It's Not What You Think: Using Eye Drops While Working

The problem I’m going to discuss is made worse because I work mostly from home and have many Zoom meetings. While on Zoom, I turn my camera off to put drops in my eyes, which I usually need at least once during each meeting. Then I turn the camera back on and realize I have watery eyes with possibly a tear (not a tear, a drop! …but only I know that) running down my cheek and I’m wiping my eyes.

Taking medication in public

I still haven’t found the best way to deal with this. Of course, I could just type, “Sorry. Need to put drops in my eyes. Back in a sec,” in the chat box, but I mean… it seems inappropriate and a bit ridiculous. I don’t usually say why I’m stepping away, be it to grab a snack or take meds. Why would I announce to all in attendance that I’m putting drops in my eyes? So I just don’t say anything.

Leaving the camera on is not an option either. I wouldn’t want people to have a splendid view of my nostrils. I mean… eww! I was also raised thinking that you don’t take medication in public (which I haven’t been able to avoid and is now quite normalized anyways; is hiding to take meds still a thing?) To me, putting drops in my eyes is a similar thing. I don’t care at all if others do it, mind you. I just prefer not to myself. Mostly it’s the nostrils, though!

Dry eye misconceptions

But I know this means sometimes people think I’m crying (and that this is the reason I turned my camera off). It happened on a few occasions that someone asked me in the private chat if I was OK.

It's not as much an issue over Zoom as it’s harder to see, but it can be a big issue in person. That is because this I usually need medication when I have dry, achy eyes that are red. People who are unfamiliar with chronic dry eye might assume I was just crying or, maybe, smoking cannabis! Did you know that “frequent use of eye drops to hide redness” is a sign of drug use according to some serious websites, like provincial public health? So even just using the drops… *sigh*

I know I should not care about what the people in the meeting with me are thinking. And, although I’d rather not be accused of taking drugs while I work, there is definitely nothing wrong with being sad or crying. I think if I had actually cried, I might close my camera while I regained some composure, but I probably wouldn’t try to hide it. What bothers me the most is simply that it would be a misconception.

If someone asked me how my dry eyes bother me, this wouldn’t be the first thing that comes to mind, but the potential for misconceptions about my red eyes and that watery look after I use my drops definitely does bother me.

Have you had to explain at work why you are using eye drops? Share with us in the comments below.