What if I miss a dose of eye drops?

If you miss a dose of lubricating eye drops, just use the next drop when you remember or at your next usual time, and carry on with the label’s directions. Don’t put in extra drops to make up for the one you missed. Quell’s label gives its directions as: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. It doesn’t say anything about missed doses, so a pharmacist is the person to ask if you’re unsure.

What the label says, and what it doesn’t

Quell is an over-the-counter lubricating drop, and its Drug Facts panel is short. The Uses line reads: For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye. The directions line is the instruction to follow, and it tells you how many drops and how often. It doesn’t mention what to do if a dose is skipped, how to space doses, or whether timing matters.

When a label is silent on something, the safest reading is to stay within what it does say. That means no more than the directed number of drops in a day, and not doubling up at one time. Prescription eye drops often come with specific missed-dose instructions; those don’t apply here, and a lubricating drop’s instructions don’t apply to them.

Should I double up on eye drops?

No. Putting two or three drops in at once doesn’t store moisture for later; the eye holds only a small amount of liquid, and the extra mostly runs out onto your cheek or down the tear duct. Doubling up uses your bottle faster without doing more.

• Missed your morning drop and it’s midday: use it now, and continue as usual.
• Missed the evening drop and it’s bedtime: use it if you want to, as long as you stay within the directions for the day.
• Forgot an entire day: start again the following morning at your usual times.
• Not sure whether you already used it: skip it and wait for the next one.

Does missing a dose matter?

For a lubricating drop used for everyday dryness, a missed dose usually means your eyes may feel drier than usual for a while. It doesn’t undo the drops you’ve already used. If you notice that missing drops makes a big difference, that’s useful information to share with an eye doctor, who can look at what’s behind the dryness.

Missing doses because your eyes feel fine is different from forgetting. If dryness only shows up in certain situations, like long screen sessions or windy days, using drops around those moments may fit your life better. Stay within the label’s directions either way.

Ways to remember the next one

Linking drops to something you already do every day is the most reliable approach. A few ideas:

• Keep the bottle next to your toothbrush and use it after brushing in the morning and at night.
• Set phone alarms for each dose, labeled “eye drops” so they’re not mistaken for something else.
• Pair a midday dose with lunch, and keep a bottle in your work bag or desk drawer.
• Use a weekly pill organizer’s lid as a checklist, or tick a box on a calendar.
• Ask someone at home to remind you while you’re building the habit.

A written record also helps you notice patterns. Our guide to keeping an eye drop log shows a simple way to do it.

Running out counts as missing doses

Many missed doses happen because the bottle is empty. Order before you run low: Quell ships within the United States from Brentwood, Tennessee, and no delivery date is promised. After an order, you may get one reorder reminder email. Orders of 3 or more bottles ship free, and you can order from the home page.

Keep each bottle within the label’s storage range: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). A bottle left in a hot car to make it easier to remember may end up outside that range.

When missed doses aren’t the issue

If your eyes hurt, your vision changes, or symptoms get worse whether or not you’re using drops regularly, stop and follow the label: 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. Our list of eye symptoms that need a doctor covers the warning signs.

If you use any other eye drops, especially prescription ones, ask your eye doctor or pharmacist how to fit them together; the Quell label doesn’t give directions for use with other drops. The full panel is on the Drug Facts page.