1
Health education Number:OPH-110
How to instill your own eye drops
1. Purpose:
(1) Preparation of examination or surgery, such as mydriasis or miosis.
(2) Treatment of eye diseases, reducing inflammation, swelling, and pain.
(3) To prevent infection.
2. Steps:
(1) Before and after giving the eye drops: wash your hands with soap and water, and dry your hands with a clean towel.
(2) If your eyes have crust or discharge, clean the eyelids and eyelashes with sterile cotton swabs (from the inner to the outer canthus).
(3) Shake the eye drop container gently, especially the drops in suspension.
(4) Remove the cap of the eye drop bottle and place the dropper cap on its side. Do not touch the tip of the dropper with your hand or any object for eye dropsmust be sterile.
(5) Keep a supine posture or sit on a chair with the head slightly tilted back.
To deliver intelligent and holistic medicine and to provide the best healthcare Compassion Quality Innovation Accountability
All information above has been reviewed by Ophthalmology specialists Edited and published by the Department of Nursing,
Taichung Veterans General Hospital
Set date: 2015.04.18 Revised date: 2022.10.24 Review date: 2020.07.14
2
(6) Confirm the correct eye dropsand the affected eye. Pull the lower lid down with the index finger or cotton swab to expose the conjunctival sac (picture 1). Look up, squeeze the bottle gently and let one drop fall into the pocket. Don’t blink, wipe your eye, or touch the tip of the bottle on your eye or face.
Picture 1 Picture 2
(7) When using the eye ointments, squeeze approximately 1cm long of ointment into the conjunctival sac (from the inner corner of the eye to the outer canthus) (picture 2). Whirl the tube to break the ointment.
Avoid contact the tip of the tube to your eyelashes and eyelid to prevent contamination.
(8) Close the eyes slightly for 5-10 seconds, so that the eye drops can be absorbed evenly on the surface of the eyeball, meanwhile using a cotton swab to gently press the inner canthus for 30-60 seconds. This step will close the punctum and prevent discomfort caused by the eye drops draining to the nasopharyngeal mucosa through the nasolacrimal duct. Besides, it could enhance efficacy by keeping the medication in the eye longer.
(9) Gently wipe away the excess liquid or ointment with a sterile cotton swab (from the inner to the outer canthus).
3
3. Precautions:
(1) Follow directions carefully. Do not let others use your drops and do not instill them into the unaffected eye.
(2) Generally, eye drops could be stored at room temperature, some eye drops need to be kept in refrigerator.
(3) Pay attention to the color and the expiration date of eye drops, throw them away if it is discolored or outdated.
(4) Shake the ophthalmic suspension before using it.
(5) When multiple eye medications are used at the same time, wait at least 5 minutes before delivering the second medication to the same eye in order to keep the effect of eye drops.
(6) Put in the eye drops before applying the ointment when they are used at the same time.
(7) After giving eye drops or ointment, it may cause blurred vision temporarily, be careful and pay attention to safety.
4. Conclusion:
There are many kinds of eye drops, and any of them could be a challenge to get into your eye. But with a few tips and some practice, you’ll get more comfortable with the process. The timing and dosage of your eye drops can make a big difference in your treatment. Whether you’re using drops for glaucoma, dry eye, an infection or an allergy, you must use the drops correctly to get the full benefit. Follow your doctor’s instructions as closely as possible.
4
5. References:
李惠玲、方又圓（2020）．眼睛與耳朵疾病之護理．於劉雪娥總校閱，
成人內外科護理
（八版，226頁）．華杏。官珮慈（2020）．慎用眼藥水 保「視」界清晰．
消費者報導雜誌
，471，29-31。
Gudgel, D. T. (2021, March 10). How to put in eye drops.
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/how-to-put-in-eye-drops