size.

Count what you used

Your confirmation emails are a record of every order. Add up the bottles and compare with the months you used them. At the labeled dose a bottle runs about a month, but your own number is what to plan around.

Check the spares

Look at the expiration date on every sealed bottle and move the earliest to the front. Throw out anything past its date, or any bottle that has changed color; the label’s Do not use line reads: If this product changes color. How to dispose of eye drops covers getting rid of them.

Ordering ahead

Ordering 3 bottles at a time ships free and covers roughly a season at the labeled dose. Buying much more than that ties up money in bottles that may near their date before you open them.

If your needs changed

If you found yourself wanting drops more often than the directions allow, or you’re still uncomfortable despite using them, that’s worth a visit to an eye doctor early in the year. Questions to ask your eye doctor can help you prepare.

A new FSA year

If your flexible spending account resets in January, a new balance is available for over-the-counter medicines. Check your plan’s rules before you count on it.