Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have screamed at DH about the eyedrops?

206 replies

ThatsABitExcessive · 17/07/2025 06:27

Last year DH and I got sore itchy hayfever eyes. I bought some drops. A few days later DH came home and announced that we had been doing the eye drops wrong - Shiela from work had told him that rather than dropping it directly into the eye - you should drop it onto the corner of your nose and let the liquid roll into your eye. I said I disagreed with Shiela and would continue doing it properly my way.

He spent all summer doing it Sheila’s way.

Now yesterday I bought some more drops as we’re struggling again. DH said to me “don’t forget, it’s corner of the nose and let it run in”

I screamed and said that’s stupid! Just drop it into the bloody eye like a normal person!! He continues to say I’m doing it wrong and last night I had to sit and watch him dropping these bloody drops onto his face with his eyes closed!!??

The most annoying bit about it - Sheila has no medical experience. I’m an ex-qualified nurse - yet DH takes Sheila’s word as gospel!

OP posts:
OhNoMyChocMelted · 17/07/2025 11:10

Your way is right. However I was told with ds they can go in the corner if ds doesn't come operate. As most kids don't. Not an adult

FOJN · 17/07/2025 11:05

The pair of you sound nuts, how are you managing to disagree about eye drops to the point that screaming is involved.

If you've calmly explained why Sheila is wrong but he continues to use her method then you'll have to let him get on with it. If he tells you you're doing it wrong just ignore him.

Passwordsaremynemesis · 17/07/2025 10:58

Just get the ones that you spray on your closed eyelid. They work beautifully.

PinkCherryPie · 17/07/2025 10:55

Sheila's way is how someone medical years ago taught me to put them in too. Well corner of eye near the nose, not directly on the nose itself (perhaps DH misunderstood this part?).

I wouldn't tell someone that's how to put them in, versus any other approach, but equally I wouldn't scream at someone who told me that's how to do it.

Just do it any way that works for you.

BrickBiscuit · 17/07/2025 10:54

trawlerwoman · 17/07/2025 10:07

My DH has to have eye drops, as does my daughter, and they were told by their eye doctor to do it the way "Sheila" has suggested - eyes closed, into the corner of the eye, and then blink.
Just as a side note on eye drops though, be very very cautious which ones you buy. Some of them can make your eyes a lot worse due to the preservatives and ingredients in them so you've got to be careful as it can make your eyes work. If you can, find an eye doctor or optician who'll be able to prescribe something better than you can get off the shelf.

Sheila suggested corner of the nose, not corner of the eye. Sheila is wrong (or has been misunderstood). Your eye doctor is correct.

SpidersAreShitheads · 17/07/2025 10:53

You”screamed” at him?! Weird overreaction.

Blank1234 · 17/07/2025 10:50

ConcernedOfClapham · 17/07/2025 10:48

Meanwhile, in Sheila’s house:

”You’ll never believe this, but I convinced Bob at work that the correct way to apply eye drops is to put them on the corner of your nose and let them roll into your eye. Turns out a year later he’s still doing it!!! 😆Twenty quid says I can convince him the earth is flat by next Friday…”

😆😆😆

ConcernedOfClapham · 17/07/2025 10:48

Meanwhile, in Sheila’s house:

”You’ll never believe this, but I convinced Bob at work that the correct way to apply eye drops is to put them on the corner of your nose and let them roll into your eye. Turns out a year later he’s still doing it!!! 😆Twenty quid says I can convince him the earth is flat by next Friday…”

Neemie · 17/07/2025 10:46

Are you sure Sheila didn’t mean corner of the eye, by the bridge of the nose?

Blank1234 · 17/07/2025 10:44

VeryStressedMum · 17/07/2025 10:43

Yes I also thought this and only by reading the comments realised she meant corner of eye 😂

Show quote history

Sooo pleased it’s not just me! I literally visualised dh hanging upside down on the sofa trying to get the drop to slide far enough up! 😂😂

wizzywig · 17/07/2025 10:44

Did it work though?

