Eye HEalth & Wellness

Using Eye Drops Properly

Here are a few tips every patient should know:

• Always wash your hands before putting in eye drops.
• Shake the bottle at least twenty times, according to instructions. This is necessary, for example, with antibiotic - cortisone emulsions.
• Bottles and tubes of salve should be opened carefully. Never touch the tip with your fingers.
• Pull down the lower eyelid with the tip of your finger and look upward. It is usually helpful to do this in front of a mirror.
• Carefully squeeze a drop of the fluid or a centimeter (approximately 1/2 an inch) of salve onto the lower conjunctival sac, if possible without letting the bottle or tube touch the lid.
• When finished, keep your eye closed for a few minutes. If using eye drops, gently pressing the inner corner of your eye with a finger tip during this time closes the tear duct, thus preventing too much of the solution from getting into the nose and ensuring that it remains in the conjunctival sac.

Only after completing the above process should you wipe the area around the eye with a clean tissue. Afterwards, close the bottle or tube tightly and, according to instructions, store it in the refrigerator or other safe place.

A faint burning sensation in the eyes is normal after use. When using salves, vision will often become poor or blurred for a short time. If you have been prescribed several different types of drops, always wait a few minutes between applications to ensure that there is sufficient time for each individual ingredient to be absorbed.

Drops and salves should always be applied at the prescribed intervals and according to your doctor's instructions.