A small amount of eye drops can make a big difference when used correctly. Do you really understand the method?

Author: Zeng Ting, 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force

Wang Junmei, head nurse of the 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force

Reviewer: Tan Zhisheng, Chief Physician of the 920th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force, Member of the PLA Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Professional Committee

Eye drops are commonly used drugs for treating eye diseases. They are easy to carry, simple to operate, quick to take effect, easy to absorb, and effective. However, improper eye drops operation will affect the absorption of the drug, causing discomfort to the user, and may even damage the cornea and cause infection. So, how to use these small eye drops correctly?

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1. The correct way to use eye drops

1. Apply eye drops on time and in the prescribed amount as directed by your doctor. Do not increase, decrease or stop the frequency of eye drops at will.

2. Wash your hands with running water before applying eye drops.

3. Sit or lie on your back, tilt your head slightly back and toward the affected side, and look upward. Use your left index finger or a cotton swab to pull open the lower eyelid, hold the dropper or eye dropper bottle in your right hand, and drop the medicine into the conjunctival sac of the lower fornix 1 to 2 cm away from the eye. Gently rotate the eyeball to fully diffuse the medicine.

4. Use a cotton swab to wipe away excess liquid, gently press the lacrimal sac for 2 to 3 minutes, and close your eyes to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. When applying eye ointment, apply from the inside to the outside. Gently pull the eyelids down to cover the eye ointment, close your eyes and rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the eye ointment to melt evenly.

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2. Validity period and storage method of eye drops

Eye drops will breed bacteria after a certain period of time when they are exposed to air after opening. Most eye drops are valid for one month after opening; some small-bottle eye drops without preservatives can only be used once after opening; a very small number of specially packaged eye drops can be valid for up to three months after opening. The specific period is subject to the instructions. Eye drops should be stored according to the instructions for the drug and avoid direct sunlight. If refrigeration is required, please place it in the refrigerator and do not freeze it.

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3. Notes

1. Before using suspension eye drops, you need to shake the bottle to mix the medicine evenly before use.

2. The conjunctival sac of the lower fornix of the eye can only hold 1 to 2 drops of eye drops at most. More drops will overflow or flow into the nasal cavity. Therefore, it is best to drop 1 to 2 drops each time.

3. If you need to use two or more eye drops, the interval between each drug should be 5 to 10 minutes; if you have eye drops and ointments at the same time, you should apply eye drops first and then eye ointments. Eye ointments have a longer effect time and are usually applied before going to bed.

4. Do not let the mouth of the eye dropper bottle touch your eyes directly, and do not apply directly to the "black pupil" (cornea) to avoid hurting your eyes and causing infection.

5. After applying the eye drops, gently press the lacrimal sac for 2 to 3 minutes to prevent the drug from being absorbed by the nasolacrimal duct and causing adverse reactions to systemic drugs.

References:

［1］MA Yan, BAI Feng, ZHANG Yingying, et al. Causes of binocular vision loss in the elderly[J]. Chinese Journal of Gerontology, 2019, 39(23): 5747-5750. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1005-9202.2019.23.032.

［2］Zhang Shasha, Zhang Guixin, Huang Shaolan, et al. Application of quality control circle in ophthalmic inpatient ophthalmic medication management[J]. Chinese Journal of Traditional Chinese Ophthalmology, 2021, 31(10): 754-757. DOI: 10.13444/j.cnki.zgzyykzz.2021.10.017.

[3] Ding Yanming, Liu Xia, Deng Jun, et al. “One disease, one product” common disease nursing[M]. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2020.