VeryStressedMum · 17/07/2025 10:43

Blank1234 · 17/07/2025 10:40

Okay … 😳 surely I can’t be the only one who was very confused initially by this … I was trying to work out how an eye drop, dropped in the nostril, tip head back, can possibly make it’s way into the eye effectively 😳😳

After reading half a page of comments I realised you mean putting the eye drop at the nose corner of your eye! 😂😂😳😳😂😂

Yes I also thought this and only by reading the comments realised she meant corner of eye 😂

Blank1234 · 17/07/2025 10:42

Fwiw (now that I understand), either way is correct. Another way is to close your eye, put the drop on your lid/lashes, open your eye - voila, eyedrop goes easily in the eye! This was advised by GP when my child was young.

Blank1234 · 17/07/2025 10:40

Okay … 😳 surely I can’t be the only one who was very confused initially by this … I was trying to work out how an eye drop, dropped in the nostril, tip head back, can possibly make it’s way into the eye effectively 😳😳

After reading half a page of comments I realised you mean putting the eye drop at the nose corner of your eye! 😂😂😳😳😂😂

Figcherry · 17/07/2025 10:39

ZoggyStirdust · 17/07/2025 09:18

So your husband is doing something which turns out to be a totally acceptable way, and in fact advised by many doctors.

for this, you scream at him and the mumsnet thread calls him stupid, a dick, and warns you he’s likely having an affair.

blimey

Edited

It’s not acceptable.
It’s incorrect.

VeryStressedMum · 17/07/2025 10:36

I would have to do it Sheila's way as I can't put drops directly into my eyes.
However him saying you are wrong and her way is the only way would also give me the rage and I would stick the bottle of eye drops up his nose

LizaRadleywasonthespectrum · 17/07/2025 10:35

Sheila is correct though.

Dragonsbe · 17/07/2025 10:30

Was it really a scream (which is a wordless high pitched noise made in alarm or fear), or a shout?

OldWomanInACardigan · 17/07/2025 10:28

You both sound pathetic

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 17/07/2025 10:26

Whilst the advice may, or may not, have been OK advice, I'd have been annoyed at him telling me 'not to forget' how to do it in the way he'd instructed you to when you'd quite obviously let him know the last time he said it that you'd continue doing it the way you wanted to do it.
Mind you, I'm very mardy, and I do not take instruction well! Even if it's correct instruction, something in my head just says no I'll do it my own way thank you.

Funnywonder · 17/07/2025 10:21

I would be intensely irritated, but not sure I’d be screaming. I would probably just say ‘you do it your way and I’ll do it mine.’ The end. I have interocular hypertension so I know a thing or two about eye drops, and good hygiene is really crucial. He will end up with an infection if he isn’t careful. I wonder if this Sheila was trying to describe the method I use of holding the dropper over the bridge of the nose for steadiness. The drops still go straight into the eye though.

randomchap · 17/07/2025 10:15

ThatsABitExcessive · 17/07/2025 09:48

People are getting this all wrong.

Firstly - Sheila told him to put them ON HIS NOSE - not the corner of the eye … the actual nose!!!

Secondly - I couldn’t give a shit what he does with his eye drops … it’s his insistence on ME listening to Sheila’s advice that winds me up. Telling me I’m doing it wrong and Sheila has sent her expertise to help me out 🤦‍♀️

Thirdly - I’ve met Sheila - she’s no threat unless DH suddenly gets the urge to date someone as old as his own mother

I screamed and said that’s stupid! Just drop it into the bloody eye like a normal person!! He continues to say I’m doing it wrong and last night I had to sit and watch him dropping these bloody drops onto his face with his eyes closed!!??

If you don't give a shit about how he does his eye drops then why did you sound so angry when mentioning that you had to watch him do his drops?

noidea69 · 17/07/2025 10:11

Would you have screamed if it had been Barry at work said do it this way?

mrsmiggins78 · 17/07/2025 10:10

Maybe Sheila doesn't scream at him

trawlerwoman · 17/07/2025 10:07

My DH has to have eye drops, as does my daughter, and they were told by their eye doctor to do it the way "Sheila" has suggested - eyes closed, into the corner of the eye, and then blink.
Just as a side note on eye drops though, be very very cautious which ones you buy. Some of them can make your eyes a lot worse due to the preservatives and ingredients in them so you've got to be careful as it can make your eyes work. If you can, find an eye doctor or optician who'll be able to prescribe something better than you can get off the shelf.