Home care suggestions for using eye drops and eye ointment medications

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR’S EYE DROPS ORDERS IF THEY DIFFER FROM THESE SUGGESTIONS

1. Wash your hands with soap and water before using eye drops.
2. Look toward the ceiling with both eyes open.
3. Pull lower lid down – steady your hand on your forehead.
4. Put a drop of medicine or small strip of ointment (1/4 inch) in the sac behind the lashes of the lower lid.
5. The tip of the dropper or ointment tube should not touch the eyeball itself.
6. Do not give more than one eye medicine at a time – wait 5 minutes between medicines.
7. When using both ointments and eye drops, use the ointment AFTER the drops.
8. Try to keep your eyes closed for one minute after instilling drops to obtain maximum benefit from medications

As with any medication, make sure you consult your doctor prior to using them. There are hundreds of different eye medications on the market, so make sure you’re using the ones prescribed by your eye doctor or physician.

Read about some of the common eye medications here