Any tips for getting eye drops into DS's eyes?

[iwouldgoouttonight]

DS (8 months) has been given eye drops for eye infection which we had supposed to put in every couple of hours! After much struggling, kicking, screaming, etc we managed to just about get a drop in each eye with one of us holding his arms and head and the other trying to open his eyes and put drop in! My mum is looking after him tomorrow and will have to do this on her own - any tips for making it easier for her and less upsetting for DS? Thought about trying to take him by surprise but once we'd done one eye he'd know what was going on and not open the other one!

Aha we had htis but with a 3 year old. You just have to grin and bear it. turn the tv on and lie him under it maybe?

don't worry about his eyes being open - get the drop in the corner of the eye and when DS blinks that will get the stuff in his eye - My DS (10.5 months) seems to sprout additional arms and legs we try to get eyedrops so yes it is a three man job!!!!

LOL at your name Shutup.
It is like torture isn't it? Impossible to do on your own. We tried creeping up when dc asleep at this age. Not a good option!
Holding down and getting helper to hold head and speak soft encouragement while you drop them in is the only option.
Just be quick and kind.

Do it while he's asleep whenever you can.

Get yourself so he's upside-down to you, have the bottle ready in your other hand, open eyelids with thumb on upper eyelid and middle finger on lower eyelid (middle finger seems to work better than index because you're likely to dig your nail into his cheek if you use your index inger), and drip medicine in.

Another thing that helsp is to warm the bottle first. It has to be kept in the fridge, I knoow, but you can pop it in your jeans pocket 10mins before you intend to use it so that your body warmth can warm it up enought htat he doesn't get a nastily cold splash in his eye.

Oh and don't worry if you miss a dose, just put it in later. I mean if your mum can't do it on her own it is not end of world.
Wiping gunk away with cotton wool dipped in cool boiled water also v helpful if it is conjunctivitis. And don't transfer the germs to your own eyes - very infectious.

pull the bottom eylid down and drop it into there rather than directly onto the eyeball - far less tears. I didn't realise it could be done like that until a visit to the opthologist .

Thanks for your replies - just searched other threads and it seems to be a common problem! Might try when he's asleep - will the drops go in if his eyes are closed or do we need to open them (which will probably wake him up!)

I had to do this when DS was a few months old. I opened his eyes one at a time when he was deeply asleep - most of the time it didn't disturb him!

Wsatch him sleep before you do it: if his eyes are moving, or his fingers twitching, don't do it. |Wait a few nminutes until he is completely still agsain. You probably will have to move his upper eyelid as his eyelashes may get in the way.

Have just done it while he was having his bottle and was much easier. Not sure my mum can feed one handed though so will definitely suggest trying to do it while he's asleep. Thanks again for all the help.

We always did DS when he was asleep or had to face the same difficulties as you.

However, I also asked my doctor to prescribe the stuff that you need to use only twice a day. At first they gave us one that was four times a day. I guess the less frequent one costs more but given that DS would NOT tolerate it whilst he was awake, I felt it was worth insisting. I think it was called fusidic acid or fucithalmic ointment (NB: long time ago so hope I've got the name nearly right).