Contents:
- Medical Video: 10 Mistakes with Contact Lenses that Could Damage Your Eyes
- 1. Forgot or late to use eye drops
- 2. Hold the eyelids when dripping medication
- 3. Two drops at a time
- 4. Drop the drug too close to the nose
- 5. Do not wash hands
- 6. Don't pay attention to the drug expiration date
- 7. As long as you use eye drops
Medical Video: 10 Mistakes with Contact Lenses that Could Damage Your Eyes
Have you been using eye drops correctly? Mistakes using eye drops can make the eyes never heal because the medicine does not work properly. Even worse, you may experience serious complications if not careful. So, make sure you avoid the following seven common mistakes.
1. Forgot or late to use eye drops
If you have been advised by a doctor or pharmacist to drip eyes several times a day, follow a predetermined schedule. An ophthalmologist from Wills Eye Hospital in the United States, Dr. Rick Wilson explained that forgetting or being too late to use eye drops could increase the risk of more severe disease.
According to Dr. Rick Wilson, eye medication only works effectively for several hours. So if you are asked to drip your eyes every four hours, don't be late.
2. Hold the eyelids when dripping medication
When you drop the medicine, do you hold the eyelid with your finger so it doesn't close? Apparently this method is wrong. The first reason why this method is wrong is that the medicine may not get into the eye because you reflexively close your eyes. The second reason, if the drug gets into the eye, chances are the medicine will flow out again with your tears.
The correct way is to drip in the bag under the eyes. Pull your eye bags down and drop your medication in the gap. So that the medicine doesn't come out again, close your eyes for two or three minutes with your head down.
3. Two drops at a time
Do not immediately drop two drops of medicine at the same eye. This is because every drop of medicine must be absorbed by your eyes for about five minutes. The same is true if you are prescribed more than one type of eye medication that must be dropped together.
So give just one drop for each eye (or only the eyes that hurt, depending on the doctor's advice) and wait five minutes. Only then give the second drop.
4. Drop the drug too close to the nose
According to eye specialist Dr. Stephanie Marioneaux from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, you should drop the medication in the outer corner of the eye that is close to the temple.
Dropping the drug too close to the nose can make the drug flow down the nasal passages, not to the eyes. To prevent this, after dropping the medicine, close your eyes while pressing gently on the inside of the eye.
5. Do not wash hands
Dripping eyes with dirty hands can cause bacterial infections. So, make sure you have washed your hands thoroughly before dripping the medication. 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. Don't pay attention to the drug expiration date
Because eye drops are one type of medicine that is always in the medicine cabinet or first aid kit, you may not realize that your eye medication has passed the expiration date. Or when buying drugs at a pharmacy, you don't check the validity period again.
Drugs that have expired will have no effect on the eyes. You are at risk of getting complications because substances that have expired may change properties and produce certain chemical reactions.
7. As long as you use eye drops
Dr. Stephanie Marioneaux warns that you should not use eye drops if you have certain complaints. Especially if the symptoms don't go away within 24 or 48 hours. It's better to go straight to the doctor so you can provide the right diagnosis and treatment. Especially if the symptoms experienced are blurred or disturbed vision.
