I always use the point of a hook. That works good for me.
If you take a sharp nail clipper, push it over the eye of the hook to the shank, just below the eye. Squeeze it and twist the the clipper a half circle in each direction. This usually loosens up the paint over the eye. Sometimes, a light snip right across the hook eye is needed to flake the paint away. Saves the points on your hooks and leaves a clean eye.