Aim

Eye drops are tricky to use. People have a hard time aiming the drops into their eye. For people with arthritis, even holding the bottle can be difficult. I asked people to put in eye drops and the results confirmed that applying them is not as easy as it could be.

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Process

After identifying the problems with current eye drop containers, I tested a variety of sketches to come up with potential solutions. Although crude, they helped me approach the problem in different ways. I also was able to narrow down my ideas very quickly.

Users who don’t have fine motor control squeeze more liquid than necessary, wasting expensive medicine and getting it all over their face. I engineered a solution involving two duckbill valves that allows a prescribed unit to be dispensed every time. 

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I wanted to create a container that was inviting and comfortable. My aim was to find the appropriate gesture to house the mirror and the valves. I explored various forms on pen and paper. I then took key elements of those forms and applied them to 3D foam models. 

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The final design. features an angled body to make the container easier to hold and a mirror to allow you to see where you are aiming. The soft colors makes the container more approachable and the red accent suggests to the user where to press.

Aim features a double valve system that releases a unit dosage, no matter how hard you squeeze. The valves are integrated into the body of the container.