eye drops

plural noun

ˈī-ˌdräps 

variants or less commonly eyedrops

: a medicated solution for the eyes that is applied in drops

—usually singular and hyphenated when used before another noun

Most cases of chronic glaucoma are treated with eye-drop medications that reduce pressure in the eye.

—Oz Hopkins Koglin

Examples of eye drops in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Using nonsterile eye drops that harbor bacteria and fungus can cause eye infections, which can become severe because the immune system has a hard time accessing the eyeball and fighting the microbes. —C. Michael White, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026

Another major eye drops recall in 2023 involved a different manufacturer whose products may have contained bacteria. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

The affected types of eye drops include Sterile Eye Drops, Eye Drops Advanced Relief, Dry Eye Relief Drops, Ultra Lubricating Eye Drops, Sterile Eye Drops Original Formula, Sterile Eye Drops Redness Lubricant, Sterile Eye Drops Soothing Tears, and Artificial Tears Sterile Lubricant Eye Drops. —Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026

There aren’t reports of injuries associated with the eye drops yet. —Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for eye drops

• countertops
• mountaintops
• backdrops
• bookshops
• cyclops
• desktops
• dewdrops
• esops
• hilltops
• housetops
• hydrops
• laptops

Medical Definition

eye drops

noun plural

variants also eyedrops

ˈī-ˌdräps 

: a medicated solution for the eyes that is applied in drops

eye-drop

-ˌdräp 

adjective

or eyedrop