I’m taking Eyedelto (preservative-free Dorzolamide) drops twice a day. The bottle says that when it’s time to discard the bottle 28 days after opening, there’ll still be some left in it.
I’m fact, I find I get through a whole bottle in about 2 weeks. Has anyone else had this problem? It is an *incredibly* hard bottle to squeeze, and the drops are agony when I put them in for the first 20 seconds or so, so I assume I’m just squeezing too much out by mistake as I flail around in pain, but is this a problem?
I’ve got an appointment at the eye clinic in early August so can ask then, but thought I’d ask here first. In theory I can call the secretary’s office at the hospital but they always just sound cross and harassed and not particularly helpful, so I don’t want to have to do that unless I really have to.
I get free prescriptions so it’s not s problem in terms of needing to get it more often, I just wonder if this is something I should be concerned about, if I’m using too much. Plenty of it drips down my cheeks after the 2 mins of punctal occlusion, so I’m assuming any excess is just flushed out…?
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Gyfers
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I have been prescribed a variety of different drops over 10 years. Currently on Azarga, which are easy to apply as the liquid is thick and creamy in colour so no wastage. I am also on two other which are both clear and very runny, as were most of the previous ones. So there is always wastage with those, sometimes only lasting 2 or at best 3 weeks. I've learned to accept that and never had any problem with replacements.
Hello, It is important to dispose of the drops and open a new one after the 28 days, even if there if it still contains drops. Most eyedrops sting, but should stop after a few seconds. If this persists and your eyes are sore, inflamed and itchy, you need to get back to the consultant as you may be having an allergic reaction to the drop.
The eye will absorb the drops, so any excess that runs down your cheek, should just be wiped away with a clean cloth.
There is a dispensing aid that was made for bottles with the blister on the top of it, such as the Eydelto. You can obtain it from our website. I have included the link for you
Thanks, Trish - I never get to 28 days as the bottle runs out after about 2 weeks!
That’s really useful about the dispensing aid - thank you - I was looking at them on the website yesterday and couldn’t decide which one would be right for Eyedelto, so I’ll get one of those ordered, many thanks.
Hi Gyfers. I am on Dorzalmide and mine only last about three weeks. I put one drop in both eyes twice a day. What I find so frustrating is the hard little bottles that are also opaque so you cannot see how much is left.
I use a little gadget call auto squeeze I think it is to help. Even that can be difficult sometimes.
Thanks so much Granny79 - I’ve ordered one of those gadgets from the Glaucoma UK website, so hopefully that’ll help.
You’re absolutely right about the bottles, they’re so rigid and so hard to squeeze. The only silver lining is that it makes the Monopost drops I also use, seem like a total breeze!
I’m prescribed Eydelto and have to put a drop in both eyes twice a day. I was given one bottle by my chemist but I found I was running out early. I found after 21 days the drop coming out was mostly bubbles. I googled to find out how many drops should be in one bottle of Eydelto and discovered there weren’t enough for two eyes for 28 days. I wrote to the dispensing chemist and asked them to look into it. The chemist agreed and so I get two bottles now.
If you are having to dose both eyes twice a day you’ll probably be in the same boat and will run out early.
Thanks Beecalmed, that’s really helpful, the bubbles is exactly what happens to me too. I did get two bottles when I picked up my repeat, and thought “Ooh, two months’ worth, great!” but that was obviously over-optimistic
Glad to know it’s not just me though - thanks for your reply.
The useful tables explain the bottle sizes and amount of drops approximately. Generally 5ml bottle of drops gives you 100 drops. If you dose twice a day in both eyes you need 112 drops. So you are 12 drops short or 3 days short. All bottles have an extra allowance added for lost drops or drops that don’t make it into the eye. Eydelto is also quite thick and so it’s easy to have a slightly larger blob come out and use up more liquid. So I think that’s why with Eydelto after around 21-23 days you get the bubbles as it starts to run out. As the bubbles mean you may not be getting a complete dose of eye drop just a lot of air it is better to start a new bottle. It confused me initially as to why I was running out early in till I found the info on drops per bottle online.
Yes I get prescribed two bottles too and they last me 6 wks. A bit annoying as my other drop Eyreida (Bimatoprost) I only need one a month so means my collections for both drops are no longer sync, so more trips to the chemist.
Thank you for that info. It answers some questions. I was only prescribed one bottle of Dorzalamide and FOUR of Latanoprost. I have managed to get it changed at last to TWO of the Dorzolamide.
Thanks, Beecalmed, that's all really useful. I'm guessing that also, the downwards flick that you're supposed to do after using the bottle each time, to remove any lingering drops, probably leads to more 'wasted' as well.
I'm on Brinzolamide (which is quite thick) and I used to run out too quickly. Someone pointed out to me that the bottle is designed to be pressed from the base rather than squeezed from the sides (if that makes sense!) and since then I've found it easier to use and also that less comes out each time so I don't run out so quickly. Maybe the same applies to your bottles? But I can see from your comments that also there might just not be enough in them!
I can't find a reference to this online but I'll try and do a video.
I was told to do this press the bottom of the bottle, but I have arthritis in my hands and that was impossible for me to do, hence the easy Squeeze gadget. Even that is not easy. I don’t have anyone here to do the drops for me so have to do it myself.
The hospital pharmacy gave me Eyedelto and after the first couple of days my hand hurt so much with squeezing the bottle that my husband had to administer it. He noted that the first drop each time was all froth, so effectively 3 drops were needed each time.
Happily further prescriptions have all been for Trusopt (individual vials) which are much easier although I suppose more expensive! Unfortunately the repeat prescription is always dated 2 months ahead, although the package only contains 60 vials. I assume I'm not supposed to use the same vial morning and night? I have had to ring the GP a couple of times regarding this.
Ah interesting, I didn't know you could also get it in individual vials. That would be much easier, though I guess more plastic waste.
I order my repeat prescriptions online, so don't have set dates, I can pretty much request the next lot whenever I need it, though I guess if they thought I was getting through an unreasonable amount they might question it.
Agree with all those comments about the hard dropper bottles and Dorzolamide/Timolol drops don’t last the course of 28 days either. I wrote to my dispensary about this and they issued 2 bottles. The other nightmare bottle is Ilube drops - I don’t know how some patients with poor vision manage to unseal a metal surround - remove an orange bung and then apply the dispensing attachment. I’m going to write to the manufacturers to complain - it’s unnecessary and stressful.
I am the same! They are very hard to squeeze and they last half as long because you put them in twice a day, I do anyway, morning and evening. I stick to the same time each day so its a routine and use them with monoprost in the evening, which I put in afterwards, but I have to admit, they are improving my eyesight!!
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