How do eye drops work?
You ask, “how do I use my eye drops?” but first let’s talk about the drops. Prescription eye drops contain a calculated amount of carefully tested medication. The medication in the eye drops is rapidly absorbed into the tissues of the eye over a period of seconds to minutes after they are placed in the eye. For this reason it is important to administer the correct amount of drops and to prevent the drops from spilling out of the eye or passing down the back of your throat through your tear duct.
What side-effects might be encountered?
In some patients eye drops can cause stinging, redness, or irritation. These are not allergic reactions, but should be reported to the doctor if they become bothersome. A significant amount of itching might be due to an allergic reaction to the drops. Only rarely do severe reactions occur. Be sure to report wheezing or shortness of breath to the emergency department.
How do I properly use this medicine?
Be sure your hands are clean. While looking up with head tilted back, pull the lower eyelid away from the eye with one finger and place one-drop of medicine inside the lower lid onto the eye. Continue to hold the eyelid away from the eye for about 15 seconds. Then, gently close the eye without blinking. Keep the eye closed for a minute or two while pressing with your index finger against the side of your nose where the upper and lower eyelids come together. Finally, dry the remainder of the medicine from your eyes with a tissue paper. This allows the medicine to be absorbed into the eye and keeps the medicine from going down your throat minimizing side effects. Using this routine, the next eye drop may be instilled without the need to wait. Use any ointments only after all the recommended drops have been placed in the eye. Try to use your medication on schedule as missing an eye drop may result in damage to your eye.
For a telemedicine consultation with Dr Pautler, please send email request to spautler@rvaf.com. We accept Medicare and most insurances in Florida. Please include contact information (including phone number) in the email. We are unable to provide consultation for those living outside the state of Florida.
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