Eyedrops are one of the most common drugs that can be seen inside medicine cabinets. It relieves dryness, allergies, infection or glaucoma.
Over the counter eye drops if applied incorrectly or overused may cause unnecessary risks.
When applying eyedrops, "more is not necessarily better; better technique is better," says Stephanie Marioneaux, MD, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Marioneaux comes up with some tips on how to make every drop count.
Do not apply drops to quickly. "The eye really only has the capacity to hold on to one eyedrop, so the others are just rolling down your face and you're wasting them," Marioneaux said
Avoid Mixing and Matching. "I tell patients to maintain a 30-minute window between their prescription and non-prescription drops," Marioneaux says.
Give Attention to Dosages. Missing dosages can affect the whole eye treatment. Marioneaux suggests to put medication in an existing routine by using smart phone and other gadgets as reminder or alarm.
Don't' Skip Drops Appointment. The purpose of the appointment is to see if the drops are working," according to Marioneaux.
Check Expiration Date. Expired eyedrops may affect treatment of the eyes.
Avoid Self-Diagnosis. Give full attention of what drops should be used because sometimes eyedrops can be interchange by ear drops.
Know the right way to pug drops. "You should aim the drop in the outer - not inner - corner of the eye. "I tell [patients] if you put it in close to the nose, that's where it goes," Marioneaux said.
Once successfully dropped in the eye, don't blink rapidly. Just wink normally; and if you can't stop blinking a lot, just close the eye for a minute or two.
"Some people feel if they blink and move the eye around they'll get better absorption. That's false," Marioneaux says. "You will pump the medication out of the eye, as opposed to moving it around."
