Many caregivers lack proper eye drop technique for children, study finds

Many caregivers lack proper eye drop administration technique for children, and limited education on the process contributes to common errors that may reduce treatment effectiveness, according to a study.

The cross-sectional study included 186 caregivers of children aged 14 and under. Participants completed a questionnaire and demonstrated how they administer eye drops. Common errors included not washing hands beforehand (68.2%), incorrect bottle positioning (60.7%), and failure to close the eye after administration (58.1%).

Key risk factors for improper technique included:
-The child’s age
-Caregiver inexperience
-Perceived difficulty in administering drops.

Experience was a protective factor, but only 27.4% of caregivers reported receiving instructions on giving eye drops. Among those surveyed, video was the preferred method for receiving education.

The researchers concluded that better caregiver education, particularly through instructional videos, could significantly improve administration technique and treatment outcomes for pediatric eye conditions.

Reference
Mo Y, Xu Z, Xiao H, Yu X, Zhang H, Huang W, Gao L, Wang Y. Caregiver competence in pediatric eye drop administration: An observational study. J Pediatr Nurs. 2025;84:261-267. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2025.06.023. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40543350.