Eye drops. Eye drops being dripped on to the right eye (left) of an elderly man. His lower eyelid is pulled back to catch the drops from the nozzle of a small plastic bottle, which is held just above the eye without touching it. Eye drops are used in both the diagnosis and treatment of eye disease. In this case a mydriatic drug was applied. Mydriatic drugs dilate the pupils, aiding examin- ation of the eye and soothing certain kinds of eye inflammation.