From glaucoma and eye infections to everyday things that are harming your eyes to allergies and dry eyes, eye drops are one of the most common drugs found in our medicine boxes. Even though during prescription, your eye doctor or pharmacist would have instructed you on its specific usage, it s often seen that many of us are still using wrong techniques for applying eye drops. A right usage of eye drops will not only help in keeping your eyes healthy as you age, but it ll also help you in keeping away from the risk over-the-counter formulas might pose when applied wrongly or overused. Read more about ways to keep your eyes healthy as you age.
Dr Alpa Atul, Head Refractive Surgery, Maxivision Super Specialty Eye Hospital, believes that when using eyedrops, more is not necessarily better. In fact only the right usage is effective. Here are Dr. Atul s insightful tips on right and wrong ways to use eyedrops and how to make every drop count. Here's expert tips to deal with dry eyes
Please wash your hand before applying the drops with soap and water.
Please check the expiry date of eye drops.
After opening the bottle, write down the date on bottle, as the bottle should be used in one month after opening.
If drops are in suspension form, then please shake the bottle before putting them in the eye.
Please tilt your head backward and gently pull down your lower lid and apply one drop and maximum 2 drops,
After opening please place the cap in safe area upside down.
After applying the drops, do press on side of the nose, at the corner of the eye, so that drops doesn't enter into the throat via nose.
After using the drops, please keep your eyes closed for 10 seconds, then open and start blinking them; once the vision becomes clear then start your normal activity.
Keep a gap of 5-10 minutes before putting a second type of drop to avoid washout of the previous drug.
If you have been asked to use both eye drops and eye ointment, you should first use eye drops, and then use eye ointment and after ointment maintain at least 2 hours gap before using other drops if needed.
Do keep a track of dosages per eye per day.
Do put the dose in the right way as explained by the doctor.
Don't when using eyedrops
Don't self-treat your eyes with eye drops when you have red eyes.
Please make sure the tip of the eye drops bottle is not touching the eye.
Don't put the drops on black circle of the eye, cornea.
Don't put eyedrops with contact lens on.
Don t put two different eye drops immediately one after other, allow some time between the two drops.
Image source: Shutterstock (Image for representational purpose only)
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