7 Mistakes that are often made when using eye drops

Have you been using eye drops correctly all this time? Mistaken use of eye drops can make the eye not heal because the medicine doesn't work properly. To make matters worse, you may experience serious complications if you're not careful. So, make sure you avoid the following seven common mistakes.

1. Forgetting or being late using eye drops

If you've been advised by your doctor or pharmacist to make eye drops several times a day, then follow the set schedule. An ophthalmologist from Wills Eye Hospital in the United States, dr. Rick Wilson explained that forgetting or being late using eye drops can increase the risk of getting worse.

According to dr. Rick Wilson, eye medication is only effective for a few hours. So if you are asked to make eye drops every four hours, don't be too late.

2. Holds the eyelid when dropping the medicine

When you put the drops in, do you hold your eyelids with your fingers so they don't close? Turns out this method is wrong. The first reason why this method is wrong is that the medicine may not get into your eye because you reflexively close your eyes. The second reason, if the medicine gets into your eye, it is very likely that the medicine will flow out again with your tears.

The correct way is to put it in the bags under the eyes. Pull your eye bag down and drop your medicine in the gap. To prevent the drug from coming out again, close your eyes for two or three minutes with your head down.

3. Two drops at a time

Do not immediately put two drops of the drug in the same eye. This is because each drop of the medication must first be absorbed into your eye for about five minutes. The same is true if you are prescribed more than one type of eye medication that must be instilled at the same time.

So just give one drop to each eye (or just the sore eye, depending on the doctor's advice) and wait five minutes. Only then give the second drop.

4. Drop the medicine too close to the nose

According to the eye specialist, dr. Stephanie Marioneaux of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, you should put the medicine in the outer corner of the eye near the temple.

Dropping the medication too close to your nose can cause the medication to flow down the nasal passages, not into the eyes. To prevent this, after giving the drops, close your eyes while pressing gently on the inside of the eye.

5. Do not wash your hands

Dropping your eyes with dirty hands can cause a bacterial infection. So, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before dripping them. In addition, do not touch the mouth of the medicine bottle, let alone leave it open and contaminated with various bacteria and germs. Immediately close the bottle tightly after use.

6. Not paying attention to the expiration date of the drug

Since eye drops are a type of medicine that is always in the medicine cabinet or first aid kit, you may not realize that your eye drops are past their expiration date. Or when you buy medicine at a pharmacy, you don't check the validity period again.

Drugs that have expired will have no effect on the eyes. You run the risk of complications because the expired substance may change properties and produce certain chemical reactions.

7. As long as you use eye drops

Dr. Stephanie Marioneaux reminds you that you shouldn't just use eye drops if you have certain complaints. Especially if the symptoms don't go away within 24 or 48 hours. It is better to immediately check with a doctor so that they can provide the right diagnosis and treatment. Especially if the symptoms experienced are blurred or disturbed vision.